The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-09
TAKING OUT THE TELEPHONE
The Company Withdraws Their Service
from the Rebelli0us Patrons.
They Will Furnish Two Glasses of Service
The Managing Committee Issues An
other Address to the Subscribers.

how 1t Will end time alone Will tell The COM
pany yesterday took out the instruments OF a
number of their patrons who had refused to
sign the contract presented and 1t is evident that
they are determined to pursue the course indi-
Gated in their statement to the public. The
patrons committee also manifests disposition
to obstinately oppose the company in this course,
and the result seems to depend simply on the
question of which side can hold out the longest.
In such contest the company seems to have a
decided advantage.
1--WE have been very unfairly treated in this
matter" General Superintendent Beach stated in
an interview with q Journal reporter yesterday.
I'VE have been maliciousy misrepresented, and
have not been given fair opportunity to have
our position correctly understood by the people
At the meeting which was held on Tuesday we
were not allowed to be represented and heard
The call for the meeting stated that only tele-
phone subscribers were expected to be present
which was equivalent to an invitation to US not
to be present. The idea was that only one side
should be represented, so that a strong popular
feeling could be worked UP against US. l should
not like to say that Judge Holman stated what
he knew to be false in charging that we had not
kept good faith with the committee, but he GER
tairly knew better. We were surprised when
we found the statement published last week.
after the conclusion of our conference, that
we had promised not to continue soliciting
signatures to the new contract, and we i'm
mediately called to inform Judge Holman that if
he had any such idea he had certainly misunder-
stood US, because there had been no such agree
%o1I A., -
tenton to continue the canvass, but that we
could not force any patron to sign the contract.
In this we kept faith. The charge that we had
violated any promise in regard to the matter
was not true, and was made for the purpose of
vilifying the company, and working up pre-
iudice If the public can be made to fairly
understand our position, 1 am sure there would
be no trouble with the patrons, because it is to
our mutual interest to treat each other as fairly
as we can afford to. There is no use in talking
about our continuing the telephone service in it's
present state of efficiency at less than the rates
we have been charging AS a business PROPOSE
ton it simply cannot be DONE ard there is no
use talking about it."
rs it the intention of the company to take out
the telephones of all patrons who refuse to sign
the new contractP
Telephone Company specifically requires that
we shall have contracts with all persons to whom
we furnish the service, and it prescribes the
rates which shall be charged for different classes
of service. We are compelled by this license to
require contracts from our patrons. The form
of the contract, so far as the charges are
concerned, is the kind that the Bell license re-
quires, and even if the new law had not been
passed, it is the form that we should have used
1t is our right to state in that contract our posi-
ton under this new law, and it is simply as a
matter Of protection that we do so. There is no
magic in It, 1t is simply for our protection in
the position that we have taken relative to the
Interpretation we place on this new law, and it
is not for the purpose of taking any advantage
of our patrons. 1t is claimed by the managing
committee of the patrons that only fifty persons
have signed the new contract" The truth is, we
have over three hundred who have signed
it, and, with those whose old contracts have not
expired, we have about 600 subscribers with
whom we can continue business"
us it the intention of the company to en-
deavor to continue the present service at the old
rates, or to make a reduction to the statutory
limit, and reduce expenses accordinglyp
1--WE have just prepared a contract for three
dollar rate, and those who prefer that class of
service can have it. We will furnish two classes
OF servce-class A and class B. Glass A is
the best that we can give, and is the
service that is now in operation in this city
For it we will charge the old rates. Glass B
the same kind of service that was given when
the telephone was first introduced here. The
subscribers will receive exchange service onlv
between o'clock A. NJ. and o'clock P M and
only during the working days of the week, while
several instruments will be connected with the
same wire. 1t will be the best that we can af-
ford to give for the money. 1t is a
class of service that we give at
our exchanges in other cities, and is
preferred for residences and places where cheap
Ic hcor ;hou r,l,o
here can now get it upon application. 1t was
our desire to keep the indianapolis exchange in
its present perfect state of operation. We have in
troduced all the modern improvements here from
time to time, without increasing the cost of the
service, and the exchange has been made the
best in the country. We have been proud of it,
and have always pointed it out as the most per
feet in the country. With the cooperation of
the citizens We could continue it's almost fault
less efficiency, but if they desire cheaper class
of service we can furnish it,"
Mr.. Beach further stated that the agents of
the Central Union Company throughout the
State had been instructed to indorse upon all
new contracts that have been signed by patrons,
the guaranty to refund all rental money that the
courts may decide had not been legally collected
Judge Holman, the secretary of the managing
committee representing the patrons stated yes
terday afternoon that there were nearly $50 sig
natures to the agreement, and that it was being
signed by nearly every person to whom it was
inlttee had signed the new contract with the in
tention of terminating it after the new law goes
into effect so that they would not be incon-
vienced at present Upon receiving information
that the company was removing the telephones
of all patrons who refused to sign the new con-
tract, the committee issued the following ad-
Dress
To Telephone Customers: The managing commit.
tee of the associated telephone patrons are informed
that the IelePhone company since the meeting held
on have Nx,ad
cases where the patrons offered to pay the amount
charged and also to execute any agreement desired
running until the new law shall be in force the
pany insisting contract for SIS per month until
such time as will enable. them to overthrow the law
The refusa to submit to this exacon was followed by
the removal of the instruments.
We earnestly urge every telephone patron to refuse
to sign the new contract and strongly recommend
that the company be allowed to remove every
and persists in its present demands
Those patrons who have signed the contract