Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-02-14
Lower Telephone Rates.
A neeting Held to Take Some Decided
Action. Grand Rapids, Centralia,
Stevens Point, Marshfield,
Merrill and Wausau
Represented.

section has been growing steadily until
now at last it has reached a stage where
it must have an effect. AS a result it is
quite certain the Wisconsin company
will be deprived of considerable
revenue and business men and others
who find it convenient to use ''hello"
instruments hereafter will be enabled
to do so without being robbed. The
question has been agitated the past few
months i'll the Wisconsin valley cities
and finally eliminated in a meeting of
their representatives held i'll Wausau
yesterday afternoon. The meeting was
held at Hotel Bells and the representa-
ton was: Grand Rapids-F. L. Tibbits;
Centralia-G. J. Jackson and n. john
son; Stevens Point. l.. Barker;
Marshfield-Th. Springborn; Merrill
H. r. Fehland and J.. +. Lambert:
Wausau-N. Heinemann, Robert Kick
busch and H. P. Maynard. An organi-
zation was formed with G. J. jackson as
president and Theo. S%pringborn for
secretary. The matter vas pretty we'll
canvassed and it was concluded that it
would be advisable for the cities
represented to go in together to put in
a circuit if the Wisconsin Telephone Co.
does not make a concession in rates,
Mr.. Springborn stated that Marshfeld
put in its W exchange about three
months ago and with only twenty-five
patrons its cost is little more than a
dollar a month. G. j.. Jackson, E. P.
Arpin, N. Heineman, J. E. Lambert
and Theo. Springborn were constituted
a committee to ascertain the cost Of
putting in a new system, etc. The
following communication was prepared
and signed by all present to be forward
ed to the Wisconsin company.
The Wisconsin Telephone Company,
Milwaukee, Wis.
GENTLEMEN:-We, the undersigned,
have been duly appointed at meetings
Of the patrons of your company, held
in our respective cities, to represent
said patrons in a joint meeting of such
representatives from said cities, at
Wausau, February 7th., 1895, for the
purpose of taking united action in
securing cheaper telephone service.
We most respectfully join IN request
ing your company to reduce it's tele-
phone rentals in each of our respective
cities to two dollars $500 per month
for business houses and offices, and one
dollar ($1.OO per month for private
residences, and to make proportiouate
reductions on the present tariff for toll
messages, as we believe said rates to be
fair in view of the cost of your plants
In our respective cities, and the cost of
operating the same.
1t is our wish to hear from YOU in
reply to this request within ten days
from this date. Address your replies
to G. j. Jackson, the president of this
meeting, Centralia, Wisconsin.
Failing to hear from you within the
time stated, we shall understand it is
not your wish to treat with your patrons
on the basis stated.
Dated at Wausau, Wis, Feb. 7, 1895.
G.y. Jackson, ! Centralia.
n. Johnson, oen'r"la'
f. L. Tibbits, Grand Rapids.
j. J.: e. = L f9aIsnf' Merrill.
n. Heinemann,
Rob. Kickbusch Wausau.
H. P. Maynaad, }
J. L. Barker, Stevens Point.
Marshfield, it will be noticed, is not a
signer of the above letter. The reason
for this is hat the business men of
Marshfield are no longer patrons of the
Wisconsin exchange, having put in a
system of their own. However, they
stand ready to join hands with the
others in forming a new circuit.
The meeting adjourned subject to call
of the president.-Wausau Herald.
The Appleton Crescent has the follow
ing to say on this same subject which is
being agitated there:
"Mr. Finch, a young business man of
Escanaba, opened telephone exchange
and built lines in hat city on the same
plan as proposed by Mr.. Humes in this
city. He succeeded in securing most of
the old cor1pany's subscribers and the
Bell people were compelled TO stop
doing business and did then close their
plant and cease operations. The Wis
consin Telephone company will probably
soon find itself in the same predicament.
The majority of the stock, 81 per cent, |
is owned by the Bell company and it is
we'll known that the Bell people are
great experts i'll squeezing money out
the people; the Wisconsin end of the
company have little or no say in the
matter and the eastern people refuse to
make any concessions.
The charge of $50 for a long distance
phone is IN outrage on subscribers.
Talk about Jesse James or the Cook
gang of highway robbers, why they're
not in it at all with some of our modern
institutions. Appleton has nc fault to
find with the service of the local
exchange, it is we'll managed. But the
charges are excessive, the greed of the
Bell people is something stupendous.
Moreover it is reported that the Bell
people have said they would not reduce
rates one cent in this state, but would
rather abandon their established plants.
This does not sound reasonable and is
probably a bluff.
After the ist of April all the telegraph
patents, of any great consequence, will
have expired and with no high priced
royalties to pay, it seems reasonable
that service could be given for 80 per
cent. less than is now eXacted for long
distance phones.
A few champions of the old Bell Co.
insist that the new system is simply an
experiment, that Appleton should not
be the first to take it up but wait until
it is tried elsewhere. In the first place