The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-12-23
Abont z Tel phones.

Use: gentlemen referred to IN the following,
rs bica Isl taken from The State of Tharsday,
arae over from Columbia to This city on the
Es:afferp0o:: train. They spent the night here,
and visited fbe Macon Telephone works
hether the visit means suytbing for
SSnasssr< onrs reporter could ROT learn
| James e Keeiyn, president Of the
EWsstfrr Uaio1 Telephone Construction COM
;paag, spf Chicago, aud Mrs. Phomas, q con
xfseforof Richmond, were ia The city yester-
day king . qaies survey OF: The selephone
\ sSspa fion here Bothof tbe genilen spoke
III reserve as to their plans regarding this
s psace, hnt Mr Thomas. befofe Leaving, said
"a n TetY probable that they would oe seen
hers again.
Keelgn is yisiting many cities, and ex-
pecfs fe pal 10 opposition piaass to what
.swas farmefIy the Bell Telephone company.
He Sarna hers from Charleston, whereshe had
Esen s3ooE ing over the FIELD He has POSI-
msde1up bis mind n regard TO that
sseitg and MiM soonsset 10 work to put In q
telephone exehanges there BE expects to go
sEsr than merely giving local commuaica-
Ession Els Plans embrace he joising together
%Of sse4eral towns Id this State by the use Of
ihe long distance telephone. Aikes, Sumter,
Colon bia and probably several other places
Nji1 BE so connected
. The olIosHfngSo on the same subject is from
1hs Register of Thursday.
SS tappeafS that there's 9 formidable sival Of
stbe Bel TelepboD Co@paDy in fhe Geld. 1t
{. Ia known as ihe W estern Telephone Construc-
ion Gompapy nth executive Offices and fac-
sory at Chicago.
~ Messfs Keeiyn and Thomas are now tour
Eingsthe Sonta with the view Of arranging ex-
changes for their telephone system in ya-ious
cities Charleston will probably ethe 6rst
Getty I'D shis section TO be eqnipped with the
Western Telephone Construction Conpauy's
isskrcments,a and i, is quite possible that an
Eexchaage will be arranged for Columbia at
40 distant day Should this proye fact,
i1ter-connecting lines w i'll bring many sdja-
Z cent cities into Communication With the capi-
5ial and rs the new wcompany's rates are
much lower than those OF the Bell Company,
the public Tould experience a distincs gain
sins o.lars and cents that, IT is needless TO
ssey. would be heartily appreciated
s. fac, the Western Telephone Construc-
si0n Company is in opposition TO the Bell
zsTelephone at every turn Of the road. 1t is
ajsoin opposition to the American Telephone
gHd Telegraph Company which, it is SAID,
Il IS knt another name for the Bell. The new
company purposes contesting the field with
EAits Formidable rival al every possible point,
and from all that can be learned it is in po-
si,ioa TO put up very stubborn fght.
n he capiiss stock of the company is $780,
O00, and the gentlemen comprising the board
:asof directors have been prominently identified
with the telephone and electrical busioess for
many years, Mir Kee.yn claims that his
coppaoy is fnlly equipped to supply ever5-
thing needed in connection with Fret class
telephone exchange and one feature of his
sYssen on which he lays especial stress is The
cable arrangement-that is to say, the
bncbing together Of many wires-wbich
.avoids The ussigbtly network now in ev;-
dence al every hand, and which also reduces
10 minimum the dagger Of breakage by
storms such as that which recently visited
this city.