Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-11-11
A Letter From G. D. Jones on Free
Telephones.
WAUsAU, Wis, Oct. 80, 1897.

J. A. Gaynor,
Grand Rapids, Wis.
My, dear Mr.. Gaynor:-Your letter
of the 29th received. The telephone
fight has probably been hotter here
than with you, for the Wisconsin Tel
ephone Co. has given free telephone
service here to anyone who would ac-
cept the same since November, 1895.
This was not altogether surprise to
us. They told us they would do this
months before, and assured Us it
would speedily end US. We had pre-
pared our people, therefore, for it.
Everyone understood the Wisconsin
Telephone Co. had declared war on
the Wausau Telephone Co., and that
free service was war measure. Many
of our business men had large use for
the long distance telephone service.
1t was incOnvenient for them to have
to 60 to the central office, but almost
to man, from the very first, they
stood by the home company, and re-
fused to accept the free telephone,
though strongly urged to take it. 1t
is to the credit of our citizens that
this position was not taken for day,
but that it has been and still is the
sentiment of the community. For
months the Wisconsin Telephone Co.
had practically no subscribers here
outside of the two railway offices and
the Western Union Telegraph office.
Gradually, however, they worked in a
few telephones. They placed some of
their strongest men here, and employ
ed very bright, likeable and efficient
young gentleman as their local agent.
He has been persistent in his efforts
for his employer. He has made what
you might call house to house cam
vass. and a stillhunt of it at that. At
first his plan was to get some mechan-
ic, blacksmiths preferred, to put a
phone in his shop, and also one in his
home. Ostensibly, of course, this was
purely for domestic" accommodation,
but gradually as he got telephones in
he commenced working on those who
had been using them longest, suggest
ing to them how nice it would be if
they could call up their grocer, their
baker and their candleStick maker for
these wares. He found it convenient
to call frequently, apparently "to ex-
anime the telephone, but really to
arouse them to action in behalf of his
company. Requests commenced to
come to the butchers, grocers, doctors,
ETC., that they put in the old phone,
ana these requests came from their
patrons. OF course there are always
some fellows whose cupidity is easily
aroused by the expectation of obtain
ing the trade of these Wisconsin Tel
ephOne users. Here was where the
danger lay. Once get a footing with
one butcher, and the others would
feel compelled to take it in self de-
fense, and this applies to other trades,
and will be especially true if the resi-
dence connection is large. Another
dodge worked by the manager here
may be called 1.-THE widow dodge"
This consists in ingratiating a tele-
phone into the service of "the widow"
who may have married daughter or
some friend, and thus placing in two
phones, ,ostensibly for the benefit of the
timid and unfortunate, but in every
case sooner or later these people are
'worked" into waylaying their trades
people in the interests of the old
telephone.
have thought it best to give this
narrative of our experience. 1t will
doubtless be yours. | do not believe
in anything that weakens the honest
principles of a community. The peo-
pie Of yo,u cities cannot afford to mortgage
themselves to the Wisconsin Telephone
Company. The principle is precisely
the same as that underlying the CIV
ing of passes by corporations to mem
bers of the Legislature and other
representatives Of the people. One
cannot accept these favors unless he
gives value received for them, without
loss Of self respect. And while | am
in favor of making the charge for tel
ephone service in private residences
as low as it is possible to maintain
the service, there can be no doubt it
is wrong to make that service free,
and wrong to give our approval to
those who allow themselves to be
chedply JougEten up. But it is not
alone because it is public debauchery
that we should oppose this, it is be-
cause. as business men, we know that
the men connected with the Wiscon-
sin Telephone Co. are not so generous
as to 60 to all this pains and expense
without some end in view, for free
telephone service is very expensive,
especially if generally accepted. We
believe that if their telephones are
tolerated by the respectable people of
this city there can be but one result,