The times., 1897-11-28
LAUNCH A TELEPHONE WAR
Rates In New York and New
Jersey to Be Lowered.
A RIVAL TO THE MONOPOLY
Intention TO Establish Cheap Serv-
ice, Put in a New System and
Have Both Local and Long Dis
tance Connections Bell Telephone
Company VIII Show Fight.

New York, Nov. GA telephone war
is soon to be launched in this State and
Jew Jersey. The New York Telephone
Company, which has so long held the
monopoly of the business herea bou;s, is
to have competitor, which viii take its
stand on the side of cheap telephone ser
vice. The men behind the Citizens Tele-
phone Company of New York aud Jersey,
which is tic official title of the new
concern, say that they have plenty of
capital and are in the fight to stay.
The movement to establish cheap tele
phone service in this city has been going
ON for months, but has been known oBly
to a few persons. The interview with w.
w. Holmes, president of the Detroit Tele-
phone Company, which was printed today,
was the first official information ON the
matter published. Mr.. Holmes evidently
spoke without authority, for the officers
of the Citizens Companyiwere annoyed at
the publication of their plans.
Mr.. Holmes has no direct connection with
the company which is to operate In this
city, but his company, which entered the
fight in Detroit against the Bell company,
switch-b boards and Embellishments, which
it claims is far superior to those used by
the Bell and New York companies, and
they VIII probably be adopted by the new
company.
In addition TO establishing q line of
cheap telephones in this State and New
Jersey, the Citizens" Company is going to
make connections with independent com
ing the ong-distance business. In this,
as We'll as in local service, it is planned
to smash the present high rates. Here
the new company will come in direct CON
| flict with the Bell company.
The outfit will be centered in Greater
New York. 1t has not Yet appeared what
| the Citizens Company proposes doing In
| the matter Of wire laying. 1t cannot put
anything overhead, and it cannot dig up
| the streets for new subways. The West
| ern Union Telegraph Company and the
American District Telegraph Company have
subways, and it can only be by arrange
ment with either of these that the new
telephone company can establish a com
plete line in this city.
The officials OF the company declined
to say today what arrangement they had
made. President Summerwell. of the
| Citizens Telephone Company, said today.
"We will put in telephones at a cheaper
rate and give as good, service as any Of
our competitors can give. We will knock
out the present high rate without a
| doubt and will furnish telephones at
minimum OF S24 for business and SIS
for residences. We expect opposition, ana
so cannot tell you how we intend TO
proceed.
Eve mean to construct and operate
complete system of toll-lines throughout
| this State and New Jersey, connecting all
thelarger cities and county seat towns, with
| New York. by metallic current. Then we
mean 10 build county toll systems con
Meeting all the smaller villages with their
/ county seats at a uniform service of ten
cents message. A long distance system
| will be put IN operation - soon as it can
be done. We expect to Iee<5za our profit
from the increased use of the telephone,
which is bouEd to come as soon as we com
| mence operations