The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-07

closely allied with the Western Union Tele-
graph Company that they are obliged to OBJ.
stinately refuEe profitable business offered
them. Hence If their income is so little as
to merit the sympathy of the public we
would ask why they do not cut loose from
other electrical corporations and serve the
public as common carriers should.
A prominent broker OF this city called at
the Telephone Exchange to consult the su-
perinten6nt with reference to leasing
wire for obtaining quotations of Chicago
markets. The manager Of the ex-
change, in the absence OF the Super
intendent. stated that their relationship
with tine Western Union Telegraph Com
psny prevented them from leasing a wire.
and, furthermore, If tAe contract was strictly
complied with they would be obliged to
"pull" every telephone used in brokers' Of
fees, as they were being used constantly for
furnishing quotations. The gentleman
seeking information asked is arrangements
could be made for telephoning quotations
from Indianapolis to a neighboring town
every fifteen minutes. He was informed
that such weuld be- q violation OF their con-
tract with the Western Union. Then"
said the gentleman, ''you mean to say you
are allowed to control conversation when
twenty-five cents is paid for the connection"
NO" be replied, "but when the connection
is asked TO be made for the purpose specified,
we would be justified in refusing to obey, as
we are not allowed TO furnish telephones
for that purpose, nor are allowed TO take
telephone messages to be written at termi-
nal points; the addressee must appear or
some on in his stead and receive the infor-
nation intended for him.
Other contracts bind them so closely in the
interest of the Western Union Telegraph
Company as TO cause them to refuse to place
telephones in the offices of competing tee-
graph companies, and there are now large
number OF suits pending against them to
obtain telephones. Under these circumstan-
ces we would suggest that the telephone COM
pany needs no protection. If their lines are
not operated at profit, it is their own fault.
Let them accept the business offered them
and they will thrive. As to the theory that
the bill in question is q move made by the
telegraph company to cut down the tsle-
phone company. We hasten to correct the
impression by asserting that the Western
Union Telegraph Company are doing all in
their power to defeat the bill. few weeks
ago the Superintendent Of the Western
Union Telegraph Company warned the pso-
pie through the Interpretation of a News
representative that il the bill in question
became a law 1t would close up all telephone
exchanges in the State, and further stated
on this occasion that the CT Dital stock of the
company was $4,000, but investigation
shows that SD 0OO is all that is being taxed
telephone is SIS annually instead
of $50 as was represented. AS to
the protection of American ps;entees
the royalty amounts to several million dol
lars annually, out OF which enormous sum
! the patentee expends fully 81 100000 annu-
ally to keep down competing telephones
who would gladly furnish much superior
service for half the tolls charged and still
acknowledge to be remuneratively compen-
I stated.
| Should there be objections II the bill when
it reaches the senate similar to those re-
ferred to in the House, let facts be serious
| ly considered. First, are we to protect a
monopoly OF this kind? Second, il the tele.
} phone company, will not serve the people
properly and refuse to allow other telephone
companies this privilege, is it no. stipend
uous wrong TO defend their interests by not
| legislating against them2