The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-20
TELEPHONE TALK.
Probable Effect Of the Bill Passed by
the State Senate Yesterday
Will the "Hell0" Go?

In the state senate yesterday Senator
Whites telephone bill, providing that no
telephone company shall charge more
than So per month when one telephone
is used, and $25 per annum when more
than one is used, and for transmitting
messages from one town to another 10
cents, was brought up on its third read
ing and passed almost unanimously.
BY this it will be seen that the tele>
phone companies of the state will be
compelled to make considerable OF re-
duction in their charges for the use of
their lines and instruments. The present
price is $50 per year for business houses
and $36 for residences, and charge of
twenty cents in transmitting messages
from one town to another By the bill
the telephone companies will be obliged
to reduces their charges almost one half,
on an average.
In view of ascertainlng the probable
action of the Central Union Telephone
company in the matter, an ARGUS repor'
ter called upon Manager Griffith this
morning. Mr.. Griffith has charge of all
the lines of this company on this side Of
the river in this vicinity, as well as on the
Iowa side. Mr.. Griffith said he was moi
prepared to give an opinion of it yet, as
he had received no instructions from
headquarters, but he was in constant ex-
pectation of the receipt of such.
On being questioned as to his personal
ideas of the case, he said he could not set
how und er the present arrangement, the
Central Union company could comply
with the legislative bill. The Contra
Union is now paying the Bell company q
royalty of SEQ per annum on every tele
phone put in, so that it could be easily
seen there is not much profit left fol-
the Central Union
For my part, said Mr. Griffith, q
cannot see how the Central Union com
pany can possibly live under the condi
tions of the bill passed. For in three on
of five cases a person who subscribes TO
a telephone at all, wants two, one at hi
| place of business and one at his residence
Of course there. are exceptions to this
rule, but these few exceptions will nat
urally diminish when it is found that b
paving $14 per year more a man can hav
two telephones.
II think, continued the manager, eth
constitutionality of the act will have t.
be established before any action need be
taken by the telephone company"
Then do you think the Central Unio
company will remove their telephone.
from Illinois towns in such an event?'
That, of course, l cannot say. for tina
would be speaking for the company.
cannot, however, sec how the compan
can live under any reduction in prices, a
the instruments have always been fur
nished at the lowest possible prices
If the company should do as they prob
ably will, and take their instruments on
of.the state entirely, or at least this sec
ton of it, the fact will be greatly regretted
The exchange here has been managed i
the best possible manner. the employee
at all times being courteous and obligln
to subscribers. In Rock Island there are
few who have complained of the charges a
being too high, but we believe the maj orit
would be willing to pay even more thai
what they now are, rather than dispens
with the convenience furnished by thi
company.