The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-19
Telephone Stock.

TO tho Editor OF the indianapolis journal:
To an unbiased observer the telephone situa-
ton in Indianapolis as bad as it 10, appears liza
BILE to be made worse, if some of the plans pro-
posed for its improvement considered and
adopted. The cooperative plan has plausible
appearance on the surface but beneath are
many snags to interfere with its smooth sailing.
If each subscriber is required to take stock in
the company to the amount of $40 and the Bell
company should sue for and get an injunction
and damages would not each stakeholder be liza
BILE for his proportion of the damages, as well as
the expense of GsigationG And suppose we go
into this scheme, and after we have paid In our
$40 all round, and have just commenced operat-
ing an exchange, the Bell comes down on US like
a wolf on the fold-where oh, where is our $402
Nowhere, except in what dead poles and wires
we may have on hand that we cannot use again.
Suppose we commence operations and
some obstinate person living some dis
lance out, where 1t would be expensive
to build line, demands a telephone for So per
month under the law and don't want any stock
in his. What will we do with himq Build line
costing $50 or 500 for huxNnd let him pay us So
q month for a few months and then drop out, or
shall we say to him, depart from u.s. we know
you not, unless you will take some of our stock,
and defend any suit he may bring, and then
have to give in. as did the Central company
These are few of the difficulties in the way
that ought to be thought of before the co-opera
tive Is considered with any view to adoption.
All the companies that have presented them
selves to us have, so far as can be learne, from
newspaper reports, either been sued for infringe
ment of other patents or have never put their
telephones into commercial use to afford an op-
portunIty, and their main object seems to be to
confer upon the favor of some of their stock
at very low prices-if II were worth anything-if
we take hold of their enterprise, build an ex-
change. and become liable for damage suits; and
they all want franchise that like Mrs. Toodles's
door plate, IL not valuable now, may be at some
time, and want it in such form that it can be
transferred to the highest bidder.
Does it not seem a little strange that IL there
is any great merit in the companies now beam
ing on their warmest smiles, they should
come to indianapolis to secure the necessary
capital to promote their enterprises Why not
rather go to larger money centers, where there
is always ready capital to push any legitimate
undertaking. Or do they think are more ver-
dant and will not see the African in the wood
pile. be he covered never so thinlyf
If these telephones are legitimate. and there
is money in the business at the rates these peo-
pie propose shall be charged, why have they not
opened telephone exchanges in New York, Chi
cago, Cincinnati and other large cities, where the
rates are said to be much higher than they ever
were heref Would they not be able to take all
the patrons of the Bell company away from 1t in
those placesi Does it not look like they wished