The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-08
EXPECT A DECISION.
The Aldermanic Tel
ephone Committee
| May Report.
LITTLE HOPE FOR NEW COMPANY.
Sever Street Residents OBJ
ject to AsphaEtina
Paving.
LITTLE HOPE FOR new COMPANY.

1t is not improbable that the alder
manic telephone committee will render
a decision on the petition of the Wor-
cester Telephone Company tomorrow
night. 1t may also be safely predicted
that in case of a report on the matter,
the recommendation will be granting
the petitioners leave to withdraw. 1t
has been no secret, from the start, that
a majority of members in the special
committee were opposed to granting
the new company rights in the streets,
and subsequent developments have CON
| fipmed the original decision At pres
| ent 1t looks as though a meeting of the
committee might be called tomorrow
AFTERNOON and that a report will be
submitted at the evening session.
/ Certain members of the committee
have worked from the start to secure
more satisfactory rates from the old
company, and from the present outlook
II seems as though they are in a fair
way of attaining their end The prop
osltion OF one member during the prog
ress Of the first hearings was to stand
out for uniform rats of $25 a wear for
residence telephones with unlimited
service. Another request was that the
New England Company extend the
mileage limit to the two-mile circle in
stead of one mile, as at present. In
the past, rates varying from $40 to IS
mile outside the mile circle, have
been charged the figure varying with
the class of line constructed. The prop
osition advanced was to do away with
this charge for residence subscribers
within the wo-nlile circle
The lowest rate in effect in the Wor-
cester exchange at present Is $25 a year
for limited service, with a privilege of
placing six stations on the line. All
these instruments are on metallic CIR
cults. and equipped with long distance
transmitters, the only Inconvenience
being the number of stations, although
this fact is not SO apparent in the case
or residence telephones as with places
OF business where the telephone is used
to much greater extent.
The argument worked out by some Of
the Committeeman is that the principal
demand for cheaper telephones is in the
residence section, where many people
would be glad to avail themselves Of
the opportunity to have telephone if
the rate was lower. BY securing a
lower rate. that is within the reach of
all, business men as we'll as house.
holders will be satisfied A majority
of business men admit that a rival tele-
phone company would be of little bene-
fit to them from the fact that even
though rates were cut in halves and the
old company met the cut, the business
would be paying practically the same
as before the new company came into
the field.
The New England Company has
adopted different tactics in Worcester
than in any other city where it has
attempted to combat opposition There
has been g. tendency to listen to the
propositions put forward by the com
mittee, and it is not improbable that
the recommendation to the full board
will give evidence that heed has been
paid to the request for cheaper rates
and an extension of the mileage limit.