Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-10
,Nrrn,rArr ,rHoNE SYSTEM.

To secure the advantages or the nauohu
long distance telephone system Richmond
ought TO be willing to grant to the COM
pany asking the franchise here the same
privileges that other cities OF our size
have granted similar companies.
our businessmen want and should have
here facilities for doing business equal
to the facilities possessed by other COM
munites OF our class.
One of the privileges deemed essential
by the gentlemen who are seeking
franchise for the American system Is tnat
they shall have the right to do locai
business II need be. Nowhere have they
been compelled to establish an exchange
for local business, but everywhere they
go this privilege Is asked and Is accorded
them. They have hitherto found II posi-
BILE to arrange TO connect with the wires
OF the local companies. II they could do
so here they would be only too glad. But
Il they could not, they would establish
their own exchange. the patrons Of which
might communicate with one another here
in Richmond as well as with friends ane
customers I'm the other states. only III
this way, as we are Informed, can SUM-
cient number of subscribers be put upon
the lists of the company to make It's
business profitable
IL a Baltimore or Chicago subscriber
looked at the Richmond list and found
only one hundred subscribers enrolled,
the chance Of finding there the name That
he desired would only be one tenth Of
what IT would be II the list contained
one thousand names. Hence, II the COM
pany is forced to establish local ex-
change II would wish 10 have all the
subscribers that it could get-first, because
it would help sustain this exchange. and
second. because the greater the number OF
Richmond subscribers the greater the
facilities offered subscribers in other
cities to communicate with our city. In
fact. every subscriber 10 a long-distance
phone. or to local phone exchange, is
interested in the company having as
large clientele as possible.
And so we find the company asking
for the right to do a local. State. and in
terstate telephone business from its Rich
mond exchange. That our merchants and
manufacturers ought TO have the adj
vantages that the long distance phone
offers cannot be gainsaid. we think. The
national long-distance phone system has
already reached Washington and Alex
andria. and is coming South, 1t Is coming
through Richmond-if we will permit it;
but IL we will not, it will "belt-line" us
and give us the "go by"
Consider under what disadvantages we
shall labor II all the other considerable
cities Of the country are in communica-
ton with one another and we are out Of
the circuit.
1t will never do.
We ought to be more wideawalge to our
business interests now than ever before,
and it would be unwlse TO pursue any
short-sighted policy, which would drive
investors from us.
The extension Of the wires Of the ma
tional system through our State would
mean the expenditure of nearly one mill
lion dollars amongst us. OF this sum a
great part would be spent in Richmond
as much as 10000, should the company
have to establish a local exchange here
Until recently our people have given but
small thought to the subject OF long-dis-
lance phones. But the question i'm the
most important form possible is now up
for decision. Happy will it be for us
If our City Council gives US telephone
communication with the towns and cities
Of our State, as well as with those OF
other States. Unfortunate. indeed, will
it be If Richmond is left out Of the cir
cult. left out in the '-side-tracked
or "belt-lined," az it were.
Let our businessmen take heed as 10
the gravity Of the situation, and exert
their influence with the City Council to
secure a correct decision of the question