Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-08
COMpE TITl0N TELLS
I sd;
Interesting Correspondence Bearing
Upon the Telephone Question.
RATES CHARGED M MANY CITIES
kaDu
Benefits Where More Than One
Com pany CPsrates.
STRIKING COM RISONS

The committee on ways and means Of
the Telephone Subscribers Association, of
which Mr.. James M. Hoge is chairman,
recently sent out circular letters to the
m ayers Of a number Of cities containing
a number of interrogatories about the rates
cl arged for telephone service in their cities
The inquiries included questions as to ho,v
many companies were operating. how many
phones were operated, what rates were
charged. whether use of instruments was
restricted. If there were free telephones for
local use what revenue the companies paid
the cities, etc.
A large number Of answers have been
received and a perusal Of them proves that
in every city where there is competition
the rates are low and the service satisfact-
DRY. Among the communications received
the following facts were cqlled today by
reporter for The Evening, Star:
Ia Indianapolis, Indiana, there Is one
company with 26O0 subscribers. Business
houses pay 81 and residences 81 per
year.
There are two companies in Fort Wayne,
Indiana, with 5000 telephones. Thirty-six
dollars per year is charged for business
hoi ses and s24 per annum for residences.
The use of phones is not restricted, there
are free phones between all city depart
ments. and the companies pay $40 per pole
per annum taxes.
Result of Competition in Grand
Rapids.
The mayor. of Grand Rapids, Mich,
writes that the Belle Company and the
Citizens Telephone Company operate there.
The former has 1,5O0, the latter 900 in
struments operating Business houses are
char ged s36 and residences S24 per year.
There are no restrictions on the use Of
the instruments by subscribers. Neither
company pays any revenue to the city.
But the mayor writes: .'On account of
competition the Bell Company does not
charge for telephones for local uses in
some cases"
Mayor Macvickar Of Des Moines, Iowa.
writes that a year ago the business men
there joined to build Mutual Telephone
Company, pledging rates of SIS per year
for residences and $24 per year for bust
ness houses. Former rates under the Bell
Telephone Company were $36, $4S and $5i.
The new company now operates LOO tele-
phones, and is very successful. In addi-
ton to the low rates the city receives 5
per cent of the Mutual companys gross
receipts. ,sCIG
In Toledo. Ohio, there are two telephone
companies, the Central Union and the Har-
rison. There are 1850 ,,ph6nes. Business
houses are charged $72 PEI, year for long
distance and $50 for oEdinary telephones;
private residences from 81 itp S54 per year.
he exclusive use OIL rpOp{ cross arm on
Central Union poles is devoted to use of
fire and police wires, and as many ducts as
are necessary for the sams purposes. There
are % fres phones in the pabiic Offices; -
for use of the fire department. and addi-
ticnal phones are given ,toothe city at %
per cent below the regular rates.
Unsatisfactory Service IN Bingham
In Binghamton, N. VI. where there are
only $50 phones. the Beiineompany charges
frt m $50 to $94 per YEAR for SO calls a
month in busin ess Houses, and five gents b
call for phones In private dwellings,. The
general management of the company is re-
puted to be unsatisfactory to the sub
scribsrs In every particular.
There are 400 telephones In Cincinnati,
where there is only one exchange. Bust
Tess houses pay $125 per annum; private
dwellings, 800, and $50 where two or more
phones are on one line. IL,
San Antonio. Texas, Ks more favored than
any other city in the country wh,n 1t
CT mes to telephone rates. The Southwest
ern Telegraph and Telephone Company
operates 800 Instruments in the town and
the charges for business houses and pri-
vate dwellings alike are from 81 to IS per
year.
In st. Paul there is only one company.
with 1890 phones. Business houses pay
s120 per year and residences 500 per year
for metallic circuit and $72 and $50 per
year. respectively, for grounded circuit.
The Monopoly In Massnchusetts.
In Cambridge. Mass, the New England
Telephone and Telegraph Company, a
'.licensee" Of the American Bell
Telephone Company, operates. There
are G49 telephones in Cambridge
The charges for unlimited service
in Cambridge and Its suburbs Boston ex-
cluded are $50 per year and for dwellings
$50 per year. Long-distance instruments
cost SIS more. The Boston business rate,
including suburban exchanges and long
distance equipment, is $50 per year. Cam
bridge receives no revenue from the COM
pany. In the letter to the committee here
Charles F. Hopewell. inspector of wires in
Cambridge, after reciting the above facts,
writes follows:
1.-The general management and rates are
not generally satisfactory to this city.
Il forward under separate cover copy
of bill that this city has urged before the
legislature for the last three years. but 1t
has been defeated by the telephone COM
pany."
The only company in Chicago is the Bell
which operates 15,O00 instruments The
yearly rates are as follows: Long distance
metallic circuit line, $175 grounded cir
cult line, 1925: one phone on private line
800; two on private line, $40 each: three
$40 each; four. $50 each. The company
pays per cent of its gross income to the
city.
There Is one company in Denver, operat-
ing 2,200 to 1900 phones The business
rate is BIO per year, and where the sub
scriber has phone in his residence $50
is charged for the latter. In New Orleans
there is one company, with / ,7S5 phones
Business houses pay SOC and residences SIS
per annum. Messages at pay stations are
Is cents each.
QUEEN VICTORIA INDISPOsED.
Her Trip to Nice to De Postponed in
CnnaRssn .nAl