Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-11-29
PROMOTERS NAMED.
Twin.City Committees Endorse
Bills & Wortham's Tele.
phone Proposition.
WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATE CANVASS.

Union Electric Telegraph and Tele-
| phone company, last night received
endorsement of their efforts to in
stall Independent exchanges in the
two cities, of the committees of the
Rock Island Club and Retail Mer-
chants associations of Rock Island
and Moline. The committees held
meeting that occupied several hours
at the Rock Island Club. going over
the entire situation, and having pri-
vate interviews with the representa-
| tives of the two companies who de-
sire to work the local independent
field, the Union Electric and Mutual
Telephone companies. A vote was
finally taken, resulting in the endorse
ment of the former. Bills & Worth
am state they will Immediately begin
canvass for subscribers. They will
offer rare of S24 and $50 per year
| for residences and business houses re-
| spectively, with unlimited service in
the three cities, including long dis
lance instruments and all modern
equipment. They propose first to
| offer the stock to local capitalists,
aud what they do not take will dis
pose of to outside parties.
Statement of Committees.
The committees have issued the fol-
lowing statement to the press:
"A Joint meeting of the telephone
| committees of the Rock Island Club,
| the Rock Island Retail Merchants as
ISOLATION and the Moline Retail Mer
chants association was held at the
| Rock Island Club Tuesday evening.
The committees decided emphatically
to accept the proposition of Messrs.
Bills and Workman and to present
them to the public with their hearty
| endorsement. This endorsement ar
rived at deliberately and after mature
consideration, was based on the record
| of these gentlemen as consistent and
honest operators in the independent
telephone field in their manifest char
acteristics of aggressiveness and per-
sistence, and on their achievements in
the past. The com miti ees have labored
long, earnestly and faithfully to bring
about the best results for the commu-
nifty. 1t is their hope and eXpecta-
ton that all citizens having the well
fare of the public at heart will coop
crate in a harmonious movement to-
wards the success of the independent
telephone movement.
L
tees that the public he especially on
| the opposition to provoke dissension
of any kind. If solicitors seek to Sc
cure contracts see to it that they have
the proper credentials from the com
mittees. 4 favorite method to kill off
independent telephone movements is
to employ so-calied promoters to eX-
1 Il % fau l,ln
The public and the city council should
be very guarded in affording any en-
couragement to such pretending pro-
meters.
In due time the committees will
present to the public a full report
of their investigation, aud their con-
illusions.
| Tri-CIty Mutual To Stay.
| The promoters for the Mutual I'm
ion. who came into the field after Bills
& Workman, but who made a PROPOSE
ton to build the exchange with their
Town capital, and furnish service at a
half rate of what is now charged by
the Central Union, are disappointed
that they should have been turned
down by the committee, and declare
last nights action will not drive them
away from here by any means; that
they have .nme to stay, and will soon
Begin solicI ig subscribers.
| In an interview with A. l.. Water
bury. one of the interested promoters
of the ri-City Mutual Telephone
company, he said: "The ac-
ton of the committee last night in
endorsing Bills and Wortham's plans
for the organization of an independ-
ent telephone company is not final by
any means with US. We do not doubt
| or question but what the action of
the committee was what they be-
lieved to be the best solution of the
controversy, but the mem bers were
not unanimous by any means, and we
believe that honestly in their own
hearts they very much favor our plan.
but on account of some promises
made to Bills and Wertham before we
came here they did not feel like en-
dorsing our company and turning
them down. We have the kind
Hest feeling toward the COM
mittee, and its members have
treated US nicely and listened to us
with great patience, but not knowing
that these previous promises had been
made to Messrs. Bills and Workman
we have remained here about four
weeks and spent considerable money
and we do not feel like losing it. The
plan TO organize a mutual telephone
company is not feasible and can not
be a success. We have arranged for
our offices in the Mitchell e Lynde
building, and under the circumstances
could not see any other way than to
stay until the finish"
| With this assurance, and the COM
mencement of active building opera
tons on the part of the Central Union
it looks as il the rivalry of telephone
interests might continue indefinitely.
Try Neg-E-To
For rheumatism.