Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-23
DISCUSSING TELEPHONES.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Two
lines in CITY.

+ Just now several newspapers OF the
state are discussing the telephone ques-
ition and the advantages and disadvan-
tages of competing lines in the same
cities. Down at Davenport they are
talking up new company to compete
with the Bell company. The plan is
supported by the Times. but opposed by
the Democrat, and as Marshalltown is
brought into the discussion the views
will be of interest The Democrat pub
fishes the following Interview and COM
ment:
~ see that the council is consider
ing the proposition to grant franchise
for another telephone company in this
city. said Charles S. Vincent, the we'll
known commercial traveller of this city,
today. I hope the council will do moth
ing Of the kind. have not dollar Of
interest in the telephone company we
have here now, and don't expect to
have any in the new exchange, If one is
started. I am talking merely from my
experience with two telephone ex-
changes. / get up against that thing
very often. 1t is an inexpressible nuis-
ance. At Cedar Rapids, at Dubuque, at
Marshailtown, at Clinton. at Burlington,
you have chance to see what two tel
ephones do to make life burden. No
man who has ever seen how the thing
works will ever want to inflict 1t on his
fellow townsmen. I am very sure of
that. There are no advantages accruing
from the competition. People who can
afford only one telephone are cut off
from the other exchange, and they are
dissatisfied. People VINO have to take
two telephones have four times as much
trouble with the phone as tho they had
one, and considerable increase of ex-
pense, and really no more service. and
certainly no better service. As a wholly
disinterested citizen am free to say
that two telephone exchanges in this
city will add to the cost and the annoy
ance Of doing business, and bring no adj
vantages that will compensate for the
trouble they will make. One telephone
is bad enough. but two are infinitely
worse. How much trouble two tele-
phones can be to q man can not be un-
derstood till he comes to use them both,
side by eide
''In each OF the cities that Mr.. Vincent
has named the people would be glad to
get rid OF one of the exchanges. They
are not particular which one they have
so they have only one, and it is good
one. All other things equal the chances
OF good service are vastly greater with
the Bell company who now maintains
the exchange here, than they are with
any new company that is proposing to
compete with it,
Commenting on the Davenport situa-
ton the Dubuque Telegraph. published
in u city having competing lines says:
1.-THE Davenport Times gives the Iowa
Telephone Company in that city a
scorching roast in its Sunday issue on
what 1t terms "a rotten service Every
body from the manager to the operator
gets a lacing UP. How different it is
here in Dubuque, where we have two
lines where the service is simply excel
lent. The wires are always in working
order. and the very best Of instruments
are in use. and no complaints are ever
heard and then, too, our rates are low.
which has placed telephones In almost
every well regulated private home in
the city where one is needed. Brace up,
you fellows down the river, and take
pattern after your go ahead neighbor,
Dubuque"
The situation in Dubuque IS much the
same as 1t is in Marshalltown. and a
majority Of the people prefer to keep
the two lines, with their conveniences,
rather than go back to the old condi-
lions. where one company had monop-
oily and charged high rates. The old
rates have been cut in two and the re-
suit is that each company has more pat
rons than the old company had when
there was no competition. Nearly ev-
cry home where telephone is needed is
equipped with an instrument, SO low
are the rates, and there is constant en-
deavor on the part OF both companies
to improve their service and give the
best possible.
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