The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-13

is general that there must be higher
rates; that the systems are deterior-
ating and that the much heralded cheap
rates are q delusion and a snare both
TO the investor and to the business man
who rents a telephone.
What would be the result In a large
city like Worcester, where the com
pany would be obliged to spend an
enormous sum in placing it's wires un-
der ground?
however hungry the subscriber who
mas a telephone in his home may be
Tor the cheaper rate bait thrown out,
prominent merchants and business
houses see in the dual telephone service
nothing but keen hook that Is likely
to land them high and dry in a doub-
ling of existing rates through the ne
cessity of maintaining connections with
both exchanges. They can see little
else,
Perhaps one-half of the instruments
now operated in Worcester are in busi-
ness offices. The sentiment Is strongly
against splitting the service. and the
consequent necessity of paying for two
lines of service. 1t is the almost unani-
nous opinion of business houses along
Main street that If the new company
obtains its franchise and begins bust
ness with even 200 subscribers, business
houses might be compelled to put In
one of the automatic contrivances, and
the cheaper rate argument would
mean, in fact, a doubling of telephone
expense.
In number of interviews with prom
inent business men, yesterday after
noon, this was the unanimous opinion
and many merchants are watching the
development of the situation with
alarm.
n n Mills ,,,oYo 49,. 90 A.. t,,,zA...,---
Union, said: THE present service is
excellent and meets all our demands
We find the entire system all that could
De desired, and fail to see the need Of
any addition to Worcester's telephone
facilities. Personally, understand that
the automatic system has never proven
a success in a city the size of this, and
| scout the idea that it would meet the
demands made upon 1t. But good or
bad, as system, would consider the
introduction of another telephone ex-
change nothing short of a nuisance. A
business house that is competing to
meet every need of its customers would
be driven into the lists, and if a dozen
residences were to put in the new SER
vice we would be driven to subscribing
We do not want it, but would have to
submit to double rates. 1 fail to see
the advantages of the new service to
offset the expense that would be in
volved."
Arthur D. Putnam, of the Barnard
Sumner & Putnam Company has made
study of telephone service, and is OPP
posed to the granting of another tele-
phone franchise. He said: "At once
upon the introduction of second tele-
phone system in Worcester we would
be obliged to put in one of the new ma
chimes. Our telephone now requires the
services of one clerk, who does little
else but answer calls during business
hours, and we do not want more of it.
If the new concern starts, of course we
would be one of the first to subscribe,
but it would be with considerable re-
luctance. 1t would double our expense,
and | fail to see where or how the
cheaper rate argument applies in the
premises
H. P. Emory, manager of the local
branch of the Iver Johnson Sporting
Goods Company, said to The Spy man
yesterday: THE new service would be
absolutely of no use to us, afthough 1
presume we would be obliged to sub
scribe. Perhaps one-half of our calls
daily are from out of town, and a large
part of our telephone business comes
from all sections of Worcester county.
With no out of town connections, the
new service would be of little or no
value to u.s."