Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-03
REDUCTIONS IN RATES
Mr.. Thomas Martindaae Discusses the Tele-
phuie Situation.
District COmmissishers Given a Great
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the New
iSyatem.

city attending the pure food congress. Mr..
Martindaie. as representative of the
Pniladelph1a organization, has appeared be-
lore the state legislature Of Pennsylvania
and before the city council Of Philadelphia
and elsewhere, seeking to secure cheaper
telephone rates and better service than that
furnished by monopolies in the telephone
business.
When asked today by Star reporter If
ne had observed the fight being made here
against the local company he said:
Interested I'm Contest.
1 have noticed with a great deal of inter-
est the contest now being made by the
Telephone Subscribers Association against
one exaetions Of the gigantic monopoly
known as the American Bell Telephone
Company, which controls and practically
owns the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company. now operating in Wash
ington and Baltimore.
nave had a number of years expe-
alence as chairman Of the Trades League
commlttee. Our organization represents
ABOUT 1000 business firms Of Philadelphia
ana Is one of the most progressive organ
1zations OF the world. The committee Of
which am chairman has, since 1891, been
actiVeiy engaged In prosecuting the same
line OF work that the outraged business
men OF Washington are now engaged In
with reference to local telephone SERVICE"
A Great Opportunity.
Assuming that Congress will authorize
the Commissioners of the District to equip
ana operate telephone system in the Dis
trict OF Columbia, Mr.. Martindale said:
consider that the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia have the most unique
opportunity such as could not be secured
In any other city or city government in the
lQ, frr1af
operation an up-to-date telephone system
combining all the modern improvements in
telephoning, and giving a rate to subscrib-
ers based upon a mutual ARRANGEMENT II
Wouio act as an object lesson to the whole
"orlo, ana Show what can be done in the
way OF 1naugurating such a system with
out being overloaded and hampered with a
mountain of watered stock, on which ex-
realized. w w
1T would be very easy matter for the
commissioners of the District of Columbia
to construct telephone system on the line
have laid down, which would give such
service as would astonish the telephone
subscribers by its perfection and its eco
nomlc rates. Under the control of the
commissioners Mss the charges should not ex-
ceeo 300 Tor business houses and $50 for
residences for the first five years. / think
IL carefully managed, that enough profit
would have accrued in that time to enable
the rates to be reduced to $50 and So for
IL,
with the eleventh year. the rates could he
still further reduced to, say, $12 for bust
ness houses and SO for private residences
and after that that uniform rate of So
would pay the expenses of maintenance
and cost of operating.
Proof Accessible.
I'm reaching these figures which I sue-
gest as being thoroughly practicable. and
which are easy of proof, have had in
IN
In such countries as Denmark, Norway and
Sweden, in some of the large cities of which
the maximum rate is $3.50 per annum and
running down to $3.50 and 81 per annum
and where the service at these popular
prices is almost universally used by bust
ness people as well as at residences of both
the wealthy and the middle classes
particularly commend Senator Buffers
anna ndment to the District bill, wherein
100000 is to be appropriated and the
amount placed in the hands Of the District
commissioners, to equip and manage an
Ip-to- date system of telephony, establish
ing rates for the same at a price that will
De a radical reduction as compared with the
exis ting rates, and at the same time aeon
mulate surplus as sinking fund. with
100000.
Pays Heavy Tribute.
1t should be borne in mind that the
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Com
pany is said to be compelled to pay as q
tribute to the parent-the American Bell
Telephone Company-no less a sum than
$12ooO per annum from Washington alon,
for licenses, franchises, ETC. 1t can easily
be seen that this amount in itself would he
far more than is requir ed to operate a sys-
tenn on the most generous scale under such
careful and economical management as
the Commissioners of the District of Co.
lumbia would exercise"
Mr.. Henry F. Woodland, secretary Of the
Subscribers, Telephone Association, and
Treasurer Danenhower of the same or,a nj
cation have received a number Of new
rames for the membership roll, and tlay
cay the association is growing stronger
every day.
Local Art CO nnOfsseurs Interestad