The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-01-21
1--WE WILL NOT
BE BOUGHT, +"
Say the Stockholders Of the
Citizens Company.
A Large and Enthusiastic Meeting
at the Opera House
Last Friday.
So Strong Was the Opposition to the
Cumberland COmpany's Offer
That 1t Was Not Con-
sidered at All.

1--WE are still for war We will
not be bought by the Cumberland
Telephone Company"
This was the sentiment expressed
in strenuous terms at the Opera
House last Friday, at which time
and place a meeting of the stock
holders of the Citizens Telephone
Company had been called to consid-
er proposition seeking to buy them
out, offered by the Cumberland
Telephone Company.
The rain poured steadily through
out the day, but it did not dampen
in the least the ardor of the Citizens
supporters nor keep them from turn
ing out en- masse to fight for their
cause and the cause of the people.
DR.. Robt. Pillow, President of the
board of directors, called the meet
ing to order, and w. A. Ruttle, Sec
rotary, read the roll of stockholders,
not less than 200, from all parts of
the county, answering to their
names. H. o. Fulton, who was Sec
-etary at the last meeting, read the
minutes, which were approved.
DR.. Pillow then stated the purpose
for which the meeting had been
called, saying that the Cumberland
Company had made proposition to
them to assume their Indebtedness
and give certain rates on contract
for certain length of time. He
then stated how the debt of $4,4lC
had accumulated. When the com
pany was organized, they stared
out with about so telephones, and
ran for months at loss. 1t soon
became apparent that they could
not hold the merchant subscribers
in town with that number of sub
scribefs, and they began extending
lines throughout the county. Where
each new line was built suhscrlp
lions were made to meet the
expenses, but in every instance the
line cost more than was estimated
and large portion of the debt hac
accumulated in this manner. At the
very outset a debt had been incur
red by a too low estimate beinl
made on the building of the plan
in Columbia. This debt the direc
tors had assumed responsibility TO
themselves, believing that in incur
ring it they had done so for the hes
interest of the company. ha
DIR. Pillow then called for the read
ing of the Cumberland Company
proposition. "o a u.. .f
This brought Mr.. j. A. Smiser t.
his feet, who said he was'oppOsed t,
having it read at all, as it contained
a condition binding them to Sc
cTecy, so that the matter could no
be brought up against them (th.
Cumberland people) in the courts
the proposition was considered.
A great deal of discussion thel
followed, and the feeling was almos
unanimous against having the prop
osition read at all, and resolution
was finally passed to that effect.
Mr.. Hatcher made an enthusiastic
speech, which was roundly applaud
ed. He was still for war, and woul,
fight the Cumberland Company t
the end. He roundly scored tn
subscribers of the Citizens who hat
signed the pledge to have no othe
phone put in their houses, and the
went back on their pledge. "Nearl
all of Them" said Mr.. Hatcher, "ar
standing by their word, however
and the citizens of Maury Count
ought to stand by them"
Mr.. Fulton read a statement @
the receipts and disbursements G
the company during the eighteen
months of its existence, shown
that the company owed $4,4lO. H
said $500 ought to be raised to pa,
the debt and the balance to be use
in improving the plant.
Mr.. r. Gooch then made rousin
address. He said it made him fee
proud down in the bottom of h
heart to see such a crowd of repre-
sentative business men gathered tt
gether on such bad day and wit
only days notice. He still wante
to wage war against the Cumbel
land, and would never consent
Law down arms in inglorious defea
The proposition made by the Gun
berland people was the biggest il
suit to the intelligence of MauI
County he had ever heard Of.
Mr.. Smiser then read an estima
which he and Mr.. Ruttle, the Seer
tary, had made, showing that tt
company was now running on a pa.
ing basis and would pay itself out
debt in a few years. The gross r
ceipts per month were about S29
while the expenditures, allowing g
Increase in the salaries OF the en-
plOyes, and a sufficient sum to pa
all other expenses, were about S22
! leaving net gain of about S69.
1t having been fully decided tn
3 the Cumberland's proposition shou
be utterly ignored, the matter
raising the $500 necessary to pa
the debt and put the plant in bett
, condition, was then brought u
After some discussion it was decid,
to call for subscriptions, with Il
understanding that the entire su
of 81. 500 be raised or none at a
Those present responded LIBERAL