The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-24
DISCUSSING THE SITUATION.

DISCUSSING THE SITUATION.
An Interview with President Phillips Regard
ing the Central Unions Intentions.
President George Phillips, of the Central
Union, said last night that he would not outline
the future action of the company till he knew
what action the Council and Board of Aldermen
would take upon the communication he had pre-
sented to them. He had not attended the meet
ing but from what he had learned Of 1T
he was gratfed, in view of the bad
feeling that had been aroused. that the
Council had received it as courteousy as it had.
He believed there was a feeling in the Council
to let the Central Union go on till permanent
arrangements could be made with some com
pany. He understood the West company would
not accept the ordinance that had been passed,
and he did not believe the people wanted to be
without telephone service. "lf they will allow
us to 60 on" said he, "as indicated IN
the lastsentence of our communication. that will
give the people service till arrangements can be
made for something else. One plan is to open.
toll stations at various places. We haven't set
tied as yet the charges that will be made for
these The prices will be in the nature of an ex
pertinent, and this will be explained to the pat
rons. We will not rent telephones. but
charge will be made for each message. When
man uses telephone once day he will pay
certain price. The man who uses it 500 times q
year will get discount from this price.
The man who uses it 1000 times a year will
get larger discount, and so on. Any man who
needs telephone often enough to havea station,
one will be placed in his Office and he will be
made the agent of the company. People who
want telephones and who will use them will get
them. The plan is simply an extension OF the
toli-line system"
Mr.. Phillips was not prepared to say what
amount would be charged for the use of these
telephones at the stations He felt sure that the
cost to business men would not exceed So per
month.
In regard to the action of the Council in order
ing down the poles and wires, Mr.. Philips said
he was not surprised at it when he considered
the view the members took of it. But the COM
pany had been entirely misunderstood. 1t had
intended only to establish toll stations
for the convenience of the public when the
instruments would, under the contract, have to
DC taken out. and to connect the lines from some
mems residences with the lines from their bust
ness houses, thus giving them private lines.
This was not intended to be continued longer
than the time at which the last contracts ex-
PRED
Mr.. Phillips maintained that it was impos-
slble to continue business at the So rate, and
the company would make no arrangement so to
do. AS to tearing down the poles and wires he
evidently contemplated that only as the last
action to be taken, and it is almost certain that
company.
The carrying out of the toll-line system will
depend on whether or not the order for the re-
moval of the poles and wires is carried out by
the city. It is almost certain that the Central
Union hopes to run along without charter. and
that the street commissioner will not feel called
upon to tear down the poles and wires. In this
way it will likely keep its property unframed
until the new company that comes in is enjoined
by the Bell or until the Legislature meets, when
strong pressure for the repeal of the law will
be made.
Mr.. W. C. Tompkins. of Boston, a representa-
tive of the Bell Telephone Company is in the
city for the purpose of watching the interests of
his company. He will probably await the out
come of the present situation. and as soon as
the new telephone company gets any instruments
to work, bring an Injunction suit He said yes
terday that the Bell people intended to at once
take legal proceedings against any company that
may start in here to succeed the Central Union
Touching the statement of Judge West, of
Ohio, that as the West instrument was operated
on the make and break principle, and the Bell
was, therefore, no infringement. Mr.. Tompkins
said: The Bell patent does not disclaim any
thing. Judge West is mistaken in supposing
that the Bell patent is for an uudulatory
current. The patent is for impressing
the form of vocal sounds on an electric current
or molding an electric current in the form of
sound-waves by the act Of speaking itself
Bell didn't invent the electric current or the
dulatory current, but he was the first to suggest
the idea of molding an electric current into
the form of sound-waves."
What about Judge Vests statement that
suits by the Bell company for Infringement had
been In all cases compromised by buying out
the new company or giving it an interest, and
the entering of DEGREES by consent of both
parties, presumably for the purpose of fortfying
the Bell with q series of decisionsq" was asked
Judge West" said Mr.. Tompkins, ''has had
no direct connection with litigation over the
I0n nate kafA1 Y
has no personal knowledge of the matters of
which he speaks. He is merely rehashing the
gossip of the cutters; and in all the mass OF
scandal which infringers have circulated about
the Bell patent. rejecting the integrity of the
inventor, the Patent Office and the courts, it is
safe to say there is not one grain of truth"
Mr. Tompkins further said the proposition an
nounced by some members of the indianapolis
bar that in case the Bell company should win its
suit the court would impose a penalty upon the
victorious party that it should purchase the
plant of the defeated party, is too preposterous
to have been seriously advanced. The pro-
gramme is charming one. First, you drive the
Bell company out the city, by reducing rates be-
low cost; second. you steal the Bell patent by
appropriating it without the consent of its own
ers; third, when the Bell company recovered its
property by legal process you force it to pay
800. 600 or more for plant that it does not want
and has no use for as penalty for your infringe
ment. If this we're the law there never would
be any suits for infringement. There is no law
for such a proceeding.
Touching the Bell patent, Mr.. Tompkins said
in general way: Ever since the Bell patent
issued inventors all over the world have |
been trying to get around il. The common idea |
upon which they have all worked more or less is
TO try to talk by the make and break
or the Geographic system. In every
suit on the Bell patents the de- |
Tense has been set up that the apparatus of |
the defendants worked on this system and not |
on the Bell system. This theory has been elab- |
Grated by some of the ablest experts and phys |
cists in the country but has always been re- |
iected by the courts as being palpably theory |
devised by the experts to get around the Bell |
patent Whenever a system is invented that |
will be outside the Bell patent it will make as |
much stir in the world as did the original in
vention of the telephone, and the fortunate |
inventor will not be begging for leave to try his !
invention in Indiana, but will be beseged by |
.no;to1;eto hoooipo IN Inv he oxr.s ~.;.s