The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-03
AN AMBIGUOUS CIRCULAR.
The Telephone Company Indicates Deter
mination to Withdraw from tho State.

The following somewhat ambiguous circular
issued by the Central Union Telephone officers
at Chicago, was received by Supt. J. E. Hockett
last night:
s'To Our Patrons in Indiana:
This company announces with regret that in
view OF the recent decision of the Supreme
Court OF Indiana sustaining the validity of the
law reducing telephone rentals and toll-line
charges, 1t has voted to decline all new business
In the larger cities, where it is impossible to
furnish service under the law without loss; to
forthwith give notice of the termination, at the
earliest possible date, OF the contracts of all
subscribers in such places; to make the
continuance of exchange business in smaller
places dependent upon the possibility of contnu.
ing under the law without loss. and to appeal to
the Supreme Court of the United States This
conclusion has been reached after careful and
thorough revision of the estimates which were
submitted to the committee Of the Senate and
the Governor of the State, and upon which the
oaths of its officers in the impending litigation
were based, showing that the company could not
prohtably carry on its business under the pres
ent law. Much time has been spent in an effort
to devise some plan by which all Of its exchanges
and toll-lines could be continued, but to no pur-
pose. In conclusion, the company desires to ex-
press to all of its subscribers its thanks for their
patronage, and especially to the majority. who
have felt in common with its officers, the mex
pediency and injustice of the law"
Superintendent Hockett was seen by JournaI
reporter last evening and questioned as to the
probable meaning of the circular. II suppose"
said he, shat it means that the company will
withdraw from Indiana as soon as it can termi-
nate the contracts by which it is now bound.
When the agreement was reached by the citi-
zens' committee and the telephone people, we
reserved the right to terminate the contracts Of
all those signing the protest fifteen days.
notice. Our contracts with the other subscrib-
ers however, bind US to give them thirty days
for which the rental has been
paid. AS these have been paid
up to June 30, we could not discontinue their
service before that date. We could defer giving
notice to the others until June Is, and then let
all go out together, and this will probably be
done. know nothing more definite than what
is indicated by the circular you have; but shall
doubtless hear further in the course Of day or
two"
How and when does the company propose to
refund the extra So per month paid by the sub
scrbers, according to the agreement with the
committee2'
1--WE have been making provisions for this for
several days. and are now about ready to make
settlement with all. Since the new law went
into effect, no bills have been rendered patrons
for services rendered by means of the toll lines,
and the company is entitled to many rebates on
the total amount to- be refunded on this account.
AS matter of fact, the bills of many of the pa
irons for toll-line charges greatly exceed the
amount due them under the agreement. and the
work of making out all these bills. itemized as
they are, has been a very great one. However.
we have now about concluded all preliminaries,
and are ready to begin the refunding process"