The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-11

elsewhere for capital In this way outsiders
came here and invested in the Indianapolis
plant about $l00, 900, giving US the best equipped
telephone exchange. and service that is IN
equaled anywhere. What did they get in re-
turns Men began to clamor for lower rates. and
to cry monopoly" have rented telephone
from the very first and am glad to say that the
service has always been worth very much be-
yond the price asked, and cheerfully pay my
So per month
Mccormick made 500, 900, 900 out of his reaper;
Howe was worth millions through the sewing
machine; Morse, Pullman and others made for
tunes through their inventions, and why not the
Bell Telephone Company?
1t comes with very poor grace to cry down
concern that has benefited US as has the Indian
apolis Telephone Exchange. If the present
owners are forced to abandon their interests
here, when will we find capital to supply such
service as we have had? | am aware that men
say we will operate the business at So per
month" but how long will it require to put in
such another perfect system as the PRESENT. 1t
cannot be done in years. / am not financially
interested in this matter but do want fair play,
and continuation of the present system.
There has been prolonged howl by some
persons as to violation of law" and 'defying
the commonwealth" and yet these very men see
the lottery deadfalis, the open hucket-shops,
looms and in fact all manner OF lawlessness, and
never say or do anything
Let us be consistent and honest about this tele-
phone. question, and do what we can to keep
this, the best exchange in the United States in
operation. l find from the evidence submitted
to the Supreme Court, under oath, that the
Indianapolis plant actually cost in cash $685. 375-
go. The average number of subscribers in this
city for tie entire year was 993, which, at Sd
per month for each subscriber, would make the
receipts, $685. 748 This exchange has been man.
aged judiciously aud economically and neyerthe-
less it cost to operate it, for salaries of operators
and other employees, rent, light, fuel, taxes, re-
pairs, and Office expenses, $25, 1882. This
taken from receipts leaves gross profit of
$9847O3, or about ten per cent. on tho actual
cost of the plant. But find from tbs sworn
testimony of eminent electricians that plant
will deterorate from ten to fifteen per cent. each
year. Taking the lowest estimate, it will re.
quire every cent of the gross profit to keep up
the plant Where will the dividend of even one
per cent. come fromg In this calculation have
not taken into consideration any royalty what
ever, yet / find the Indianapolis Exchange paid
to the Bell Company $1,000 in the year, beside
royalties amounting to 1898 on minor patents
controlled by others. If these figures show the
folly of attempting to continue the business at
rental OF So per month, the present plant can,
possibly, be duplicated for less than its original
cost, but sworn testimony of efficient and COM
petent electricians show that it cannot be
duplicated for less than $4,000 to $85, 900.
conclude, therefore, that if the exchange here is
closed Indianapolis will be without telephone
service until the Legislature repeats the assinine
bill that is disgrace to the statutes Of the State
III, II. f.