National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-20
STILL DEFIANT.
pLuGGERs WHO REFUSE TO YIELD.
A Small Eaad Of Telephones Who Still Resist
the Company and Declare Their Purpose
of Never Surrendering Until the
Rates Are Reduced.
Tallmadge Hall last evening was the

Tallmadge Hall last evening was the
scene of gathering OF merchants and other rep
resentatires of the business community opposed to
the new schedule of the telephone company, who
had resolved either to obtain better rates or dis
continue the use of the telephones. There were
about fifty persons present, and among them were
Messrs. R. E. Tucker, B. L. Wheeler, W. S. Hoge,
c. NJ. Bell, A. J. Biedler. Anthony Buckly, ]. III.
Crane ]. H. johnson, Joseph Gawler, ]. B. Hill, ].
H. Crossman, F. Hopkins, G. E. Noyes, ]. W. Lee,
J. II. Miller, A. J. Clarke, s. E. Wheatley, j. B.
Adams, E. Barnes, r. Polkinhorn, ]. c. Ergood,
C. B. Bishop, B. F. Cuttings, and R. G. Campbell.
An organization was perfected, with Mr.. W. b
Hoge chairman and Mr.. C. NJ. Bell as secretary,
who afterward retired in favor of Mr.. A. j. Biedler
The chairman stated the object of the meeting ana
invited suggestions, whereupon Mr.. J. IT, Crane
proposed the appointment of a committee OF three
to make inquiries relative to other telephones than
the ones now in use here and to draft resolutions
expressive of the position occupied by such sub
scribers as declined TO agree to the new schedule
of charges The motion was agreed to- and Messrs.
w. H Morrison, A J. Biedler, and J. FL. Crane were
designated as the committee Mr.. Biedler said that
the telephone was neither bread nor meat to any
ofthe subscribers, it could easily be dispensed
with. He was in favor of an offer being made to
the Telephone Company for lower rate, and, if
they did not see fit to accept 1t, they might
go TO THE DEVIL"
Forty-six dollars year was enough rent
to pay for a telephone, and for himself
he would guarantee not to pay a cent mo re
Mr.. Crane read paper stating his sentiments
on the subject, in which he said that when
he subscribed for the telephone he was assured
that as the subscribers increased the rates would
be reduced Such, however. had not been the
case. He had compared the rates offered by Mr.
Maynard and those adopted by the executive COM
mittee and found very little difference He would
not renew his telephone service at any higher rate
than what he had formerly paid. The plug to his
telephone was shifted April l, and would not be
changed until the company receded from its pres
ent demands. He paid his respects to the execu-
tive committee, and expressed establishment at
their
SUDDEN CHANGE OF FRONT.
The subscribers had been sold, but the goods were
not yet delivered He character lied the action of
the Subscribers Association the most abject
funkeyism; for after deciding to stand firm in
opposing the Telephone Company and its
schedule it became scared because a committee
threatened to resign, and adopted an obnoxious
measure At the conclusion of the reading of the
paper motion was made to adopt it as express
ing the sentiments of the meeting and it was
agreed to- Mr.. Tucker read letter he had re-
ceived from the Telephone Company in reply to
sent by his firm, asking what they intended to
do with their instruments as they declined to pay
the new rates. They were informed that the COM
pany intended to hold them to their contract,
which would not expire until December D. 1851,
in accordance with the arrangement made'by
committee claiming to represent the interest of a
number of subscribers. Continuing, Mr.. Tucker
said that he would never agree to pay the new
schedule, and they declined to return the money
paid in advance
silt WOULD BE ENTERED
against them. He intended to take his telephone
down whether any one else did or not, and had
already requested the Telephone Company to re-
move their apparatus and wires from his prem
ises. Dir. CroSsman moved that all present sign
paper declining to use the telephones unless re-
duced rate was given, but before any action was
taken the meeting adjourned, subject to the call of
the president