National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-12
TELEPHONE TALK.
THE COMPANY AND IT'S PATRONS.
Troubles which Have Not Been Healed Up - A
Talk with Manager Maynsrd-The Subscribe
ers' Protective Association Resolved
to Resist the New Rates.

A representative of THE REPUBLICAN
called upon Manager Maynard of the National
Telephone Exchange, last night and directed his
attention to the position assumed by Brad Adams,
esq. with reference to the wires of the company
that were attached to his property.
Mr.. Maynard said that while he was not fully
conversant with all the facts as published, the
issue involves points of law on which he could
not speak understandingly, and which, in the
event of anything arising out of it, would be con-
sidered by the company's attorney; that where
wires had been attached to houses, in every in
stance the company had first secured
the consent of the owners, and in no
instance had wires been so placed where
there any objection offered. He had
also noticed that prominent real-estate firm had
been quoted as saying that they would demand the
removal of the company's wires from all buildings
nnder their control but yet he had not received
any notice to that effect. In the last interview
which the compaBy's. agent had with this firm,
when their telephone was taken out, they said that
zlhae they refused to enter into any new contract
on account of haying signed the agreement of the
association of citizens against the company
they severed their connection with the ex-
change in no spirit of bitterness, but simply
| on account of their obligation in the prem
ises. "Just here said Mr.. Maynard, "arises
our chief difficulty in dealing with the matter;
We, ofcourse only deal with our subscribers in
their individual capacity. Our contracts are with
| them individually, and we look to them individ
ually for payment for the service furnished them.
The association brings to us power Of attorney
to negotiate for modification of our contract with
Mr.. A. Or Mr. B., neither does it tender payment of
the balances due us by Mr.. c. or Mr.. D. Many of
those who have entered into this association are
not on our list of subscribers and the only connec
ton they have with the matter of telephone is the
amounts standing to their debit on our books for
service furnished them in the past, and which still
| remain unsettled. Now is it q fair proposition
| that parties of this character shall have
voice in determining matters which concern
| ourselves and our bona tide subscribers alone?
We have endeavored to meet all opposition in
| spirit of compromise for it must be evident to
every sensible man that our true policy, and one
dictated by the powerful motives, sefinterest is to
extend our lines and secure new subscribers To
this end we have offered to all old subscribers in
renewing their contracts for service under the
changed rates, the privilege of continuing under
the new system Of tolls for three months. We have
kept careful record of the business of each one
of our subscribers for several months past and in
nine cases out of ten you would be surprised to
learn that the toll system will work reduction
the old charge of SIG per year each of patrons
What we have been aiming to accomplish is not
to increase our revenue by increasing the cost of
telephone service to subscribers for their
legitimate business, but to prevent the of our
telephones by vast army of "deadheads,' who
now monopolize our wires TO the exclusion of our
regular subscribers. Nearly all the complaints
that have been made ofdelay in securing connec-
lions between persons entitled to lines have
been traced by US to this source. The changes
proposed by the company are designed especially
to break up this and to enable US to give better
service for less money to our patrons
As an illustration Of what We very justly COM
plain Of in this connection, will state that GER
tain subscriber of ours had two telephones in his
place of business. After using them for some time
he came to the conclusion that he could not afford
to renew his contract, and the telephones were
taken out He now conducts his business by using
the telephones of his neighbors on the right and
left Of him, who are both subscribers, and these
two neighbors are kicking at what they claim
is an effort on our part to extort from them
higher rate per annum for telephone service.
very erroneous impression prevails, too, that
our receipts are all profits, and that it Is only
necessary to stretch wire, put in the telephones
and thenceforward the line becomes automatic
works by ITSELF and never needs attention OF re-
pairs. We are prepared to demonstrate the inac-
euracy of this assumption to any Of our subscrib-
ess who viii honor us with visit. Besides other
expenses, we are compelled TO maintain large
force of operators In central Office, to pay !
corps flnemen for overhauling and repairing our
wires, and keeping them in working order, and |
lust but not by any means least, to pay a stated
royalty to the patentee for every telephone put up
by us. Our company is simply business enter |
prise, which We have endeavored to conduct on |
business principles. We are entirely dependent |
upon the patronage Of the public for its existence
and we have no desire to reduce our revenues by |
driving off subscribers with high rates and oppres-
sive exactions. AT the same time it must be dis |
tinctly understood that we have no desire to con-
duct our enterprise for glory only.
THE OTHER SIDE.
Mr.. James s. Edwards, secretary of the execu-
tive committee of the Subscribers Association said
last night that under the pledge adopted at the |
meeting on the 9TH of last February no member
could make any arrangement with the Telephone
Company without the consent of the association.
The officers of the Telephone Company were crcu-
lating among the subscribers endeavoring to in
duce some of the timid to give the new rates
trial. 1t had been reported that two members of
the association had agreed to this PLAN and efforts
were being made to find out who they are. If they
had violated their pledge the association proposed
to make an example of them by reading them
out of meeting" The association was now over
three hundred strong, and two hundred and ninety
three ofthese had affixed their signatures to pa
per pledgipg themselves to give up their tele-
phones sooner than pay the new scale of
prices demanded by the Bell Company
Thus far six telephones had been removed
from subscribers who refused to agree
to the company's terms, as follows: Edwards &
Barnard Brad Adams, II. o. Towles, Duvall &
Mari, C. C. Bryan, and Barber & Ross. The associ-
ton must be dealt with now as body and not in
dividually. At recent meeting of the executive
committee 1t had been decided to call general
meeting, and recommend discontinuance of the
Bell telephones after the 1st of April, unless the
company adhered to its present rates, or made
such new ones would be satisfactory to the SUBJ
scribers The principle involved in this fight was
that, if the subscribers submitted to the new tariff
once, any time the Telephone Company saw fit to
increase it again the subscribers would have no
remedy
Mr.. James L. Barbour, of the firm of Barbour &
Hamilton. stated to a representative of THE Re-
PUBLICAN that from what he knew of the signers to
the pledge of the association none of them would
back down an inch, and If the Telephone Com
pany persisted in its demands every telephone
would be taken out and the wires removed from
their houses.
Nominations. :
The President sent the following nomi- :
nations to the Senate yesterday: Postmaster
John W. Crosby at Milford n. H.; Elias E. Fuller,
Taunton, Mass; Leonard F. Hardy, Weedsport NJ ,
T.; Joseph Hartman, Waterford, n Y; Mrs.
Aurelfa c. Leach Ballston, n Y; W. r. Barnes. '
Chatham, N. Y; F. A. Hall, Westfeld N. Y; WILL
am Tyrrell, Batavia, N. Y; Hiram W. Hubbard,
n. Y; George F. Dick at Bloomington
H.; Orlando H. Merwin, Evanston, H.; Almond
B. Riford, Benton Harbor, Mich; Lorenzo J. Wor-
Ian II