The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-11
LONG DISTANCE PHONE.
Norfolk VIII Probably Soon Be So Connect
ed With Other Of the Virginia Cities.
LOOKS LIKE A MAMMOTH ENTERPRISE.
AZ Present There 60 Practically Not
Long Distance Wire I'm the sou,b
Lime Will Run Through AIexan.
dria, Fredericitsburg, Richmond.
Petersburg md Norfolk.

State generally, and Norfolk in nart,c c,ie
lar, are deeply Interested is the pronoss,l
esta oEshing Of long distance telephone
system In the larger Virginia cities by the
pany. Eoiii-
AS was mentioned in detail at the time
application was made to the Councils OF
the city for franchise to put In the sys-
fem mere. 1t has apparently met with
hands of the Ordinance Committee. which
mas instructions to draw up a Suitable
ordnance and submit II to those bodies.
the Councils of Richmond. Petersbur,r
and Fredericksburg have granted the
rights asked for.
A HUGE AFFAIR.
Some idea of the extent of the system
over GOO00 miles of wire are under onern
tlon, connecting 1000 of the largest North
ern cities. extending as far east as Au-
on Lake Champlain and Marinette, Wis
as far west as ST. Louis, with extensions
being pushed to Omaha.
So far the South has not been ,oucbod
II tnerc be excepted the line which ey
tends straight down from Chicago.
Tennessee to Pulaski in the latter State
anu that WHICH extends as far South as
Alexandria, Va
II is proposed to run the line from Alex
andria through fredericksburg to Rich
mond. to Petersburg. TO Norfolk and
Pc ts,a,p Thence 1t will be extended
WHAT 1T WILL DO.
The operation of the Ions, dist,rc. H.,
IS not unknown. With the system here :.
business ,,i eS;,, man can stand in his office and
house, in Chicago, New York. Rosin,S
Philadelphia, st. Louis, Cincinnati or al
inc. II an nSD else Some fourteen wires
Cnicago alone and are busy every. mo
ment OF the day
READY TO BEGIN.
An oificial of the company said yester
Gay DAY that they were ready to begin WORK
granted, and it should be pushed TO com
I,s, without delay, regardless of
"h ne teIs Richmond richmond came in or not
rlai from the Richmond Dispatch will be
interesting, ,tn, and explanatory as the condi-
no tons existing In Norfolk and Richmond
INTERSTATE PHONE SYSTEM
tional long distance telephone svst Ia,
Richmond ought to be Willing to rrn, s- ~
the company asking the franchise ho,c
our size have granted similar comnani.s
Our business men want and should
a nave mere y, a., facilities for doing business
communities of our class. o'ier
one OF the privileges deemed essential
~, , ,,iJ Scnliemen VINO are seeking n
.,,hncllise iof the American system is thot
they shall have the right to do Iorni
business usi, If need be. Nowhere have they
for LOOT coihpHiie s 10 establish an exchange
go this privilege is asked and Is nccordci,
.hem. Ihey have hitherto found IL posi-.
of the local companies If they conI5 Io
SO 50 here they would be only too glad. But
II y, tney could not. they would establish
might communicate with one anoihcr
here in Richmond as well rs with Crjnn6s
ana customers IN the other States Only
IN ms way. as We are informed can ::
sufiicient number OF customers be mn
upon the lists of the company TO make
its business profitable.
IT a Baltimore or Chicago subscrihcr
looked at the Richmond list and found
only one hundred subscribers enrolled
the chance of finding there the name thai
he desired would only tx. onc-trntb az
one thousand names. Hence, if the come,
change 1t would wish TO have ali 10
subscribers that 1t could gct-arst he
cause 1t would help sustain this exchange
and second. because the greater the mum,
her or Richmond subscribers the greater
the facilities offered subscribers In other
cities to communicate with our city In
fact. every subscriber to a long dtS,,, im
phone. or to local phone .xchan,s" -
interested in the company having ms large
Il clientele as possible.
And we find that the company askinr
for the right to do Il local, Stat. and in.
terState telephone business from il. Rich
mond exchange. That our merchants ana
manufacturers ought to have the aivan-
tages that the long distance phone oflors
cannot be gainsaid, we think. The ma
tional long distance phone system has
already reached Washington and Alcxan-
dria and Is coming South. 1t Is coming.
through Rchmond-if we will permit II:
but If we Will not. 1t will "b.lt-line" us
and give, us the 'go by
Consider under what disadvantages Nc
shall labor If all the other considerable
cities of the country are in communicn-
ton with ore another and we are out OF
tho circuit.
III Will never do! We ought to he moro
than ever before. and Il would be unwisc
to pursue any shprt-girhlcd policy. which
would drive Investors from US.
THO extension Of the wires of the M
mean the expenditure of nearly one mil
lion dollars amongst MS. OF This slim n
great part would be spent In Richmond
as much as s219.Goj should the corrrny
Until recently our people have given
but small thought to the subject OF Lore
distance 'proncs. But the question in the
mos important form possible Is now III,
our City Council gives us telephone com
munication with the towns ard cities Of
nur state. IA well rs with those o: other
states. Cnfortunntc. indeed. vii! It be If
out in the cold'-side tracked or belt
lined" as IL were.
Let our business men take heed rs TO
the gravity of the situation, and exert
secure correct decision OF the question.
ANOTHER COMPANY. rob.
The following. also taken from the Dis
patch, will show that the American is not
alone In It's desire to place a system in
his