The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-19
TO cheaper TALK.
Every House May Have Its
Own Telephone.
A NEW CoMPANY'S PROMISES.
II Will Take Advantage of Expired
Patents to Benefit the Public,
the City and Itself.

San Francisco will soon have telephones
at 81 month.
The main telephone patents have expired
and big company of local capitalists are
going to spend $4,000 right away in put
ting in great system in this city. and there
are several interesting features of this new
scheme.
On Monday night xGovernor George c.
Perkins. ex-Presideut of the Traffic Asso-
citation j. B. Stetson, John D. Spreckels,
Louis Sloss, w. F. Fuller and others pre-
sented a petition to the Board of Super
vsors asking for franchise to lay conduits
throughout the city for a new telephone
system, including also incidentally teleaut-
ography. known as the transmittence OF
writing, and also telegraphys
The contemplated enterprise is one of
great importance to the city il the plans
proposed are carried out. and will greatly
lessen the cost of wire communication to
those who need its use. 1t also means COM
petition with the established companies.
which Will bring about an increased use of
The telephone. and this Will necessarily in
VOlve the employment of more labor.
James Il. StetSon. who is one OF the
moving spirits Of the new enterprise, was
seen last night for the purpose of gaining
more definite Information about the pro-
from the meager petition to the board.
ave mean business" said Mr.. Stetson.
'in this matter, and have large capital to
carry out our plans. The character of the
men who are at the head of the proposed
corporation Is enough to insure its success.
We have been earnestly considering the
subject for six months past, knowing that
certain teephOnie patents would expire.
When these patents did expire at the first
of the year we got together and concluded
to start a new company, seeing that the ex-
tortionate rates charged were entirely too
high and that there was money in the estab-
lishmeni of a new system.
Mind you" said Mr. Stetson, I'VE have
considered all the difficulties 10 the way,
and have had the advice of the ablest
electricians on the subject. When the tele-
phone patent expired the transmittance of
sound became as free as air. The enor-
nous royalties that had To be paid before
were stopped. We will have to pay MOTH
ing for the transmittance OF sound, rs other
companies have been compelled TO to the
extent of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Consequently we go into the business at
great advantage. 1t is like taking the toll
off road, where all can pass free.
You ask me IL there are net other pat
ents still in existence which will not allow
us 20 give as efficient service without pay
ing royalty? No; there are not. The
hearing over our wires will be as perfect
aud distinct as over any other cOmpany's.
The patents which we cannot use relate
simply to construction and convenience 1t
Is like some of those among the different
type-wTiting and sewing machine COM
panies. Yet the great underlying principle
of these, as we'll as the lephone, is now
free.
There Is only one patent which we can
not control, and that Is device for long
distance telephoning. We do not propose,
however, TO establish communication with
Los Angeles. Our business will be cOnfD ed
to San Francisco and the vicinity. Our
object is 10 establish cheap system, which
will be at the same time profitable, and SO
lessen rates that telephone will be a neces-
sity in every household and business place,
so that any one can remain in his house and
communicate all over the city at slight
charge.
There is one thing that would like to
say about our petition for franchise, and
that Is that we propose TO give the city free
use of wires for FIRE alarm and telephone
purposes. If our franchise is granted
it will cost the city nothing to
telephone. OF course. this will be con-
fined TO public Offices. Besides, we
have offered to pay for the franchise any
reasonable sum that the Supervisors may
fix. This is in accordance with the new
spirit OF progress, aud is a substantial
recognition Of the rights of municipality.
We do not expect our privileges for moth
ing, but it will be the first time that the city
has ever been paid for franchise.
''Since the expiration of the telephone
patent new company was formed to
lessen rates in Chicago, and understand
is just about to be placed in operation. We
propose 10 do the same thing here. If our
franchise is granted we will have our sys-
tenn in operation within six months. Ac-
coTding to all accounts there is a great
crowd OF unemployed labOrers in the
city, many of whom have petitiOned the
Park Commissioners and Board of Super
vis0rs for work. II our petition is granted
we will set Immediately to work about 800
of these. Skilled labor will not be needed
for all the preliminary work. We VIII eX-
pend $500, 900 within six months to set our
ssheme IN motion. There will be no bonded
proposition in our company. The 100000
/ speak of will be all subscribed capital.
I'VE were disposed TO incorporate first,
but concluded TO get our franchise before
ter carefully. and did not say word about
our intentions until we filed our petition,
which must have been a surprise to the
other companies"
Mr.. Stetson intimated that the new COM
paDy had control of certain patents and
rights for the proposed system, and said
that the right TO the use of the teleauto-
graphy system had been already purchased
by the capitalists who were the head and
front of the new undertaking.
He said that the rates to be inaugurated
by the company would be 81 a month at
first, and if war was declared the company
would take care OF itself. The present rates
are So month. Regarding switch rates for
outsiders Mr.. Stetson said the company had
not yet come to any conclusion, but that
they would be on a proport!Onally cheap
basis. The present rate is cents switch.