Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-08-23
A TOPIC.
An Interesting Meeting Held
at the Rock Island
Club.
LOCAL SERVICE Is DISCUSSED.

the Committee, Which VIII Have Assis-
1 lance of Expert Promoter and Central
Union oficials-General Manager Carney
Tells of Dimc4rties Being Met with.
The telephone in all its phases was
the topic of an interesting discussion
before an adjourned meeting of the
Rock Island Club last night, date
agreed upon on which the officers of
the Central Union company were to
answer the charges contained in the
report of the committee submitted at
the last regular session of the club.
At the request of the company the
| committee was continued with in
4 structions to investigate thoroughly
conditions telephone here, both as q
commercial and scientific proposition,
inquire into the feasibility of inviting
competition, bringing an Independent
telephone promoter here to defend
the position of the committee as
against the case that the Central Union
| company, through its representatives,
| will Present, and then render a final
decision.
Present at the meeting were Nj. j.
Carney, of Chicago, the general man
| ager of the telephone company; II. II.
Matlock, of Springfield, the state SUI
perintendent, and Col. w. w. Rider,
OF Peoria, the assistant state superin-
tendent. Col. Rider explained that
when he visited Rock Island several
weeks ago he promised an improve
ment in the service, which at that
time was in a miserable state. owing
to changes being perfected in the
equipment, ETC., aud he believed he
had fulfilled to the letter that prom
Use. He considered the conclusions
of the committee somewhat hasty
| and severe, and believed the report
would not have been of condemna-
| tory character had the mem bers of
the committee gone into the depths
of the fats as they really exist in
Rock Island today. Col. Rider, in
word. said The company stood con-
victed without a trial.
General Manager Heard.
Mr.. Carney followed with scholar
ly address on the telephone art, the
solution of which, he commended. was
as yet far from accomplishment, a
condition that was largely responsible
for the service locally. and for that
matter throughout the country
service that was as good as could be
given until difficulties with which the
ingenious brain of the engineer, in
yentor and scientist were strugg ling
to overcome could master. They were
progressing in their undertaking, but
slowly, apparently, but when sue
cess came, as it was a certainty of
the future, the grievances of the tele-
phone subscriber would be remedied
and an efficient service furnished at a
rate that would put instruments
into the majority of the homes wher-
ever the exchange was tablished.
Mr. Carney cited the fact that in
Chicago there were 10000 telephones
in use, while there were 1000, 900
other well-to-do men who did not pat
rOniZe the service, not because they
did not want the telephone. but be-
cause of the difficulties that must nat
urally prevail until the evolution of
the science had reached that point
where the greatest number could be
served at the least possible cost. Mr..
Carney said there should at least be
2. 900, 900 subscribers in Chicago.
A fact that Mr.. Carney thought
ought to make Rock Island people
feel more kindly towards the Central
Union Telephone company was that
$3.50. 600, or one-fiftieth of its capital
stock, was held in the tri-cities. The
company had been doing business
here 20 years, and had never been
guilty of anything horrible, and was
certainly now performing the best
service to the public that it was
able to.
Great Changes Expected.
In the development of telephony
MIR. Carney knew there would be many
remarkable changes, and in this con-
nection he predicted that before the
year 1900 the entire equipment here
would be removed and supplanted by
instruments of later date. by the auto
matte telephone. He said that great
deal of local trou BILE was caused by the
operation in connection with the local
lines of the trunk lines connec-
ting with Davenport and Moline.
The operation of local wires in
conjunction with trunks as carried
on in the Rock Island exchange was a
situation that had not parallel, so far
as he knew. in the United States.
There were remarks by Drs. G.. L.
Eyster, C. C.. Carter and j. P. Comegys.
and Messrs. Mayer Levi, j. T. Stat
ford, I. j. Medill, W. c. Maucker L.
S. McCabe and &. L. Walker. The
consensus of opinion advanced by
these gentlemen was that while
Mr.. Carney's talk was a brilliant
and learned one, he had failed
to satisfactorily answer the de-
mand for more help at'the Central ex-
change, better pay for the help and
lower rates and rebates. In answer
Mr. Carney said that the company
would certainly make rebates for nom
performance of service. a stipulation
that was contained in each individual
contract He had heen informed and