The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-23

lowed TO the patrons OF The company.
The patents expired. but no REDUCTION
was made A howl was raised. and a new
company talked Of Therefore, Manager
Harrison announced reduction OF 40
per annum on all telephones IN residences
within a circuit Of one mile OF the tele.
phone station. This virtually amountSf
to no relief and on May 3, 1884. the
Chamber OF Commerce took the matter
In hand and passed the resolutions,
copy OF which herewith enclose. A. let
ter was written the president OF the East
Tennessee Telephone Company, inviting
him TO meet our committee.
Mr.. Hunter. secretary OF the tennessee
Telephone Company, met our committee
and may have demonstrated to his own
satisfaction, but not 10 that OF our COM
mittee that a reduction was not practi-
cable.
You will see from the enclosed state
ment what the profits were after charg-
ing all the betterments, which Included
almost an entire new line.
The result OF Mr. Hunters demonstra-
tiOn was that the Peoples Telephone
Company was organized. and by putting
the rentals at SIS per annum, against St
charged by the East Tennessee Telephone
Company. and making contract for i've
years, the new company secured the
majority OF the old company's patrons
and a large number OF new. ones.
Rights OF way were readily secured from
the city, and work was vigorously COM
menced. and as vigorously pushed. until
and will be ready for use some time In
December
For fun information. | refer you to Mr.
g. Duncan the manager Of, Of the Peo-
signed) J. ". s. PETERSON.
Secretary.
A LYNCHBURG LETTER.
Lynchburg, Nov. Is, 1884.
Secretary Of the Chamber or Commerce,
II II.
Dear Sir.-Yours q the lith to Mr..
Edgar Franklin secretary Lynchburs
Board of Trade has been handed me Tor
reR M. have ms, closed tho contract for
our exchange here with the Old Dominion
Electrical Construction Company, OF your
city. OF which Mr.. Maurice W. Thomas
is presldent.The phone TO be used is the
Mason" manufactured by the Mason
Telephone Company, also of your city
OF which Mr.. r. A. Catlin is president.
| believe we have a good instrument In
the Mason. and one that will give equally
as good service az the Bell Telephone
Company. our contract with the con-
struction company provides that their
service shall be as good, II not better.
than the Bell. II II is not We shall GER
tainly not receive the same. The chief
object In putting I'm new exchange here
is that the community may not be bur
dened with the old company's excessive
rates, but that they may get their phones
at reasonable rental per year. To this
end we have fxed our rates for the first
year at S5 for business houses and at
SIS for residences IL we find IL possible
after this time TO reduce these prices we
wish to do SO. The Bell Company charge
for business phones $50 and for rest
dences Sb. AS matter OF fact. 20 per
cent. OF the subscribers OF the old COM
pany have signed with the new, and the
remainder have agreed verbally 10 come
I'm also In addition TO these we have also
secured quite number or new SUE
scrlbers and they are stlll coming In; |
might add that II you contemplate putting
a new exchange in your city that | think
you Will ind II TO be very nice paying
investmentetc.
(Signed) w. PETTYJoHN.
The KNOXVILLE COMPANY
Letters were also read from Mr.. Curtis
Cullen. OF Knoxville. Tenn. 10 Mr.. Samuel
REGISTER. confirming the advices from the
Knoxville Chamber. stating that the new
company has over three hundred subscrib-
ers. that their poles are up. the wires
being strung and that II would be ready
for business the lst Of January; that the
telephone used ~ the new company Is
the Blake transmltter. magnetic bell. with
arm rest. made by the Niaduct Manufac-
turing Company OF Baltimore. and that
the receivers are the compound receivers
used by the Bell Company.
Much additional Information OF interest
| was given I'm those letters
! After the reading OF these letters Mr.
I x. W. Powers moved the adoption or the
report OF the committee and that special
committee be appointed by the chair TO
communicate the action Of the board TO
the C'''- Council.
This motion being unanimously carried.
the chair appointed Messrs. A. r. Var
hrough. F.. II. Deane. J. w. Harrison.
Samuel REGISTER. George A. Smith and
Montgomery West upon this committee,
| and the meeting then adjourned.