The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-11
BECOMING MORE AGGRESSIVE.
The Managing Committee Preparing to Order
Out All Revolving Patrons Telephones.


answer yesterday of member of the patrons
managing committee, when asked about the sit
uation of the telephone war A quiet confer
ence of about fifty business men and the man
aging committee was held at the Board of Trade
hall yesterday afternoon, to decide upon a
course of concerted action in relation to the
removal Of telephones. The details of the pro-
ceedings could not be learned, as it was a secret
meeting but it is known that it was resolved
that the company should be required to actually
take out the telephones by to day noon in every
case. It IS understood, also, that large num-
Der of committees were appointed, as represent
ing the various departments of business, who are
to go through the city to day for the purpose OF
securing concert of action respecting the re-
movai of the instruments, as we'll as procuring
Signatures to the agreement to withdraw. 1t
was learned at the committee Headquarters
that many copies of the agreement or
the revolving patrons are now in
circulation, in addition to those
IN the hands of the regular canvassers, and are
being numerously signed. Better progress was
made yesterday in that respect, it is claimed,
than on any previous day. Members of the
committee claim that in the neighborhood of
five hundred signatures have been already OBJ
tanned, and that the indications that at
least seven or eight hundred instruments will be
represented by them before the middle of next
week. They expressed themselves as entertain
ing no doubt as to the permanent success of
the movement, which would be
practically unanimous before their eff
forts were abateG Some of the individ-
ual subscribers seem to have taken the
war-path IN a vigorous fashion They not only
sumlnarily ordered out their instruments but
accompanied the requirement with the demand
IL numerous instances that the company should
forthwith remove the wires from their buildings
and this was being done throughout the day.
The brewers of the city, late in the afternoon,
came together and signed the following private
agreement:
INDIANAPOLIS, July 10, 1885.
We agree to order out telephones forthwith
this being signed by the brewers. and to receive
order by telephone direct indirect.
G. MAUs,
p. LIEBRR e. Co.,
c. +. SCHMIDT,
AUGUST ESBRICH,
MILWAUKEE BOTTLING Co.
This paper, having been signed by all the
requisite parties, went into effect last night The
action taken, it is learned, will result In the
restaurant people uniting with the beer interest
and wholesale liquor houses in supporting the
opposition to the company. The committee is en-
gagged in sending out forms of notices for the
termination of the new contracts together with
Instructions
Yesterday morning the company discontinued
their policy of removing Instruments In many
instances, especially in the case of prominent
business men, they merely disconnected the
SuosCfloef anu IelL INC INSTRUMENTS Ito pOilCy
OF the company a member of the committee said,
seems to be to breed dissension in the various
lines of trade by leaving patrons undis-
turbed while they cut off others The company
is making special overtures to hold the sub
scriber and when required to actually remove
the instrument delay or refuse to do so"
Superintendent Beach stated yesterday that
the trouble, from the companys stand point,
seemed to be subsiding, and he apprehended
that 1t would after the people had had time to
IOll yv ink tNln {fnr 1rnIx
Since the LIST OF July ne says that there have
been l4l telephones removed, and thirty-one
have been ordered removed that have not yet
been taken out.
Telephones, Spring Chickens and Water
melons
To tho Editor OF the apols Jou rnaI:
l am troubled about the telephone. and this is
the way of it. / have been a subscriber to two
almost from the first-one at my residence and
one at my Office, and, blush to say, I have
never been actuated by any benevolent purpose
With me it has been cold dollars and cents. Of
course 1 could have done without but there has
been convenience and luxury about it that
thought could afford, and l chose to afford it.
From the first [ have sighed over the
high price, but the men who owned the
luxury would not take less, and [ had
to pay their price or do without At times [
money than was, but | never thought to dis
cuss that question with them. They had the
thing wanted, and they fixed the price. and l
had nothing to do but to pay or quit But for
that matter, [ have found it so with every body
went to market the other morning There was
some very poor beef there at 10 cents, but | took
fancy for spring chickens, and the bloated
huckster asked me 90 cents for one that would
not weigh over pound and a half dressed
There was no help for me- 1t was tough beef at
cypi,,p oh all Of
twenty-five. | chose the spring chicken. because
could afford to- IN fact, under the circum-
stances, | could not afford to not buy spring
chicken, even if they had been fifty cents. OF
course | demonstrated with the remorseless
huckster, who seemed to know we were going to
have company, and that he had corner on the
chicken market. But, somehow it did not enter
into my head that the Legislature should have
enacted that no chickens should be sold at over
quarter. And they are dear eating
at that I see now that it should
l attended the first meeting of the telephone
patrons, hoping to get some light on how to re-
duce my telephone expenses had learned that
a law had been enacted which was soon to come
in force that would do this. but as it takes two
to make bargain, | had failed to see just how I
could enforce that law So | went to the meet
ing, but learned nothing to the point. heard,
what knew already, that the company is
bloa ted monopoly; but there is no law against
monopolies and failed to learn why the State
may dictate the price of telephoning any more
than the price of chickens. Indeed. as the
prcipal mover in the matter is extensive
dealer in chickens and supplies some if not all
of the State institutions with poultry and butter
at no benevolent discount on the market price
| thought that if the Legislature had attempted
to fix the price at which he should sell chickens
and butter, even to the State, he would be the
first to growl AS it is, am in trouble. don't
want to do without the telephone. 1t is worth
to me all pay for it. If it were not l would
quit law or no law. 1t is worth as much now
as before the law was passed. [ have taken it
for years for the luxury there is in it, Just as /
buy spring chickens when beef or no
meat at all might answer. Still, l
would like 40 per cent. off, both
on telephones a1d chickens, and watermeons,
too. l don't see how can force telephones or
hucksters or grocers to come to my terms.
do see wrong in this whole business but it
cannot be reached by State Legislature. Our
whole patent system needs vigorous overhaul