The Topeka state journal., 1902-02-20
RAFE war
Evident That One Is Coming in
Topeka.
Bell Company Makes Five Cent
a Day Rate.
MIR. FRENCH EXPLAINS.
Says 1t Is Only Regular Busi-
ness Canvass.
No Change in Telephone Charge
For Business Houses.

A telephone rate war is imminent in
Topeka. George c. French, the Kansas
City representative of the Kansas and
Missouri Telephone company, is in To-
peka to begin the work of increasing
the patronage of his company, and to
do this he is offering a rate of cents
per day, or SIS per year for phones IN
the residence portion of the city, where
the patrons will agree to go on a party
line containing eight phones.
The Independent Telephone company,
of which B. F. Pankey is the head, and
which has been in operation in Topeka
but 110 days, and which has at the
present time orders for over 500 phones
in the city of Topeka, will make rate
to it's patrons in the residence portion
of the city that will come as surprise
to the patrons of the company, but
what it will be is not yet known.
Il have always been of the opinion
that the rate for telephones in the resi-
dence portion of the city has been too
high" said Mr.. Pankey to a reporter
for the State Journal today. Il have
never made public announcement of the
rate that was to be charged for resi-
dence phones, but I will say that if
people want to go on lines where there
are seven other phones besides their
own, can give it to them for less than
what they have to pay now.
I'VE are only making our regular an
nual canvass for new business" ex-
planned Mr.. French of the Bell tele-
State Journal today. I'VE have about
forty exchanges in the control of our
company, and periodically we make an
effort to increase our business at each
exchange We might have come to To-
peka a few months sooner or a few
months later, but the effort would have
been made nevertheless
I'VE have been putting in telephones
in Kansas City where the patrons
dropped nickel in the slot each time
they used the phone, but we are MAX
ing a better proposition than that to
the people of Topeka said Mr..
French. I'VE are putting in a phone
that will cost the patron but cents
per day. 1t is a we'll known fact that
the telephone is now becoming to be
considered as one of the requirements
of every residence. Its advantage in
case of fire to call the fire department,
and in ordering groceries and provisions,
and in social uses, are too well known
to need repeating.
but 1 don't wish it understood that
we are beginning a rate war fight. We
are continually working up our trade at
each of the exchanges. Topeka is but
one section of a large number of local
itieS that go to make up our territory,
and it is necessary to keep active at all
places to increase our business. My
coming here at this time should not be
considered as significant of a rate war.
The Independent company now has in
operation 220 phones in the city and
workmen are putting in as fast as pos
sible the remainder of the 500 phones
that have already been ordered.
The fact that Mr.. Pankey of the In
dependent company considers the rate
for phones in residences here is held at
too high a figure. coupled with the fact
that the Bell people are making re-
duction, is evidence that the Independ-
ent company will not be behind in MAX
ing cuts and slashes in the present