The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-12
TIE TELEPHONE TROUBLES.
Progress of the Fight-The Terms on Which
Compromise Could Be Effected.

The war against the telephone company is get
ting more and more aggressive. According to
previously arranged plan, mittees yesterday
visited the patrons in different lines Of business
for the purpose of inducing them to enter into a
compact. agreeing to order out their instruments
and not to use the telephone until the company
accedes to the demands of the managing com
mittee. 1t was claimed last evening by the
committee that all the patrons in several differ
ent lines of business had entered into this agree
ment and that, therefore, the company
will be ordered on Monday to remove a
large number of instruments in addition to those
that have already been taken out. Many of the
canvassers have not reported yet, and the full
extent of all that has been accomplished by the
work during the last week is not known, but the
committee hopes to obtain this information
| without further delay. and therefore the follow
! ing Is sent to the press for publication:
"INDIANAPOIIs July IL. 1885.
'To Telephone Subscribers-All parties to
| whom blank agreements and other papers, were
| Entrusted for signatures are requested to return
the same without delay to the secretary This
| Is urgently necessary. JOHN w. MURPHY,
chairman Managing Committee"
patrons have signed the agreement, and that it
is, therefore, in force. THE company is
fesorting to all kinds of methods for the pur
pose of piacating some of the revolving
patrons, with view to inspiring disatfections
among them and thus weakening the opposition"
said Judge Holman yesterday, when asked about
the movements of the day. They have offered
to allow some telephones to continue in use, with
ont charge, cajoing and pleading with the
patron to induce him to accept their
generous terms. The thing that they are
working for is to hold subscribers in different
classes of business, that those whose tele
phones are removed will be placed at disad
vantage number of such instances have been
reported to the committee. We have an ad
vantage over them, and we will succeed"
This whole thing continued Judge Holman.
after brief pause, lis all nonsense. There is
no reason why this trouble should not be AMIGA
! bly, settled at once. The company is losing
| money and will continue to lose it in keeping up
| the war. The removal of instruments and wires
! will cost them hundreds of dollars to
say nothing of the thousands that
| they will lose on the rental of telephones that
| have been removed and ordered ont. The PEG
| pie of Indianapolis have no desire to wreck the
| telephone company, but they will do without
| telephones before they will submit
to its unfair treatment. The fight
is not on the cost of the telephone service but it
trying to force the subscribers to sign think
l know the sentiment of the patrons. and do
not believe that any Of them would object to pay
Ing the 50 a month rental if the company should
withdraw this pink contract 1t is the red
nag which has caused the agitation, and it is the
only issue in the controversy. l have no doubt
! that if few such men John Wallick should
| be sent forward to settle the trouble there
| could be an amcable understanding reached"
Upon what terms do you think the trouble
could be brought to an end?'
| Il have doubt that if the company
would withdraw the contract, the patrons
would be willing to continue paying
| the present rental charges until
ruling upon test case involving the validity
| of the new law could be obtained from the Sl
| preme Court, which would probably be within
| about ninety days. This was the PROPOSE
! ton made 10y our committee, ana it was because
! it rejected that the patrons united in
the war against the company. The company
! however, refused to consider a proposition for
withdrawing the contract, and demanded that
they should have the right to carry the
case to the United States Supreme Court,
| where decision would probably not be given
! reasonable and unfair. have no doubt that if
| the ruling of the Supreme Court of
| the State should sustain the validity of
the law, as | believe, without critically
examining the points involved in the case that
1t would, If the company would then quietly
communicate to its subscribers that it would be
impossible tor it to continue the service salts
factorily for the rates allowed by law
the patrons, l quite sure, would
be willing to select committee
to represent them in considering the matter If
it should be found, after examination of the
books, that the company really could not afford
TO continue business on the legal terms,
have no doubt that the pat
| rons would be willing to 60 on paying
whatever might be necessary to give the com
pany fair and reasonable profit There is GER
tany nothing unfair in this demand The
patrons cannot demand less and will not accept
less. Their cause is eminently just and their
success is assured"