The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-01
MANAGER LANE
Replies to the Statements of Superin-
tendent Sommers.

tendent Sommers.
In reference to the article published in
the Leader of Jan. 20 by Mr.. II. Sommers,
state superintendent of the Rocky Noun
tain Bell Telephone company, about
cheap telephones, wish 10 make few
remarks.
Admitting that the telephone business,
like all others. to he successful. must
be conducted on business principles, he
says his company has heretofore charged
considerably more than at present. This
is partially true. He should have said n
good deal more. He says many hundred
telephone companies have started in OPP
position to the Bell company and that L
large per cent. have succumbed or quit
business because they could not pay eX-
penses. Admitting that there are many
hundreds of companies in opposition TO
the Bell, / disagree with him about d
large per cent. of them being failures,
and for every failure OF the home COM
pany that he may note | can name many
successful ones. AS an Illustration l Will
call his attention to the home company
at Fort Wayne. Ind. which commenced
business little over two and half
years ago with 400 subscribers, the Bell
company having at that time 500 sub
scribers. The home company now has
between 1000 and 1000 subscribers. The
Bell company has about so or 40 dead
head phones. The home company not
only pays expenses. but is not domi-
mated by any trust or monopoly. 1t fur
nshes to the city free service and pays
per cent. of its gross income as a spe-
cial tax TO the city. 1t has reduced the
rate 80 per cent, increased the service
100 per cent, and is furnishing service
to almost four times as many persons as
We're accommodated by the great mo-
nopoly. | could name many other SINH
lar cases If space permitted Failures in
ms
two causes: First, poor apparatus and
inexperienced management: second,
when the companies are short OF means.
We think 1T has been demonstrated that
the home, company has not any of the
above-named weaknesses.
In speaking of the stockholders of the
home company, MIR. Sommers would
lead you TO believe that the company
was organized to catch suckers who
would buy stock. Does ii look reason
able that anyone is going to take the
risk of investing the amount of money
that is evidenced by the lines. instru-
ments and property the home company
have. with no prospect. hope or guaran-
tee that they will realize a profit there
by only by selling stock? That might
have been some years ago, but people
who have money to invest or to pur-
chase stock with in these days also have
judgment enough to thoroughly inVesti-
gate a proposition before investing their
money. Another way the home COM
pany can prove this insinuation To he
false is, they are not attempting to sell
stock in any shape or form. But to
make the company cooperative and
mutual and to secure the help and in
terest of the home people they not only
give a reduction per year on each phone.
but with every business phone they give
five shares and every residence phone
three shares of worcestershire stock,
valued al So per share. He also gives an
illustration of the revenue and expense
of an exchange While we do not care
to make "a statement of our receipts and
expenses to the Bell company, we cheer
fully invite our patrons to come to our
offices and thoroughly satisfy them
selves that our present standing and fu-
ture prospects are the very brightest.
would not say this If / did not know l
had proof to back my statement Mir.
Sommers admits that they cannot give
the service that we are giving without
losing $1,000 per year We would like
10 learn from him where the good prin-
ciples are for them under the above cir
practically nothing at the present time.
il his company would lose 81 800 per year
at our present rate?
1t is evident from his statement that
If the home company quits business his
company. 10 pay it's expenses, would be
compelled to raise its rates to what they
were formerly, but | fear they would
even be more.
In conclusion ! would say that the
people of Great Falls have shown their
loyalty to home enterprise and industry,
and as they now have about 100 more
phones than ever before and the best OF
service we hope TO retain 1t by continu-
ing the same service, being courteous.
accommodating and endeavoring to
please all.
Other cities Of the state are looking
forward to the time when public spirit
ed citizens will give them an oppor-
tunity to receive the same REASONABLE
telephone rates that we have here.