Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-08-09
1872 .--------.
A LOWER RATE
On Telephone Service Between This Cit.
and RlcbmODd.

There is a movement on foot to secure
a cheaper telephone rate between New,
port News and Richmond. While thi:
movement is still in its infancy, it has
behind it some of the leading men @
the City and promises to take on greater
proportions in the next few days. Al
Of the business men who have discusSec
the matter believe that the low rat.
should be brought about at the earliest
possible date.
trade Of local lnarchants will be placed
with wholesalers in Richmond Here
tofoce, Norfolk has been getting this
trade, hut since Norfolk's maliciou:
action Of last week, in influencing other
cities to quarantine against Ncwpor.
News and compelling the transporta-
1ion companies to avoid this port, nrac-
tically shutting out all water traffic
the business men of Newport New:
have made UP their minds to patronize
Richmond merchants whenever practi-
cable. The people of that city have
demonstrated their true friendship fol
Newport News. Working With then
for the interests of this city were TIL.
officials of the Chesapeake & Ohio rail-
road, who are never found wanting
when Newport News needs a helping
hand.
The idea is to induce one or both OF
the telephone companies operating here
to make arrangements to give: the ppb-
lie d tifteen-cent rate to Richmond the
same is now charged to Norfolk aut
Portsmouth. or course this request
will not be made; until the promoters
of the movement are in a position t
convince the telephone companies that
the people of this city and Richmond
want the reduced rate and that it vii
pay the companies to esta blish it,. l.
is understood that the merchants OF
Richmond arc heartily in favor Of III,
reduction and Will give the line which
lnaugurates the cheaper rate their sup
port 1t is needless to say that tho
business men Of this city will do like
wise.
AT the present time communication
with Richmond can be had over on.
s telephone line only. That is the Bel
line. The, Citizens Company contem
plates extending it's line up the Virginia
Peninsula and eventually to Richmond
1t already reaches to Warwick Court
house and in, the fall will be extended
to, Williamsburg. The Bell line makes
connection with Richmond via Norfolk
and for three minutes converse ton
charges seventy-five cents. This is en-
tirely.. to much for business purposes,
as the telegraph can be used for less
money. ~
In view of the clear business relations
between Newport News and Richmond
it; is believed that reduced telephone
company operating it. The bulk of the
business over the phone wire would in
crease ten-fold and the profits would
necessarily be much greater than at
the present time, when a business tele-
gram can be sent for one third or one
half what a phone message to Rich
nlond costs. flfteen-cent rate to
Richmond would divert to the telephone
company much business that now goes
by telegraph. This would be the case
not only from Newport News to Rich
mond, but vice versa as we'll.
a. telep'lrone, rate within the fmeans of
everybody would work conveniently for
the business men Of the city. Orders
could be placed at night and be filled or
the early morning train from Rich
lnolfd. or they could be sent over the
phone in the morning and early after
noon and be filled on the evening train
getting here at 6 o'clock. Professional
men could operate the telephone to
great advantage under the reduced rate
and, in fact, the Afteen-cent rate, would