The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1900-11-23

DohW0h ktNNlhH TeauN TOT Dig
hght and thirty miles OF street are
torn up for the conflict. which little
army OF a thousand men is bringing
on as rapidly as possible. In all
probability no blood will be shed, but
a heap Of gold Is at stake
Aftsr the struggle is over We shall
know more than we do now about the
VcIed question AZ TO whether It profit
eth people TO run their own telo-
phones. Incidentally the contest will
put lsrEs sum OF money into Ameri-
can pockets. for II brought to an Am
erlcan company the largest telephone
contract ever given In Europe
The Eranscst feature Of the fight Is
that Il will he struggle for trade
between tie British government and
Boms q It's own most respected olu-
Esas VITO form the National Telephone
COMPANY Some Of the company's d.
reotoru and some OF the
s,ockholtsrs are peers OF the
realm hut the government ia
Eoilg TO crowd them out OF business II
n can, And parliament has granted
$4,000. 900 with which to begin this
queer competition.
The National Telephone Company Is
the biggest thing Of It's kind In Eng
land. II y practically monopoly,
rich and powerful. II has given a
phenomsnAlly bad telephone service
10 London. Consequently fewer tele-
phones per capita are In use in thu
worlds metropolis today than In any
American city Of 10000 inhabitants.
Complaints were Intellectual until sud
dcniy = bill popped no In parliament
authorizing the postollce department
To establish = rival service The telc-
phone people In the house OF commons
were boulod over. and now. before
London folk fairly realize II, the post
odics Is laying liz wires In mile after
mile OF streets, and the existing mon
opoly Is preparing to battle for itS
life.
The contract for the enormous guam
aty OF electrical apparatus required by
the government was awarded to the
Western Electric company OF Chlca
70. Yor tho central exchange alone
$4,000 telephones will be required
while mary more instruments are be
ing made for the suburban dlStricts
No single factory could hope TO have
all tho work done on time, and so th'
apparatus II being made In tho shop
OF the Western Electric company IL
three cltlea simultaneously, tho key
boards AMI their attachments In Chi
eago, the cables In North woolwidl
and the Telephones in Antwerp.
Al the postofiico they estimate tina
the whole district Of $40 square mile
cannot he completed for Ave years. bu
some OF the new telephones will prob
ably bo in use In about two years. Tn
man In charge OF the whole vast op
GRAFTON il John Gayey, assistant chile
engineer OF the postoiilct. and unde
him the work IL being handled b!
three separate forces-.he contractor
will lay the duets. which are all oil
the American pattern; the Western
Electric company will equip the cen
ter from cellar 10 gbrrot ana lay tn
wires to the vrounI. Tnd the postofiic
force will take up the work there an
lay the wires and cables.
Tho postofiloe will give mucl
cheaper service than the Natlons
Telephone company has given. Tn
present price for unlimited use OF
telephone Is III (about ts5) n yeaI
while tho postoflce telephones are er
pected to rent for less than $50. Tn
toll system will be in use In many O
tho shops modelled on the Swiss plar
By this the tradesman will pay 81