The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-09
CENTRAL?
But Which Do
You w ant?
(. COMPLICATIONS
That Are Probable With Ri.
val Telephone Lines.

TO make application for the necessary
document, but ran against a snag that
delayed granting of the charter for a
few hours
The slight delay was caused by the
similarity in names between the Wor-
cester organization and an independent
company in Haverhill known as the
Peoples Telephone Company. The fact
that the Worcester men have the word
Telegraph incorporated in their IT,
tie made no difference, as the powers
that be thought the corporation titles
too nearly alike.
The, alternative offered the Worcester
men was to secure a writing from the
Haverhill company to the effect that
they were willing their co-workers in
Worcester should use the name they
mad agreed upon for their company
This arrangement was effected Satur-
day morning, and the obstacle removed
The Peoples Company have several
solicitors in Worcester, and report most
gratifying results. The agents are said
to be bringing in about 20 subscribers
per day on an average, and the promo
tefs OF the company say that every al
legged cloud in their sky has assumed
a decided roseate tinge.
The company Is capitalized for $780,
900, and stock will be offered for sale
at once. Many have already subscrib-
ed for shares in the new company, and
these men, together with others, ex-
4 press a firm determination to have
more.
Meanwhile the other company, in
which Henry F. Harris and Frank O.
Plummer are interested. is working
quietly with the idea in view of getting
all details connected with the install
lation of an exchange down to a point
where they will know exactly of what
they speak, when the next meeting is
called.
Mr. Plummer said yesterday that he
had made a careful estimate of the
cost attending the laying of under
ground conduits and running aerial ca
BILE, and finds that the figures advanced
at a previous meeting are ample for
thegpurpose designated
The men at the head Of this company
had good authority upon which to base
8 their estimates in the first place, but
have gone over the ground thorough
Il ly in order to be perfectly sure they
areS right, before they go ahead. There
will be. another meeting as soon as Will
v liam H. Burns, who is one of the COM
mittee appointed to look into the adj
visibility of forming another company,
gets home.
The promoters of the Peoples Com
pany say they have little faith in the
& organization of rival company, and
the latest promoters in the field are
equally skeptieal Of the ability of the
Peoples Company.
Still Others who are uninterested in
+ either company, are Of the opinion that
the New England Company will do
business in Worcester for several years
to come. A prominent provision dealer
+ comes forward with an argument that
is worthy of consideration.
The indiviual in question is at a
loss to see how business men, especially
provision dealers, grocery men and the
like are to be benefited by the intro
duction of Independent telephone COM
panies in the city.
1t is a well known fact that residence
telephones are regarded as principal
factor in the list of subscribers of the
new companies. The long expressed
desire of hundreds of citizens has been
for cheaper rate for residence tele-
phones, and with this cheaper rate such
as the independent companies propose
to give, there is little doubt but that a
good sized exchange of residence tele>
phones alone could be established.
Naturally the business houses who
have occasion to use the telephone for
out-of-town business to any extent will
prefer to retain their old instrument
and service for this purpose, but with
part of their customers using the Peo-
pies Company lines, and still others
the lines of another Independent COM
pany, it becomes quite necessary that
the business man should be a subscri-
Der in each company, in order to hold
his trade,
The usefulness of telephone in a
4 residence is well known to every house
hold where this popular luxury is a
L. H., /, q I,
would hold their trade when telephones
are reduced in price, so that any one
can have one, they must have instru-
nents by means of which they can
communicate with their customers.
At this rate, with the installation OF
two new exchanges in the city, ma
iority of tradeSmen would be obliged
10 nav about twice the amount they
are now paying for telephone. service
at their place of business.
majority of business men inter
viewed on this point are in favor of
cheaper rates for telephones, and
would be only too glad to lend their
sunnort to a new company providing
they could have the New England
Company go out of business in other
words. have the independent company
in the ascendaney. But when, from
the present outlook, there is promise
of three companies in the field, the
business
business with the residence district
fails to see where he is going to re-
ceive anv material benefit, from f.
nancial standpoint.
Aside from the Inconvenience to be
experienced with the residence district,
there is another Important feature
which is appreciated by the tradesmen.
Most OIL the large houses in the city
do, an extensive toll line business. their
out-of-town charges amounting to
1nanv times the amount of their rental
a every MONTH While most of these
81 Arms are abundantly able to have two
or tbree telephones il necessary, still
thew are not inclined to put out any
more money than is absolutely neces-
sary.
Onposition is bound to come, although
fraught with Inconvenience for many
wears. to come. to extensive users of tel
enhones. The Peoples Company Is
the first in the field, and has the APP
pearance of making a strong bid for
popular favor
Citizens Telephone Company or some
similar organization. Whatever may
be the outcome, the general opinion
expressed is that the people OF Wor-
cester are in favor OF home industry,
and will do all in their power for the
betterment of the citizens from what
ever standpoint.
Still the best is wanted, and the
company that gives promise of doing
most for the people and convfnces busi-
ness men that they intend becoming
81 permanent fixture IN the industrial
life Of Worcester. will get the support
OF substantial men and eventually he
business,