The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-07-31

! and Van Vert, Delphos, Wapakonet
ST. Marys, Celina and Defiance, Ohio, al
in this city our new exchange will beg
operation about August | with about
POO subscribers.
1.-The Bell company had 523 last u
cember. We purchased apparatus to a
commodate l 900 subscribers and q
!. ready, before the exchange Ia starte
find ourselves compelled To add 33 ~
cent TO our switchboard capacity, an
this in the face of the fact that the Bt
company 40 far recognized the oppositio
g as to have given cut in their prices
about 20 per cent below ours.
"The best illustration of the relati,
merits OF the Bell and opposition con
panies that has come under my notic'
= was given in the thriving little city ,
. Auburn, where the Bell COMPANY under
took to build an exchange at the sam
time that the writer was engaged in
like enterprise in that town. Neither c
us had the advantage Of any local inter
, ests, which has heretofore been elaine,
as the mainstay Of the opposition com
panies, IA both were practically stran
gers ia the town. The result OF the Bel
efforts, all told, 26 connections, ID O
which were on short time contracts, end
ing September | , and were secured on tn,
statement that the other exchange coulC
not be in operation during the wear, anC
therefore have list of paid subscribers
netting l3. while the other exchange has
not ceased to grow and today has 10
Ratio about 6 to /.
| "All of our companies in northeastern
Indiana and northwestern Ohio have a
system of accommodation, and tie
lines are being extended to the city OF
| Toledo, where we will be pleased to meet
your line, putting your exchange in com
munication with all this section of the
| country. have not the exact data, but
| | believe that in the counties through
which this company's lines operate we
| reach through It's connecting lines about
| five times a. many telephones as the Bell
| company. Such a condition of affairs
must certainly indicate to the most pref
udiced a satisfactory and successful OPP
Grafton OF the opposition plants
In the city of Lansing, Mich, the Bell
rates were originally S4S and $40 and
the company had about $50 subscribers.
The Lansing Telephone Exchange was or
ganized and some twenty-five citizens
took stock in the concern. The rates of
the new company are S24 and SIS. The
plant has been IN operation about ten
months and has 1872 ib .crbers. A let
ter from the manager says: 1.-The prices
OF the Michigan Belly telephone company
are now below ours, but that cuts no fig
ure, as the people know the reason. Our
earnings will already pay good dlvi-
dend to stockholders, all of whom are
thoroughly satisfied with the investment |
With the people dead against the old mo-
nopoly, our advantage ia this respect |
made success foregone conclusion"
In Lafayette, Ind, the Bell company |
originally had $50 subscribers with rates
for business places ranging from S4S to
800, and for residences $36 to $40. The
opposition company started there has
declared a handsome dividend and is en-
oying smooth sailing with 6S5 subscrib-
srs; our rates being SIS and $50. A let
er from General Manager Dooittle says:
Our exchange has been in operation
'AhN' ~ lCpo. ut Deli DtODlt |
originally had $50 subscribers. - - They
row have 300 on their list, 200 oil which
we're added free OF charge since January,
500, in the hope of getting big service
nd cutting into us. IL has had the OPP :
'osite effect. We have had steady in
rease all OF this year, an average OF 20
ew subscribers per month in the face OF
he Bell company putting in telephones !
DR. nothing" 9
The Bell compaDy's rateswer original
? from SIS TO 800 for business places
nd $50 to S72 for residences. We are I
wing good service and our list OF sub
;ribers is constantly increasing, while
he free system OF the other company has .
often them into all kinds of trouble and q
as caused general dissatisfaction among n
+ patrons. They have reduced their list u
bout forty since July l. BY reason of G
lis their patrons have ordered out their d
by the Wholesale. We would i
~ to new company il the Bell people =,
1t the rates. under no circumstances do
gu make cut; stand upon your origi-
al basis and furnish good service.
Scattered over the Union, east, west, q
)rth and south, are hundreds of tele- Il
hone exchanges which can tel similar -
DRY. Occasionally one. through mis- 4,
anagement or local prejudice or the lu- 9;
cious distribution of the Bell secret SER RI
ce iund, fails, and the fact is heralded re
and wide by the old company. 10
lhey would not be so anxious to pro- u
aim these failures, nor to spend such W
list sums OF money to bring them about ~
there were not an immense and profit g..
lie interest at stake 70
Of course, the Bell people have friends. of
lere are people who are constitutional pa
united for running counter to a dc
'althy individual or corporation. Mr..
M. Hopkins, secretary OF the Saginaw
ard OF trade, is a fair example. He No
ade an examination OF the operation OF 81
position exchanges in four towns and III
lille unable to get evidence such as he yC
peared to be in search of, took a very tn
ssimistic view of the matter and in a a
lr-column article in the Saginaw Cour- ia
Herald recommended people to await b. b.
velopments before investing money in 70 70
position exchanges. The Bell people
preciate such efforts. They sent thous-
DIS OF copies OF the paper containing sv
IL article to their patrons throughout m