The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-05-06
the money invested in constructing The

Tue uOOey luVeeIeu III Souoti ooioS 'oo
lines.
The prime necessity IN connection
with the Sumter Telephone exchange is
reduction of the rental charged sub
scribers to level with the rental
charged 10 other places. 80 that more
people can afford to use the telephones.
TO reduce the rental will be good busI-
ness policy, for it will result in decid-
ed increase of the income of the ex
change.
The article referred to is as follows !:
Greenville is about TO make another for
ward movement which will rebound to its
credit and advantage. Another telephone
exchange is aluos. in sight, and citizens will
be able to secure an excellent service for one
half of the present charges in this city. For
this beneficial change We will be primarily in
debted TO MI Geo. A. Browning, who is at
work upon the preliminaries, and whose bust
ness energy is a guarantee Of speedy success
in the undertaking.
An independent telephone system means
the eod of monopoly in this community,
which has amassed an immense fortuue in
this country. 1t began with $500, 900, and
is now capitalized at S24 500, OOc, an enor-
mons increase in few years. The patents
which gave monopoly are fast expiring, and
independent companies are now operating
which are pot expecting to pay dividends
upon irfated stock This feature brings tie
service within reasonable limits and the pro-
posed cost in Greenvil,= will be $50 year
for business houses and SIS for private resi-
dences. 1t will also provide for long distance
service to Abbeville, Anderson, Piedmont,
Pelzer, Essley, Pickens, Greer'z, Batesvlle,
Pelham, Reedy River and Travellers Rest,
with which subscribers will be connected.
Mr.. Browning has secured one hundred names
as patrons Of the new line, and it is expected
that the Independent system will be in opera
ton by the lst Of July.
Efforts are making to dscredt this move
ment, and representative of the Bel tele-
phone company has in newspaper interview
sought to throw cold water upon any COM
petition whatever with his gigantic mouopo-
w. He gave as an instance that the opposi-
tien exchange had closed at Selma, Ala, but
be neglected to mention the fact that Mobile
has successful exchange with 500 snbscri
bers that Knoxville has TWO systems with
900 subscribers to each; that Bristol has an
independent company which is said to be Civ
ing better service than Bell; that Richmond
is now building the largest independent sys-
TEN in the United States, with over 1000
phones; that Charleston, Augusta ard other
large places are putting in an independent
system.
In the smaller towns near by the indepen
dent system has proven n success. Ander-
son, Abbevile, Laurens, YoIkville, Rock
Hill, Dlacksburg, Sumter, Manning and
Georgetown have this system, while Camden
and Newberry have just closed contracts.
Laurens began with 35 phones and has n-
creased to go Abbevlle started with IS and
has gone to 46 within thirty days.
As an instance Of what can be done by
local company, we need not go further than
our sister city of Anderson. Capt. J. L.
Mauldin organized home company and put
in one hundred phones The Bell represent
atives did thing to prevent a saccessful
organization, and even offered to buy out Mr..
Mauldin, but be was not TO be hoodwinked
iu this manner He carried out the enter
prise in busness-like way, and in year
the exchange had made q net profit of so per
cent, which was used TO pay one-half the
original cost of the plant. The charge for
phones is $40 year, and the company is
making money Mr. Mauldlin will doubtless
give any citizen of Greenville the details of
his venture upon application to him.