Evening star., 1898-02-09
THE TELEPHONE ABROAD
Privileges in Foreign Countries Oontrasted
With Those Granted Here.
Mr.. John Joy EdsOn's vicws-Expe peri
ence OF Citizen With
Slot Machine.

them. Mr.. Edison, as Is well known, Is a
gentleman of most observing mind. While
on his travels In Europe, he said to a Star
reporter this morning. he was greatly i'm
pressed with the universal use of the tee-
phone.
This was the case in Italy, Switzerland,
Germany, Austria and Hungary. 1 was
impressed by the universal use of the tele-
phone. not only by the residents of the
cities and towns. but by the farmers. On
inquiry 1 found that the people were en-
abled to use the telephone generally on ac-
count of the small charges, and that. of
course, In different countries different laws
and regulations are provided by the gov
ernment. The government has such a su-
pervision in those countries that exorbi-
tant charges cannot be made. In Switzer-
land, 1 believe. the government owns or
controls the telephones.
THE great general use of the telephones
in Europe by business people and private
families is on account of the very moder-
ate prices prevailing. The systems there
are in every respect equally good as
they are here. ! found that In some of the
hotels so universal was the use of the tele-
phone there was ore in every room of the
house. l found this the case in London in
one hotel
TclephOninG the News.
'In Buda Pesth 1 was greatly surprised
by finding that there was a paper publish
ed which employs a system Of ringing up
the subscribers al stated periods and tele-
phoning the telegraphic news to them.
was told that the charges in Switzerland
range from 50 to $40 d year for the use of
the phone.
81 imagine that the high prices here are
made necessary to enable the companies
to pay dividends on stock that has been
increased or which amounts TO several
times the cost of their plant.
II have for some time been impressed
by the fact that the Chesapeake and Po-
tomac Telephone Company has pursued
rather an illiberal policy toward its sub
scribers and hardly appreciates Its patron
age. The prices have been steadily IN
creased and inconvenient restrictions
placed IL not amounting to an imposition,
closely bordering upon 1t. 1 think this has
been a mistake on the part OF the COM
pany and should in some way be corrected
as 1 am satisfied the situation requires It,
The new book of the telephone company
contains the following paragraph for the
beEefit CT It's subscribers, or for that OF any
who may read the book.
in time of trouble the value of the tel
ephone cannot be estimated. with bur-
glar in your house. police aid may be OBJ
tanned while the housebreaker waits. In
case Of fire the engines may be called more
speedily than in any other way. If an ac-
cident occurs the telephone Is rapid mes
Senger, who hurrieS the ambulance and
surgeon to relief
AS in proof of the claim that this state
mant on the part of the company, to use
a forcible expression, is merely bluff
little incident was related to The Star re-
city. The case is applied particularly to
the advent of the .coin-in-the slot" ma
chine which has been so largely adopted
by the company lately. He said:
Lack of a Dime.
Il returned home the other evening to
find that my wife had been seized with a
sudden attack of vertigo, caused, I sup
pose. by indigestion or something Of the
kind. I was not greatly alarmed, as 1
realized what was the matter. but went
to the telephone to call doctor. The one
In the house was what they call a pay
station telephone, and 1t was not a hotel,
either. l was In somewhat of hurry and
found that 1 did not have ten cents about
me: l was at loss what to do, and if it
near by and had the desired coin, 1 should
have found it necessary to go elsewhere
thereby losing large amount of time. If
the case had been dangerous, this would
have been a serious obstacle
Il find it necessary occasionally TO call
up the offics with which l am connected.
strictly on questions of business Some
times have to do this two or three times
a day. As l am situated, with the teIe-
pnone pay station 'slOt-in- -the-machine I
am forced to spend ten csnts every time I
use the telephone for legitimate business.
1 nave spent as much as thirty cents a day
IoT TINS. Ihfs amounts up In time, and 1
think 1t Is an imposition on the part of tbe
telephone company.
Matter of DiscrimfnntioD
The company, 1 believe, claims that II
makes no discrimination amor e its patrons
Know one case where 1t would seem that
there was decided discrimination.
gentleman has place Of business in which
hummer or persons go throughout the
day. He had telephone in it and was
accustomed TO allow his visitors to use 1t,
thinking probably that it helped him in
his business. The company protested
against this use by outsiders of the 1eIe
prone ana threatened to put In slot ma
crime AS 1t happened the wires of the
company went over the roof of his house.
and he said he would retaIiate If they re,
moved the telephone and put in a slot ma
cnlne % by King the company remove its
wires from MS building. AT last accounts
this had not been done"
Mr.: Edson's sentiments in regard to the
teiephCne company are voiced by nearly
every business man in the citv who has
peen thrown into contact with the Chesa-
psake and Potomac Telephone COMPANY.
Ihey all have grievances to tell CONCERNING
1t. and can cite cases of what they term
the imposition which has been nrscticed
upon them by the company.
Mr.. Oysters Views.
Mr.. James F. Oyster is one of tbe MANY
who Is classed In this list. He said to The
Star reporter today:
Il think the Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company imposes on its patrons
without doubt. 1t presumss to dictate to
its subscribers as to what sort of business
they shall conduct over the telephone.
Some time ago the company sent a card to
me saying that the telephone in my place
of business could not be used by any ont
siders. respected this in q certain sense
as far as any entire stranger goes. For IN
stance, II person. a stranger to me, comes
in my office and asks to use telephone, l
REFER him to pay station, but If, on the
other hand, a customer of mine who know
has telephone and wishes to use 1t for
business OF his own, think am at perfect
liberty to lot him use the telephone, and
nave carried this out ever since 1 have re-
eeived the order. This. however, was evil
IDENTIFY not what the company wished me
to do.
This Is In view of the fact that 1 pay
200 year to the telephone company for
the use of its machines. The rates here are
far above those In other cities. 1 think