The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-11-13
TELEPHONES IN FRANCE.


TsLEPAoNEs IN FRANCE.
The Government Takes Possession Of the
Entire system.
On Sunday last the government took
forcible possession OF the teiephvne sys-
tenn throughout france The Socieie
t;eler.lla des Telephones protested
against the seizure pf its property. bif
Us the delegates appointed 10 take over
the lines, material and offices on behalf
OF the government were accompanied i,y
coniniissaries of police. who were author
lied To proceed railitari manu- in case of
resistance. the officials of the company
We're obliged to yield The action of the
government in the matter originated in
the theory that the telephone system is
too vast monopoly to remain in the
hands OF private company OF limitei
liability. and that. like the postal and
telegraph system throughout Europe. it
should be run by the national govern
ment for the benefit of the community
at large.
The charter which the ''Societe Gen
minister Of industry and commerce. in
1884. contains a clause whereby The gov
ernnlent is authorized To acquire, III any
time it deems fit. the rights. privileges
nnd property of the company in return
for the payment of an indemnity. the
amount of which is 10 be fixed either by
mutual agreemenx or. in case of dispute,
by experts
In June last the chamber of deputies.
in compliance with request on the part
of the prime minister. d. Tirard. voted
a sum Of Sa.o09.00 for the purpose OF
enabling the government to acquire the
telephone system. and few days later
the premier addressed letter to the
president of the company, wherein he
notified him thar the charter would be
Withdrawn on Sept. /. AT the same time
NJ Tirard requested The .'Societe Cen
erale des Telephones" to declare the
aniount at which it estimated the value
OF its lines and material. stating that. in
case OF any difference Of opinion on the
subject between the company and the
government. experts would at once be
appointed to arbitrate on the points at
issue.
To this communication the manage
ment Of the ''Societe Generate des Tele-
phones" replied. refusing TO give any in
formation as to the value OF lis material.
and contesting the right of the govern
ment TO annul its charter. Nothing fur
ther was done in the matter until Aug.
l3. when II. Jousselin. an electrical .ex-
pert. was appointed by the prefect Of the
Seine to obtain an inventory Of the ma
terial Of the company and to estimate
its value. The management, however.
refused either to furnish 81. Jousseiin
with an inventory. or 10 give him any
facilities for compiling one.
On Aug. 81 the prime minister ad-
dressed further letter to the president
OF the company. repeating the request
contained in his former communication,
and on receipt OF negative, and even
discoarteous. reply. dispatched final
appeal TO the management on Aug. "A.
which kas allowed 10 remain without
acknowledgment whatsoever. Under the
circumstances. therefore, the govern
ment felt that it had done all that lay in
lis power to come to friendly under
standing. and accordingly issued orders
to the department Of posts and telcgraplss
to seize the property Of the telephone
company Throughout France on the morn
ing of Sept. I, at the same time sending
Instructions to the projects and sub-pre-
fects of the various departments to pro
vide for armed force, in case of any re-
sistance on the part of the company Off
cials.
The proceedings in connection with
the seizure passed Off without any dis
turbance, the only arrest made being
that OF the artist of a comic paper. who
was detected in the act Of caricaturiDg
the very stout commisSary of police ap-
pointed TO superintend the taking pos
session of the telephone offices on the
Place de FOpera, in this city. OF course
the Socicte Generate tles Telephones is
loud ana violent in its denunciations Of
the action of the government. which ii
describes as being nothing less than a
shameless robbery. and it has already
commenced leg1l proceedings in the
matter. with the object of securing net
only the cost value OF the material
which it owned but also heavy indeni-
Dity for the loss of so lucrative o mo-
nopoly. There is little chance. however,
that its wishes in the matter viii receive
amy satisfaction Meanwhile The teie-
phone service continues without single
break or interruption
To what extent the community at
large will be benefited by the change
will be realized when | add that n.
Coulon. the energetic head of the postal
and telegraph departments, has already
made arrangements for reducing the
amount of the annual subscription from
Sl25 to $40, while the cost of five min
utes' talk over the telephone wires here
at Paris is to be reduced from ten cents.
its present price, to five eents.-Paris
Cor. New York Tribune.