The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-08-13
Always a Live Subject.

The Ottawa. Canada, Citizen prints
some information regarding telephone
rates at divers places, under differing
conditions, which will interest many
persons in this country who use the
little modern conveniences for g con-
sideration.
The Hamilton Spectator is first
Quoted as reporting that two compa-
MES. which it names-the Neil"
and the Rogers offered to
supply "a modern, up-to-oate tele-
phone service in Hamilton at $40 and
515, (the Rogers offer, or s18 and
$50, She Neill offer, for house and
Office 'phones respectively. What the
Citizen calls the Bell boomers
pooh poohed these figures, and OBJ
tained some favor for their views,
which seems to have put the paper on
is n,ettle. It remarks that the public
has been accustomed to receiving the
word of the men who are doing the
talking, . and did not know that the.
Bell Company is Itself doing business
in some localities at the very figures
in question, I. and then proceeds to e1-
hibit the facts as it has learned them.
From table Of statistics quoting
the rates Of the Bell Company, and Of
Independent companies doing business
at various points in the United States,
It is asserted. the Bell Company ap-
pears to be doing business at certain
competing points, at less than half the
rate formerly charged, !" and even be-
low the low rates offered by the Neil
Company to Hamilton. The following
examples are given:
Lynchburg Telephone Company, OF
ELynchburg, Va, population 25,oO0, J
established in 1894, has 643 phones;
the Bell has $50. Charges for business
and residence phones, respectively,
S2S and slS: Bell, Sl2 and s12. Prior
to competition Bell Company charged
Se4 and S44. Capital invested by inde-
pendent company, $40, coo; dividends
declared % per cent.
Mutual Telephone Company, Des
Moines. Iowa, population 50, Goo, es-
tablished in 1897, has 1855 phones;
Bell has /, 100. Charges s36 and SIS.
Bell Company accepts anything it
can get. - Prior TOT competition Bell
Company charged SO and $40. Capt.
tai invested by Independent company
ss3 974. No dividends, bnt 800
stockholders get service at cost.
.Johnstown Telephone Company,
JohnstoWn, Pa, population 5000,
established in 1895, has 943 phones
Bell has l47. Charges sM and s18;
Bell Company mostly free - Prior.
to the competition Bell Company
charged s66 and s4s. Capital invested
By independent company S93, 800.
s. Has paid large dividends for three
past years at present rebuilding sys-
tenn at cost of S142, 600, with a switch
board capacity of 8, 600 subscribers.
Rochester Telephone Company,
Rochester, n Y, population 100, 00Ol
established 1900, has 1904 phones;
Bell has 300. Charges s48 and $50 to
s2t. Bell Company s94 and s1S. Prior
to competition Bell charged S94 and
S4S.
Valley Telephone Company. ope-
rating in Saginaw, Bay, City and
Flint, Michigan, population Is, 600, J
established in 1888, has 1850 phones;
Bell mas A,ooo: Charges SO s25 and I'd
$50 and $40, SIS, SO and sl2; Bell
Company s24 and s12. Prior to COM
petition the Bell Company charged s42
and s4S and $50 and S3e. Capital in
vested by independent company $780,
COO. No dividends, but have con-
nected one subscriber per day for the
past eighteen months out of the net
profss. .
The Ottawa paper finds that the
figures so presented demonstrate that
the rate of $50 per year flor house
phones, and S45 for Office phones, /"
IN Ottawa, is excessive - Other
places, of course, can vary these rates
to suit local conditons.-News and
Courier.