The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-07-20
HIGHER RATES FOR TELEPHONE.
Low Rates Are Pronounced a
Mistake.
Important Declarations Made by Month
ly Organ Of Independent Tele.
phone Association.

An interesting and important move.
ment seems to be on foot among the
older of the Independent telephone COM
panies of the country, and The Electric
al Engineering and Telephone Magazine
of Chicago, which is monthly publica-
ton in the interests of the Independent
Telephone association Of the United
States, in it's current issue, discusses it
in manner that deserves the attention
of every telephone user.
By way of introduction it should be
said that uniformity is without doubt
one Of the most important considera-
tions for public organized service Of
any nature. Uniformity Of methods, of
excellence in service rendered and, above
all, in the charges for such service. To
the corporation, the business man and
the private individual alike such state
of affairs is of great moment. The prin
ciple, as applied to the public telephone
services of the country, which organiza-
ton has come to be Of paramount i'm.
portanca in daily affairs, is one in which
some regulated action should be taken
to render effective.
The telephone rates of various commu
mites should be the first point to under
20 a reform of this nature. The wide
variance in rate has now come to be a
subject of public discomfort and with
great reason. Each exchange arbitrari'
ly sets it's own rate of subscription, with
the result of ridiculously wide diver
gence in their tariffs. 1t is obvious tina.
some communities are either being
charged Excessively or that in other
places the company is maintaining q
rate, for the sake of it's lowness, which
is not at all compatible with an improved
and satisfactory service to it's patrons
In view of the low rates that do prevail
in nearly every district and the heavy
expense which the construction and
maintenance of these plants entail, it is
only reasonable to suppose that the lat
ter case is nearly the true srate of affairs.
The facts which The Electrical En-
gineering and Telephone Magazine, the
monthly organ of the Independent Tel
ephone association of the United States,
brings out in its article that are of special
interest are contained in the following
article:
"There are three important subjects
that should be frequently and fully dis
cussed at the coming convention OF the
National Telephone association, namely:
"Uniform and reasonable rates for
local service.
"Uniform franchise bills.
"Standard construction specifications
"On every hand the admission is made
that independent telephone rates should
be increased from 80 to 100 per cent, and
that the new rate should be as nearly
uniform as possible. At the present
time one exchange has yearly rate of
SIS and $24, it's neighbor on one side
with twice the number of subscribers
has rate of only $l2 and SIG, while its
neighbor to the north has rate of $50
and $50. Quite naturally the subscribers
on the first and last towns feel that they
should pay only the lowest of these three
sets OF rates, forgetting that the last set
of rates is the only reasonable set, that
not one of these three exchanges has
ever paid cash dividend that all three
are heavily in debt and that large sums
must be expended by each for new
equipment and new material required in
the construction of these plants. We do
not believe there is any profit in operat'
ing the average independent telephone
exchange at rates lees than $24 and $50.
II number of subscribers exceed 400
we believe that the rates should be not
less than $50 and $40, and where there
are 1000 subscribers the rates should be
S36 and $48. With 1000 subscribers
rates should be made to cover local con-
ditions, but should not be less than $50
and $50; where there is an unusual
amount OF underground work even these
rates should be increased.
"With increased rates telephone COM
rsnies would feel justified in re equip
pipg and rebuilding their planto, in