Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-13

cago will in the end be the largest gain
ers."
Primarily the object Of the promoters
Of this enterprise is to use the subways
as conduits for the cables and wires of the
new telephone company, which is to begin
business about July 4. Telephones in Chi
cago now cost $3.50 a year for business
phones, 5000 for drugstores, and from SIS
to 500 for private residences. The new
company proposes to put phones
into every business house and residence
in the city without extra charge. A meter
will be attached to each phone, and when
ever a call is made the meter will register
a toll of ) cents. When the total is $S5
a year for business concerns and $40 for
residences no further charge will be made.
II the call amounts to less than these
figures the user OF the phone will be
gamer. 1t is this prospective relief from
the exactions Of the monopoly that has
made the new company popular and rem
dered it hazardous for the city officials to
lake any steps to stop its subway building.
In explaining the new service President
Wheeler said:
1T would, Of course, be useless to eX-
pect any number of people to use our sys-
tenn unless we have a good sized exchange
W Sldll Will we sudll HOl walt 10 Bel
subscribers. The utility Of a telephone
service lies in the number of people to be
reached. The larger the number the more
valuable the service. 1t is with this
knowledge that we shall install free a
'phcne in every business building in Chi
cago and when this is done will at once
extend the service to residences. In this
way we shall begin in July next with at
least $1,000 phones in operation"
Use for the subway.
But the telephone service will in reality
be a small part of the new enterprise. Is.
subways are of such size that small cars
may be run through them and on these 1t
is proposed to transport the mails from
the general postCfice to the various rail-
way depats and substaticns, to deliver news
papers to the railway dcpo;s and to
dealers instead of sending them by wagons.
as is now done, and to carry package
freight from the downtown stores to the
outlying districts. No effort will be made
to do a passenger business. The tunnels
are not constructed to accommodate it and
If they were there would be violent opposi-
ton from the merchants, who insist that
their prosperity depends upon the people
being kept on the surface of the streets.
AAN ~ " tue surface IOdQWdNS
OF the mail, newspaper and package freight
traffic will materially lessen the conges-
tion that now affects the downtown section,
and this relief will be greatly enhanced by
using the subways for the passage Of the
heavily laden drays, which are now the
main source CT trouble, owing to frequent
breakdowns. BY payment of a 8 or 10-cent
loll these teams will be allowed to use
the ~subways, and thus get a clear right-of-
way that will greatly expedite the handling
OF heavy freights, or the subway company
will haul the freight itself. Men who
have studied the problem say that in the
present congested condition Of the streets
1t would be a good investment for the
wholesale interests Of Chicago il they
could have a subway system OF their own.
1t is a peculiar feature OF this work
that not a dollar has been asked from
the public. No stock or bonds have been
offered for sale and none will be. Every
dollar OF the cost is being met by the
original investors, who are c. d. Simpson
Continued on Eighth Page.)