Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-09
TALK OVER WIRES.
PLAN FOR CONNECTING TELE-
PHONE EXCHANGES IN VA.
THE LONG : DISTANCE COMPANY.
Mr.. Young Tells what II Wishes 10
DO md what It's Relations to the
Arc.

There Is every Indication that Richmond
will in the near future be connected by
telephone with Norfolk and Lynchburg
In the cities named. well as In Peters
burg. franchises have been granted, and
'phones constructed by the Western Tele-
phone Construction Company arc being
operated or are being placed in position
President j. n. Keelyug. OF the Western
Telephone Construction Company WILL
as announced in yesterdays Dispatch,
come here tomorrow. with n view 10
ESTABLISHING long-distance telephone lines
IN this State: and IL Is believed by the
Richmond Telephone Company officials
that he has requested a meeting OF the
telephone officials from Petersburg
Lynchburg. and Norfolk. for the purpose
of having the three cities connected with
this. It is thought that the meeting
will be held in the Times building to-
morrow afternoon.
This company is not the only one,
though, that purposes connecting Rich
mond with the outside world by phone
The American Telephone and Telegraph
Company will, II permitted by the city
fathers. extend their lines into Richmond,
and give us telephone communication
With New York, and thereby with other
larger cities
ANOTHER COMPANY WANTS TO
COME.
Mr.. Clarence e. Young. Senator Daniels
law partner, is here in the interest Of
the American Company. which presented
its petition TO the Council at its meeting
on Monday night, asking The right 10
install and operate its lines in this city.
He was seen yesterday by Dispatch
man. who suggested that his company
might encounter some trouble on account
of the local trouble that existed between
the Southern Bell Company and the Rich
mond company.
Mr.. Young replied that IL any such
opposition presented itself it would, in
his Judgment. disappear as soon as the
people discovered that they were dealing
with a company that Was totally dis
tinct and independent Of any other tele-
phone company "This Long Distance
Company" ne said. mas nothing to do
with your local disturbances. 1t simply
requests a franchise to operate here. and
asks for a fsir hearing upon its merits"
"What instrument do you use?' was
asked him.
1.-The instrument is known as a long
distance telephone. 1t does not belong
absolutely 10 the Long Distance Company,
because the patents are owned by the
American Bell Telephone. When the
Long Distance Company was organized
it bought the exclusive right 10 use
these patents from the American Bell
Company"
THE OLD COMPANY HERE.
us not the old company here the
Bell Company"
1T is the Southern Bell Company I
Will explain fully so that you may UNI
derstand Some years ago the Ameri-
can Bell Telephone Company was or
gained. II owned all patents relative
10 telephone apparatus, except certain
patents I'm this line that were owned
by the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany At that time the American Bell
Company also owned certain patents
relating 70 Geographic apparatus. AS
understood 1t. these two companies eX-
changed. The American Bell acquired
all telephone patents, and the Western
Union acquired all telegraph patents
Thus, you see, these two companies could
have no competitors, because they
owned all the patents. They paid big
money for them, and all their privileges
were given TO them by law. They We're
monopolies. il is true. They were, how
ever, creations of law, and no one will
deny the fact that these two great and
wealthy corporations have done more for
the advancement and progress Of Ameri-
can civilization than any Of the arts
and sciences known in our history
after this. the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company was organized
TO do general long distance telephone
business. The long distance apparatus
and instruments were owned by the
American Bell Company. The Long Dis
lance Company was, therefore COM
PEELED TO purchase from the American
Bell Company, at their own figure the
right to use This long distance appara-
tus. This they did, and have estab-
llshed their lines all over the East,
North, and West. Their lines connect
over 1900 cities. You can now talk from
Boston to st. Louis, and from New York
10 Chicago. This company is now de-
sirous of extending its lines into the
Southern States and cities. Franchises
have been granted in Louisville and
other places and we hope 10 secure a
franchise In Richmond.
HAS PLENTY OF MONEY.
'It Is the only national long-distance
telephone company in existence. 1t has
over 100000 and I think II would be
a good thing 20 have some of this money
invested down south. BtSlut~i We want
TO see our Southern country keep pace
with the North in every modern improve
ment and in this age Of progress the
iong-distance telephone which connects
the business centres has become a
modern necessity"
what Is this Southern Bell Company
that We have here|" asked the reporter
"As | understand" Mr.. Young replied
"the Southern Bell Company was or
ganized TO do local telephone business In
the Southern States. II bought its rights
from the American Bell Telephone Com
pany. who also owned the patents now
used by the Southern Bell. / believe these
patents here are the ones acquired by the
American Bell Company from the West
srn Union"
'Do you ask for a local privilege as
well as a long-distance franchse?'
Certainly. We must have IL. We
can't connect with either OF these com
panies here You may give the PROPOSE
ton 20 any businessman in town. say
Major Ginter. for instance. and he viii
tell you that unless he could have tho
right TO place a telephone IN any bust
ness house or residence I'm this city that
wanted a long-distance instrument and
was able TO pay for II. he would not in
vest one dollar in building a fine and ex-
pensive plant along the country roads Of
Virginia"
AS TO OUR LOCAL EXCHANGES.
"Why Is u that you cannot connect
with these eXchanges|'