Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-10-11

1 Install n Plant and Furnish Ser.ice at
Half the Rate Being Paid Now.
Action was taken at last nights
| mem bership meeting of the Rock ISL
and Club declaring as unsatisfactory
the propositions of the Central Union
Telephone company, and inviting the
| esta blishment of an Independent rival
company, to which the club pledges
its unanimous support.
The report of the telephone COM
mittee, DR.. q. l.. Eyster, +. II.
Guyer, l.. s. McCabe, w. c. Maucker,
and L. j. Medill, Jr.. was read by
Chairman Eyster. The report, which
was adopted, is as follows:
To the Rock Island Club and the
Rock Island Merchants Association
Since your meeting early in Au-
gust, your committee has, so far as
its limited facilities afforded, contin-
ued to gather information bearing on
the telephone problem. This in
formation is all cumulative in
strengthening the position taken by
your committee in its former report.
For some time past your committee
has been DESTROYS of making it's final
report, but has deferred doing so at
the request of the officers of the Cen
trial Union Telephone company, ac-
companied bv the assurance that the
company desired to meet the commit
tee with offers of adjustment of the
rebates demanded for bad service, as
we'll as substantial reduction of rates.
Your committee was finally favored
with a conference with President Jack
son, General Manager Carney and As
sistent State Superintendent Ryder.
Your committee was politely in
formed that the question of rebates
was a matter for adjustment between
the telephone company and the indi-
vidual subscriber. The good offices
of the committee in arranging a uni
form adjustment were evidently not
welcome to the company.
Rates offered.
As to the matter of rates the COM
pany offers for long distance instru-
ments for the three cities, a rate for
business houses of, for lockout, 500
ami SIS, and non-lockout. $50; resi-
dences, lockout, So, and $50; non
lockout, $50, according rs one, two or
four subscribers are put on Il line.
And. for patrons of the Rock Island
and Moline exchanges a rate is Of
fcred for business houses OF, lUckouts
SIS and S56; non-lockOut $50: and for
res dences. lockout, $50 and S2i; nom
lockout, S2l, according as one. two or
four subscribers are put on Il line,
with n tax of cents per message
for conversation with Davenport.
An option is is also offered of con
tract for ) cents per outgoing mes
sage provided the subscriber guar
anuces 50 per month for an independ-
cnt instrument or 81 per month on a
party line.
A further option will be offered of
retaining present instruments at pres
cnt rates, or with toll to Davenport
the late would be made $50 for bust
ness houses and $24 for residences.
Your committee desires merely to
present these rates to the subscribers
without comment, leaving each sub
scriber to form an UMPIRE JUDGED judy
ment whether his rate will be lowered
or not. 1t is, however, fair to add that
the telephone company promises TO
eNpend 800, coo in efrccting the nee
cessary changes which we are assured
will give us the very best facilities.
Case of Duluth Cited.
Your committee is in possession of
the contract issued by the Zenith City |
Telephone company of Duluth, |
which furnished free trunk line
connection with Superior and |
West Superior, com ined pop
ulatiOn in excess of the tri-city |
population and over longer trunk |
lines. furnishing long distance instru-
ments and metallic returns for SO |
the first year and $50 thereafter for
business telephones and $50 per year
for residences.
The cost Of installation there.
though lirst-class, is less than 800 |
per instrument, although the cOndi-
tons entail greater expense than
would be required here. Your com
mittee. without attempting any eN
tensive search, has also learned of
several cities where successful sub
scri bers' companies have been started.
Y our committee sees no alternative eX-
cept either TO submit to the Central
Union Telephone company or to or
ganize subscribers company. 9th
er outside companies would gladly
come into the field, but could not pos
siblv hold the subscribers all together
rs well rs subscribers company.
In order that the subscribers NAV
be as fully cnlighted as possible, your
com mittcc mas. in accordance with its
enlisted an expert to !,
make a survey of the three cities and
advise Us as to the capital required
and the merits of rival systems, and
we are advised that the original esti-
mate of the committee that a first
class exchange with long distance in
struments could ne installed for 800
per instrument is ample.
Your committee is of the opinion
that its negotiations have failed with 4
the Central Union Telephone COM
pany. that the powers conferred upon :
i are so limited that any further ac-
ion than the filing OF this report