The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-11
President Rryan'S Figures of
The Business Of His Company.
DIVIDEND IN 1897, $lO6, 600
Mr.. Birney Gives a History of the
Telephone Service and Discusses
Some IGtereS ing Prostitutes
Charged in Washington Compared
With Those Of O.her Cities.

tinued yesterday before the subcommit-
tee of the House Appropriations Commit
tee.
In compliance with the request of the
committee on the day previous, when
President Bryan of the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company was on the
stand, that ne furnish the committee a
statement Of the financial condition of his
company, he submitted statement show
ing that in the District there are fifteen
miles OF underground conduits. containing
1922 miles of ducts. There are 1853 miles
of overhead wire and 4,4S9 miles of wire
in the subways.
The capital stock was 50 G5), coo: bonded
Indebtedness. $S74.O00 with an interest rate
of ) per cent. The net revenues in recent
years were as follows: 1890, $l2499L71;
1891, 16,304Si; 1892, sos, 922 IS; 1893 $1l7,-
1881; 1894. Slo9 63oSS; 1895. Sl2O i2l.53 1896,
$1l5015.2S; 1897. 1924, 5S2.49.
The dividends during that period were
as follows: 1880, S92, $50: 1891. SO 500; 1892,
SG6 80; 1893 s53 600; 1894 $53 900; 1885 $53 900;
1896, So. 500; 1897. $lO6.0OO
The surplus for the several years was as
follows: $780, $S2,2fL7l; 1891 $50, S04Si; 1892.
$40 672 S. 1893 S64 1851; 1894 $56 $50 So; 1895
So, s2453; 1896, $35.5l5.2S; 1897. SIS. $50. 10
Money was expended for construction as
follows: 1890. sSlI. $3.50; 1891, $50, 1886 43;
1892, $50 1850; 1898. $13 $4,000; 1884, $5S 9S4 72
1895 S32 2O514 1895, SIS 16i46; 1897, $39,654.2S.
In regard to the company's business in
the District of Columbia the following
statement was made: Gross receipts in
1897. $ls7 .9n.17; expenditures. $16S 279.74; net
revenue. S20G57.43.
Mr.. A. A. Birney, who represents the
subscribers association, went over the
history of the service in this city.
The first telephone line in the District
was constructed in 1S7S by company
known as the National Telephone EX-
change. This company had capital
stock of 800 600, and il expended a small
portion of that stock in constructing its
plant. This company was succeeded by
another composed of somewhat the same
men, called the National Capital Tele-
phone Company.
In 1882 - said Mr. Birney, the Ameri-
can Bell Telephone Company began to
appreciate the commercial value of the
invention and organized the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Company, with
a capital stock OF g. 500 900. This organi-
cation made negotiations with the Mary
land Telephone Company, but as appears
from the report of the telephone COM
missioner Of Maryland. this capitalization
was all assigned TO the District OF Co.
lumbia, and so far as we have any in
formation that remains the total capital
! ization Of the District of Columbia
branch
1.-THE rental first charged by this com
pany" said Mr.. Birney, was $l2 per year,
the promise being made that when the
] II.
reduction would be made in the cost. The
rate was raised. however. at different
I times, as follows: First, 10 SO, then TO
I $40. then 10 $50 and at last TO the rate
4 that exist today, which is Sl00 for ground
circuit and 1925 for the metallic circuit.
Mr. Birney said that the present move
I ment Of the subscribers to secure a re-
ductiOn was but a few weeks old. but
4 that the people had become aroused, not
only over the excessive charges, but by
the limitations put upon the use Of the
/ telephones.
J He said the investigation. set on foot by
/ the District Commissioners, related only
/ TO those cities where the Bell Telephone
1 Company maintained a monopoly. He
( thought such a comparison was not fair.
/ The citizens had sought a comparison
with cities where there We're competing
( companies.
Mr. Birney then submitted the following
/ comparative statement OF the rates exist
ing in cities where competition exists:
Des Moines-Bell. -; business. sd; resi-
! dence. $35. Mutual, 1900; business. $24;
4 residence. SIS. Taxes, 3 per cent gross re-
1 ceipts.
/ Toledo, Ohio-Harrison, IS: NJ. c.. SD.
! Central Union. 2,209; Cd, $50; residence,
! S24 to So
Grand Rapids-Bell. 100; business. $50;
1 residence, S24 Citizens, $50; business.
/ S36; residence. S24.
apolis-Central Union, $500: bust
ness, So: residence, 50.
Fort Wayne-Central Union, 1900; bust
ness. S36: residence. 81. Ten cents per
pole.
Detrolt-Ben. -; business. $35; residence
I s24. Detroit, 4,756; business, so; residence
SIS.
Richmond. Va. Cbefore competition)-
Bell, 1,1S0; business. $50; residence, SAL
now. so and $lS). Richmond 1850; bust
ness. $35; residence, sd
Augusta. Ga.-Bell, -; business, $6G (be-
fore; now, S36 and SD. Automatic. -
business, s33. SO.
Chnlicothe. ohio-BeIl, -; Home bust
ness, S24; residence. SIS.
Roanoke Na.-Bell, former rates.,
business, Si8; residence $50 now, $40 and
sI2). Citizens, 400; business, $50 resi-.
dence, $50.
In ST Louis the Bell Telephone Com
pany has been in undisputed control, the
charges ranging from 800 to $3.50 fol
business houses and Ss4 to $125 for resi-.
dences. A home company, authorized
10 use the Kindlock system, in use II
Detroit. IS constructing a plant and tax.
ing subscribers ar SEQ for business and
$50 for residences, but is not yet in op-
Grafton.
Attention is also directed to foreign
rates. In Berlin. Germany the system is
under government control. the rate OF
$3.50 is now reduced TO $l25 plus / pfen-
mig per message for residences, 2 pfen-
nigs for business, pfennigs for cafes
and clubs.
I'm Toronto, Canada, the rate Is go Il
business and So for residences. In Swe-
den and Norway. where the government
controls the system, the rates are less
than in Germany, being, as we are in
formed. about 81 per annum."
The hearing Will be resumed today