Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-08-22
THE MOVE FOR BETTER SERVICE.
Rock Island Club Meets Tonight-The
Matter in the Council.

Matter in the Council.
The Rock Island Club meets to-
night to consider further the subject
of the telephone service in Rock ISL
and, and to hear the reply from the
company as to the nature of the inn
provements of a permanent nature
that the people of the city are to be
assured Of AS THE ARGUS has main
tanned from the first, it is a guarantee
of better general conditions in the
system not only as apply to the rela-
tions of the company to the public,
but to its employes-fairer treatment
of patrons and operators-that the
people want. and it is substantial
guarantee that is desired. That the
Character of the local service has been
notably improved in all respects since
the visit of Gen. Supt. Matlock to
Rock Island two weeks ago. it is but
just to state.
The matter of the conditions of the
was, as predicted a few days ago,
brought to the attention of the Rock
Island city council last evening in
the shape of n resolution introduced
by Aid. Fender providing for the re-
peal of all the company's franchises
here if satisfactory terms are not ar
ranged with the people. This would,
if constitutionally carried out, leave
the field open to an independent
local company TO this proposition
there are two sides. Here is one side
from the Chicago Times-Herald:
President Holbrook, of the Massa-
chusetts Telephone and Telegraph
company. says regarding the indie
pendent telephone movement: There
are over $50, 900. 900 in independent
telephone companies today, and less
than 8 per cent of them have gone I'M
der, which is a remar kable record,
considering that so many people have
undertaken to construct plants with
out getting competent electrical en-
gineers and without sufficient capital.
The great independent telephone
companies, like the ones in st. Louis,
Detroit aud Baltimore and many
other cities of this kind, are making
good profits. and although many of
them are not declaring dividends out
of their surplus, they are using their
surplus in the extension of their
plants or in the construction of long
distance lines, which are even more
profitable than local exchanges. 1t
was stated that the Wisconsin Valley
Terminal company in north Wisconsin
had sold out to the Bell and that the
man in charge said that he had been
deceived as to the cost of telephony.
Now the truth is that the Peoples
Telephone company of Superior is now
building line parallel to the one sold,
and finds the business exceedingly
profitable. The Citizeus' Telephone
company of Grand Rapids. Mich,
whose rates are only 81 and So per
month. has over 3, 500 subscribers to
it's system. Is has declared per cent
dividends quarterly for the past two
years, and the company has in addi-
tion a sinking fund. At Elizabeth, n.
j., plant of $50 subscribers has ex-
penses this year of only S., 705 and
net earnings OF $2.766, which, after
allowing a proper deduction for de-
probation. is able to show 10 per
cent earning. The Home Telephone
company, of New Prague, Mimi, has
Just declared a dividend of IL per
cent. The Detroit Telephone company
is earning good dividends.