The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-03
THE TELEPHONE CONFLICT.
No Change in the Attitude of the Com
pany or the Patrons Committee.
Figures Showing Something of the Value of
the Telephone Plant in Indianapolis and
the Cost Of Operating It.
THE TELEPHONE WAR.

The Company Agrees Not to Press the Con-
tracts Until the Patrons Reach a Decision.
There no new developments IN the tele-
phone war changing the attitude of the company
or the patrons toward each other. The company
nanifests no disposition to yield to the demands
for reduction of the rental to the statutory
limit, and the arbitration committee which rep
rTseets the patrons, evinCes determination
TO obstinately oppose everything In
the nature of compromise Inc
committee held meeting yesterday afternoon,
aud was in session over two hours. Mr.. ID. II.
Iscudertach the vice president of the Central
UaiOn Telephone Company, and Mr.. +. G. Beach,
the general superintendent, were present, by the
invitation of the committee. The conference
was secret. and all that took place is therefore,
NOS known. 1t is said however, that the COM
m;tsee was very emphatic in maintaining the
position assumed at the meeting of the
patrons and that the officers of the company
firmly adhered to the attitude taken in the
beginning, although they gave the assurance
thAs they desired mutual fair treatment, and
shzs they were ready to do all that they reason
ably could to amicably settle the trouble. They
DID not feel however, that they would be
justified in acceding to the demands
for 3 reduction of the rental, and declared
THAI it would be absolutely impossible to
Continue the present efficiency of the service
for less than is now charged The con-
fsFence ended without any conclusion being
reached, but the representations of the company
promised that no effort should be made to get
any more of the patrons to sign the new con-
tTack until after the committee has decided upon
81.
tiras she service will be continued as usual, so
that no patron need fear being deprived of his
telephone if he refuses to sign tho contract.
%Atters will remain in statu quo,
therefore, until definite course
OS action has been determined upon. There
VIII probably be no further negotiations between
sho committee and the company but another
meeting of the former will be held to day and
they will endcavor to reach a conclusion, they
announce, with as little delay as possible, al
though they may determine upon nothing for
several days.
INTERVIEW WITH TELEPHONE OFFICER.
A Journal reporter, in view of the agitation
the cost Of telephone service yesterday af
tsrnoon endeavored to obtain from Mr.. d. FL.
Lsonderbach, the vice-presdent of the Central
CniOn company, some reliable information re-
garding the value of the plant in this city and
the expense in maintaining the exchange
Mr. Louderbach said, upon all matters in rea-
AOn to our business, but L Go not believe that it
would be judicious, at this time, to give any
figures regarding the cost of operating the bust
ness. That is information which will ultimately
have to be given in the courts. and do not be-
lfeye it advisable to give it before then. | want
to say to you however, that if the American
Bell Telephone Company should waive all
royalty that they entitled to receive for the
use of their instruments, we could not afford to
continue the service in its present efficiency for
the amount of rental allowed by the new law.
That is an absolute fact"
''WhaG is the royalty of the Bell companyYr
1.-The Bell company charges, for the use of
the instruments. $40 per set, less 30 per
cent discount, which makes the rate $l4 on each
set but we have to pay this amount on all instru
ments We have in stock we'll those used
by the company, whether we receive anything
for them not"
"Does not the Bell company, in addition to
the royalty received for the of the instru-
ments own large per cent. of the stock in the
Central Union cOmpanyF
''They own some stock, but sixty five ner cent
of the capital invested in the company is by
local stockholders. 1t is on that question that
make the point that if the Bell company should
waive its royalty we could not afford to continue
the service as efficiently as it is now. You have
the best service in indianapolis in the country
and to continue it the present rates will have to
10 maintained. | do not think that patrons
wOuld be at all satisfied with the service
which they would have to take at less than
they now pay. The charges are very fair and
reasonable. The average cost to each Indianap-
Oils subscriber for every time he uses the tele
phone is only and oneffth of cent. We
want to continue to give our patrons good
vies, and we want to treat them fairly We
have no desire to take advantage Of them in any
way, and that is not the object of the new con
tract. 1t was prepared simply according to our
Interpretation of the law, and it was
limited to a short period, so that if at
the end of that time any patron
shOald not be satisfied he could be released from
the obligation to continue to pay for telephone.
We have indorsed on the back of these contracts
thls agreement: The Central Union Telephone
Company hereby agrees to make collections
Usl'sr this contract in the middle of each quar-
ter, and to refund all moneys paid on the same
IN excess Of what may be finally adjudged by
the Supreme Court to be legal We originally
had printed on the contract this agreement:
Tbs rates Of the company will be uniform for
the same class of service, and in case of gen.
erai reduction, a similar and proportonate
reduction will be made in the price be charged
herein. This seemed to be obscure, and so, to
make it perfectly plain, we have Endorsed upon
ali contracts the other agreement. Is not this
as far as anything we could do! We want the
public to understand that we are trying to deal
fairly with them, and that we are ready to meet
them IN spirit of fairness