The times., 1899-02-20
new HEAD FOR THE
TELEPHONE COMPANY
Jere NJ. Wilson Elected Presi-
dent Bryan's Successor.
The Former Official to Engage in
0.her Business.
The Past Policy of the Organization
Supposed to Have Pracipitnted
the Change.

and Potomac Telephone Company, which
took place en- Saturday did not come 10
the people of Washington a great sur
prise. especially TO the patrons of that or
ganiZation.
For some time it has been the general
opinion that the telephone company could
not prosper under a system of management
which was so oppressive to its subscribers.
For more than three years the public has
been complaining of the monopoiistic way
in which it was being treated by the COM
pany And as a result of the manner in
which all complaints were received and
acted upon by the company the patrons OF
the telephone company organized an asso-
citation 10 fight it. with the result that at
the session of Congress previous TO the
present legislation was secured which fixed
the rates for telephone service in the Dis
Irict of Columbia at a price less than one
half that charged by the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company.
The company, however. refused to obey
the law, and in the face of the act of Con-
gress notified their patrons that if they
did not pay according to the rates estab-
Iished by it their telephone instru-
ments and appliances would be re-
moved from their places of business and
residences. AS result of this course on
the part of the telephone company large
number of its patrons sought relief in the
Supreme Court of the District, which,
through Justice Cox. issued a temporary
restraining order enjoining the telephone
company from removing its instruments
and appliances from the premises of its
patrons who had asked for petitions OF in
junction. About fifty of the subscribers
Of the company have filed such petitions
There are also filed in the District Su-
preme Court mandamus proceedings to
compel the telephone company to place
in b1til in
the city at the rate prescribed by the act
of Congress.
When the suits for injunction were ar
gued in the Supreme Court of the District
the telephone company maintained that
the Law regulating the telephone rates in
the District was unconstitutional, and also
that the present efficiency of the service
could not be secured at the price allowed
by the law.
The Supreme Court, however. decided
that the law was constitutional, and that
the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company would have to obey it. The COM
pany took an appeal 10 the Court OF Ap-
peals and from there the matter will be
taken 10 the Supreme Court of the United
States in the event that the lower court IS
sustained by the Court Of Appeals.
In the meantime however, the subscrib-
ers are compelled to pay the rate fixed by
the telephone company, which has entered
into surety TO reimburse them in the event
OF their winning their suit in the court OF
last resort.
In case the subscribers are successful in
the Supreme Court of the United States
The telephone company viii be at loss
possibly of from So. 900 TO $50. 600, charge
able 10 counsel fees. costs of court, and loss
OF patronage all of which the patrons of
the company will have 10 pay in the course
of time.
Mr. Bryan is now under indictment in
his official capacity general manager
and president of the Chesapeake and Poto-
mac Telephone Company in the Supreme
Court Of the District for misdemeanor,
the specific charge being that he charged
and received more money for the use OF
telephones in the District OF Columbia
than is allowed by Law. On this charge he
will in all probability be tried during the
present term of court
The action of the Chesapeake and Poto-
mac Telephone Company year or two ago
in prohibiting its subscribers from per-
mitting non-subscribers for its service to
use their telephones met with a vigorous
protest from the patrons OF the company,
and when the time arrived for the order
10 go into effect nearly all of the sUbscrib
ers decided to give up their telephones.
Many OF the subscribers. however, found
that the taking out Of the instruments
loss and determined to allow them to re-
main on the conditions prescribed by the
telephone company. Then the slot tele-
phone was introduced and many of them
placed in public places. especially in drug
stores. Many of the druggists, however,
preferred to use the old machine at the
old prices with the privilege of allowing
their customers 10 use it. This right
would not be allowed by the company, that
is. il would give them the old machine
provided it should be placed in the
front part of the store and use of it re-
fused TO all non-subscribers.
The druggists objected 10 this. and took
the slot" machines, which also had to be
placed in the front part OF the store in
which II was placed. The druggists at
first were allowed the privilege of COM
municating with each other, the local ply
sicisns. and the Emergency Hospital
This plan. however, did not last long when
orders were issued forbidding the subscrib-
ers to communicate with anyone except
the officials of the hospital free OF charge.
The next plan put into operation by the
telephone company with reference to the
slot" machine was TO place one of them in
a public place at the request of the mana
ger or owner provided he would guarantees
the company SO per month. or $120 pei
year, for its use. Under these contracts
the subscriber will have TO make good all
money less than SO which the telephone
earns in thirty days, and experience has
proven that very often the patron has q
deficiency TO make good at the end of each
month.
In acting upon Mr.. Bryan's resignation
the board of directors OF the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Company passed
the following:
Resolved. That the resignation Of Mr. Sanue
NJ Bryan president and director u this COM
he accented with the regret OF the lalrd
and that, in appreciation Of his long and faithful
service 10 the company its president, IA,
treasurer is hereby authorized to pay him. il
addition 10 his saiaTy TO date, equal I,
six months salary.
When il is taken into consideration tha
Mr.. Bryan's resignation virtually sewers hi.
connection with the company. such actor
as the above is very unusual. especially
that Of paying him half years salary.
Mr.. Bryan's reason for seyering his con-
nection with the telephone company. ht
states, is the press of private business. and
that he intends to leave the city in about
six weeks.
Mr. Jere ". Wilson. a member of The
board OF directors, was chosen president
10 succeed Mr.. Bryan and SIR. A. G.. Ful.
Ter, the vice president was selected az
general manager 1t is said that many o.
the stockholders have protested In no un-
certain terms against the arbitrary policy
fIaugurated by Mr.. Bryan. taking the po
sition that IL had been unwise, and By yir.
tue of II there had grown up a genera
feeling of hostility against the company
which they feared would soon result in tn
establishment of a rival organization
which might in time supplant the Chesa
peake and Potomac Company. These ar,
said 10 be the real reasons for Mr.. Bryan
retirement from the head of the company