Evening star., 1898-10-14
that the switch board In the building of the

- - = . . . = . .
that the switchboard In the building of tho
government printing office is connected
with the switchboard of TIE comDany by
TOUR trunk lines or wires x is apparent
that each of these thirty-nine telephones
are upon separate wires up TO the switch
noard In the government building. where
they converge, and from this point to the
switchboard of the company by these four
wires running from the switch board in the
government building to the switch board
Of the company
What. l ask is the purpose. Use and ef
feet of this subSWitch- board in the govern
ment building?
1t is very evident that when any user of
either of these thirty-nine telephones de-
s1es TO communicate with any other per
son through either of the other thirty-nine
telephones, by taking the receiver off the
hcok, helnS upon separate wire to this
switchboard, he would be enabled through
the telephone operator at this switchboard
to be put into communication with either
of the other thirty-nine telephones | un-
derstand it to be further fact that this
operator is not an employe of the telephone
company, but a government emplOye
The effect of this switchboard, then, is
that when the government is using either
of these thirty-nine boxes or telephones to
communicate with any enc of the other
thirty-nine the company is not called upon
to render any service whatever; is not even
apprised at it's switchboard that there has
been such call, but, on the contrary, the
government operator at such switchboard
answers the call and gives the desired con-
nection. But in case the user of either of
these thirty-ninc telephones desires con-
nection with any subscriber of the COM
pany, right he undoubtedly has, he must
first call up the operator at this sub
switchboard and procure him to call
call must of necessity be made over one
of the four wires connecting these switch
boards before he can he put into commu-
niCatiOn with the desired telephone by the
companys operator.
This subswitchbo is of no practical
use to the user Of these telephones, for
II these telephones were each upon separ-
ate wire to the companys switchboard,
when the user took the receiver from OF
the hook he would be in connection with
the company switch and could be put into
connection by the company's operator at
central with either of the other thirty-nne
telephones as readily by the company's op-
orator by the operator at the subsWltch-
board, and not be subject to the delays IN
cident to the use of two switchboards and
operators.
1t necessarily follows because of the fact
that these thirty-nine telephones are con-
nected with the central switchboard OF the
company by only four cables or wires that
no more than four of these telephones can
be used at the same instant of time in com
municating or receiving messages from
other subscribers of the system.
Every tetepnOne must OF Necessity Oe upon
a wire but more than one telephone may
be upon the same wire. Considering he
fact that these telephones are connec;ei
with the central switch beard of the COM
pany by only four cables or wires, Ii would
be as erroneous to affirm of them that cacn
was upon q separate wire as 1t Wouiu be
to affirm of a single link of a chain that it
was the chain itself. If upon a separate
wire. the of any other telephone in the
entire system could not possibly affect their
use at the same instant of time; but as in
stalled under the terms of this contract,
being upon a separate wire only to the
switch board in the government printing
office, the use of only four of them at the
same instant of time when endeavoring to
communicate with outside subscribers is
possible.
The provision supra, describing the class
OF telephones, the charges or rentals CT
which are fixed therein, is broad enough to
cover any possible installment of tele
phone or system of telephones. This pro-
vision fixes the charge for a telephone Upon
a separate wire, for any number of tc,e-
phones upon wire; hence covers and reg
ulateS the charges for every conceivable
kind of a telephone.
These thirty-nine telephones, and each of
them, are clearly telephones the charges fer
which are fixed at s25 each, there being
four or more of them on the same wire.
Contract AbroEatcd.
In my opinion, and l so decide, that from
and after the taking effect of this provision
of law its effect was to abrogate the con-
tract set out, for the prices therein fixed
are in excess of those fixed by the law for
the use or rental of a telephone.
Under the terms of this contract the
rental of these thirty-nine telephones for
the period of one year is
For. the first twenty-five. at SI2 each. 81 S25
For fourteen additional, at $40 each. SEQ
For installation and rental of cables. 800
Iotal Observation-Disclosures. $50
Under the prices fixed by this law the
proper charges would be
Thirty-nine telephones, there being
more than four upon the same wire,
at 20 each ..--.--.................$9 .$9I5
l see no reason why the government
should not share in the benefits of the pro-
visions of this enactment, as well the
private individuals of the District.
This telephone company being a corpora
tion is a creature of the law, is protected
by the law and must obey the law 1t must
furnish both individuals and the govern
ment the benefits of its telephone system,
and do this under the rate of charges fixed
by law or give way to others who will.
The three telephones upon the independ-
ent line, there being five telephones upon
the same wire. can only be charged for at
the rate of $25 each since the taking effect
of this provision of law.
Respectfully yours.
R. ]. TRACEWELL, Controller.
Course to he Followed.
The attorneys of the Telephone Subscrib-
ers' Association, Messrs. Birney and Wood
ard, expressed satisfaction when informed
today of the decision of the controller.
They said that it tailed exactly with their
advice to the members Of the association
and the explanation of the large number of
injunction suits that had been filed against
the telephone company lay in the fact that
the subscribers insisted on paying the rates
for the telephone service fixed by Congress,
while the telephone company refused to