The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-24
THE TELEPHONE COMBINE
VI. n. KELLOGG, OF CHICAGO. TALKS
OF THE REPORTED TRUST.
Says 1t Is Only Question of short
Time when All Independent Com
panies VIII ne Connected.

Milo r. Kellogg. president Of the Kellogg
Switchboard and Supply Company, of Chi
cago and heavy stakeholder in the Cen
trail Union Telephone Company was at the
Bates House yesterday. He had come to this
city from st. Louis, and returned 10 Chi
cago last night. a dispatch from Chicago
had stated that the independent telephone
manufacturing interests Of the country had
organized 10 fight the Bell Telephone Com
pany. with a capital OF 900. The KEEL
logg Company the dispatch went on TO say.
zone Of the most influential factories out
side the Bell breastworks,' had resisted all
overtures to join the combine. and President
Kellogg could not be found in Chicago
when II was desired 20 ask him about il In
the light that the proposed combine had be-
come public. When Mr.. Kellogg was seen
here yesterday he was not willing to deny
fatty that his company would become
member OF the trust.
II cannot see at this time" he said,
what advantage II would be to our COM
pany to join the combine
1T has not then. been decided yet wheth
er the Kellogg Company will will not
iOin?'' II was suggested.
THAT is right" he replied. 1--WE are sell
ing switchbdards in only the larger cities.
like Indianapolis, St. Louis and Cleveland.
and the other independent manufactures
are putting in exchanges in smaller towns.
Because business is different from the
rest | doubt whether it would profit us 10
join the combine"
Before Mr.. kellogg left the city he made
contracts with Senator Kline and S. T..
Wayland for switchboards in WiIkesbarre
and scranton, Pa. These two men had ar
ranged to meet Mr.. Kellogg here and look
over the switchboard of the New Telephone
Company as a sample of the Kellogg Com
pany's work. L. f. BOyce. president of the
Independent Telephone Company at Grand
Rapids. Mich, was also here.
In conversation with MIR. Kellogg IL was
ugge5ted TO him that the Central Union
Telephone Company had asserted that II did
not recognize the independent companies as
real competitors because the latter could
offer no long-distance service OF an extern
siveness worth mentioning.
The time is coming, and IL is not far OF,
when there will be an independent longdis-
lance telephone service as extensive as the
Central Unions" he said.
will ii be within the next two years."
he was asked.
Probably in less time than that" he re-
piled and then hastily added: II do not
mean that there is TO be a trust com
bine Of the independent telephone companies
of the country. So far as l know, none is
contemplated. but the companies viii be
connected for long-distance service. In
reality by far the most of the lOng-distance
service of the country IS within a COM
is little demand for very longdistance tele-
phone service. The Indiana independent
companies have organized; last week at
meeting at Cleveland the Ohio companies
organized; the Illinois companies have or
gained There are Independent companies
in Detroit and Grand Rapids, and they are
preparing to send their lines out over the
State. 1t is in this part of the Country that
the Independent telephone movement is
strongest-in Indiana, Illinois Iowa, Mis-
souri, Wisconsin. Michigan. Ohio and Penn
syivania. Therefore il is most likely that
these States will be connected by indie
pendent telephone lines first. On the. At
lantic and Pacific coasts and In the South
the independent telephone movement has
not made much Roadway"
MR. SHEERIN ON THE COMBINE
s. p. Sheerin. of the New Telephone Com
pany, when asked for information about the
probable combination of the independent
companies said that Mr.. Kellogg was as
competent to talk about telephone matters
as any man in the country and probably a
little more so.
II do not care to give an opinion as to
the time the independent telephone COM
panies will be connected. but it is coming
just as sure as next election day, and every
step in the independent telephone movement
now is toward this end. l do not believe
there will be a trust, but the companies
will be connected. Arrangements have al
ready been made TO connect the Indiana and
Ohio Independent telephone systems"
Mr.. Sheerin was willing TO go further in
his predictions of the countrywide extern
sion of the independent companies in the
near future than was Mr.. Kellogg, and he
said the independent companies are achiev-
ing triumphs in the East. West and South.
The Massachusetts companies" he said,
ARE pushing on to Boston. The New York
State companies are moving on New York
city. Independent telephone franchises have
been sec ured in both these cities. The Penn
sylvania companies are of goodly number
and well organized. and Independent
franchise has been granted in Philadelphia.
An Independent company has been organ
lied in Baltimore and has secured n fran
chise. New Orleans is also TO have an in
dependent system. Independent companies
are forming in Oregon and Washington and
on down the Pacific coast. 1t is only
question of a few years when these COM
panies are all connected. AS ii is now the
independent long -distance companies have
more miles of lines than the Central Union
Company. but they do not cover SO much
territory"