The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-16
For Telephone
Business.
THE NEW CONC RMS
Spring Up in Many Places
With Strong Backing.

From the independent telephone
company standpoint, Worcester is
strictly in line with the greater cities
of the United States. Developments Of
the past week, point more strongly
than ever to the fact that the time Of
opposition to the heretofore undisputed
claims Of the old line companies is
here, and already telephone magnates
are able to discern the shadowy tracing
of the handwriting on the wall
The most significant move on the
part Of those interested in an indie
pendent telephone movement, was her
aided through the press of the coun-
try, Thursday morning, when the news
went forth that an organization to be
known as the Peoples Telephone Com
pany, had been formed in New York
with capital stock Of $5,000.V00.
With start of this sort, there is but
one logical conclusion to be deducted.
The opposition has come to stay.
No one, aside from men who have
had experience in this line Of business,
is acquainted with the practical de-
tail Of establishing a system Of this
sort, but with sufficient capital and
men behind the movement who have
the confidence of the people and a
thorough understanding OF what they
are about to undertake. there can be
but one outcome.
Heretofore the movement on the part
of independent companies has been
scattering if not altogether weak There
hanU M of Vt OF dot 10Y
with the idea in view of usurping the
monopoly of the old companies from "A
point of toll line business, which forms
such an important item in the income
of the Bell Telephone Company.
In Worcester as in New York, the
new companies are giving the old I'M
mistakable signs of nightmare. On
every hand signs are visible of the
scare that has been given the old COM
panies.
Men hired for the one purpose of COM
batting the opposition have been scat
tered all over New England, to bring
the matter nearer home.
In Worcester even, evidence of this
sort Of work may be seen. Aside from
the opposition workers, as they are
called, solicitors picked from the front
rank of those who follow this branch
Of work as a speciality have been placed
in the larger cities and are doing all
in their power to hold and increase tie
subscription lists of the different COM
panies.
In Worcester, as in New York, sin
gular coincidence is noted between the
estimates, Of the movement of Henry
F. Harris, f. o. Plummer and others
and the Peoples Company of New
York. Both organizations figure that
they will be able to give the people
satisfactory service, for about half the
rate they are paying at the present
time.
1t may not be out of place at this
time to state what the New England
Telephone & Telegraph Company are
doing in New England to combat the
Independent companies. Instead OF
dropping rates, which was the first
move employed, the old company has
started on another tack.
In Haverhill, Manchester and other
places where the opposition has
showed its head, the move has beer
instead of cutting rates to meet those
of the old company, to install tele-
phones in the residences of those hav-
ing telephones at their places of bust
ness free of charge, thereby equaliz-
ing the cost and at the same time
placing the company in stronger
position.
dependent company gives up or goes
out of business, is to charge for resi-
dence telephones after the opposition
has been removed.
The Peoples Telephone Company OF
New York is receiving the hearty In
dorsement of the New York press. The
New York Journal prints an interview
with Frank S. Gardner, secretary Of
the New York Board of Trade ano
NNb IN co
ing:
The organization of the new tele-
phone company is the direct result oil
failure of relief by legislation. The
Board of Trade and Transportation, il
making the fight at Albany, was pur-
suing its legitimate work, but it could
not as board officially undertake tc
organize an Independent and competing
telephone company This remedy haC
been previously considered, but unit
recently the patents prevented com.
petition. and facilities and means haC
been wanting. Legislation failing
competition by the organization of {
new company was the only remedy re-
naming, and the individuals deter.
mined upon this course.
The new company has already be-
gun active operations and will give its
subscribers a first-class modern tele.
phone service in about one year from
date of incorporation. The new com.
pany will compete actively with the
former monopoly, and an immediate cut
will be made in the rates For larger
numbers Of messages on the message
schedule the rate goes as low as -four
cents per message. The residence mes
sage rate for service on private wires
will be $780, To families living in apart
ment houses and flats an unlimited ser
vice connecting with all the other sub
scribers of the company will be given
for 81 per month on group lines.
THE cut in charges represents a saw
ing to the public on message service
alone Of $4,000, which added TO the
81. 900 saved on limited service, will
be an annual saving of $2,270,000.
Officers Of the New York Telephone
Company are extremely reticent and
unwilling to discuss the prospects Of
the opposition. The New York Herald
prints an interview with U. N. Bethel
sun.rnuuzulu
H0W'S THIS P