Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1903-07-03
A Few FaCtS Presented for
The Consideration Of Pat
rOnS Of The Union Go.
THE BEST SERVICE AT
A LEGITIMATE PRICE.
This is the Company That
Gave Cratiot County a
Telephone for the
People.
To the Patrons of the Union Telephone

To the Patrons of the Union Telephone
Co., Alma, Michigan:
At the request of the many stock
holders Of the Union Telephone com.
pany in the village of Alma. we have
consented to make statement OF fact
regarding the telephone situation in this
and our neighboring villages. We have
felt that if the public reflected or under.
stood the situation that no fear need be
entertained that the present status of
the telephone service would be disturbed.
In any event we feel it duty to present
the matter as we view it, and trust that
we may say something that will be Of
value.
Previous to 1899 we had experience
with two telephone companies in Gratiot
county THE BELL, so called, and the
'Gratiot County Telephone company. p"
The BELL" early occupied the field.
The other originated as protest against
its methods after the expiration Of the
early BELL patents. The rates of the
"Bell' have always been, so far as the
use by our common people is concerned
prohibitive. The lowest rate ever given
before the organization Of the Union
Telephone company was S36 90 per year
for business phone. This price kept
it out of our homes and places Of bust.
ness. For fifteen years in Alma we
of no FOL
the BELL" company holding the patents
denied its service TO our common people.
Since the expiration of the early
BELL" patents we have been rescued
from the BELL" by the independent
action of two companies. 1st. In the
organization Of the Gratiot County Tel.
ephone company. This company gave
fiat rate between Alma, Ithaca and St
Louis. After a varied and short life il
ceased to do business. It's service was
never good and it continued to grow
worse from the first. 1t attempted TO
give more for the money than it could
afford and il died. The investment was
big loss 20 its stockholders.
End. The organization Of the Union
Telephone company. This company
was the first real competitor of the
BELL" system. 1t was organized by
Alma citizens. Its first secretary was
Charles 4. Brown; its first and present
treasurer, q. 8. Ward. By the courage
OF our people with their money, and the
energy, determination and ability Of its
officers and directors it has fought its
way into the telephone field. 1t stands
today to the people Of this village and
county as the only living organization
against the old BELL monopoly. 1t
has received the support Of the people
because lst. The people were eager to
get away from the methods and prices
Of the "Bell' company; End. Ii re-
duced by TO exceed one.half the Bell
rates; 3rd. IL has given a most excel
lent and satisfactory service; 4th, 1t
has built up home enterprise with
home money and home people, $75 200. 90
Of the money OF the people OF this county
is invested in it; 9th. It has been re-
sponsive to the needs Of the business
world. The Union Telephone company
now occupies commanding position in
six OF the central counties OF this state
1t appreciates the favors OF the public
which has in part made it. Ii wishes TO
remain responsive to its demands.
What has it done for the public? 1t
has given TO il the telephone. The
BELL" made the telephone luxury to
the rich; the Union Telephone company
has made ii a necessity to the poor. The
BELL" company furnished us telephones
for $50 90 per year ana put them into
only twenty Of our homes and business
places; the Union Telephone company
furnished telephones for $1,000, $1,000
and $500 and put them into 100 of our
best homes and places OF business. IL
has given eight times the phones for
less than half the money. The Union
Telephone company has placed 1900
phones in villages within 20 miles Of
Alma, and enables our people to talk
with them from their homes and places
Of business; the BELL" does not today
reach 100 within the same territory.
The Union company furnishes today
toll service all over Michigan at rates
less than one. half the lowest the "Bell'
company has ever charged. 1t gives a
superior service. It has been responsive
to your complaints. This happy oondi.
ton Of things is the result of co opera.
ton by the people and the company.
It's success has been deserved tribute
to both, and both have received the ben.
efits of it,
This joint victory Of the public and
the company has been attained by the
BELL" fighting it at every turn. The
"Bell" company has whenever possible
adopted its old methods in our very
midst It's policy has ever been to crush
its competitors. IL has directed litiga-
ton over telephone Improvements and
inventions with the object of intimidat.
ing capital from investing in the enter
prise. 1t has adopted every instrument
known TO commercial war 20 extermi.
nate and kill its rivals. Free phones,
free service, reduced rates, free stock in
its company, free everything, whereby
its weapon could wound an adversary.
When tired Of fighting, when capital
refused longer 10 invest in the fight, IL
has bought up the properties of the rival
and recouped its loss by renewed impo.
sition upon the public. But a short
time ago IL made the effort to purchase
every prominent telephone company in
the state Of Michigan, aud in fact did