The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-07-14
The People Of Belle
fOntdine Should
Stand By
The Local Telephone Com.
pany Against a For
eign Trust.

izing territory OF the United Telephone
Company brief statement OF iacts
that may be OF interest to all.
This company is composed almost
exclusively OF our own citizens and the
capital invested in the enterprise is
that OF some OF our most public spirit
ed and enterprising business men and
farmers, as we'll as many whose inter-
est in the welfare and prosperity Of
the community, as we'll as the hope OF
q fair compensation, has induced to
invest out OF their small and we'll
earned savings.
1t is the belief OF the management
that the company has been and will
continue to be an important factor in
the natural development and social
welfare OF the entire citizenship in all
OF its patronizing territory, and espe-
cially the prosperity OF Bellefontaine.
The company fully recognizes that in
an honest and conscientious effort to
increase its efficiency and usefulness
by the investment OF large amount
money in the very best exchange ap-
paratus that could be purchased and
the installation OF as good plant as
can be found in the United States it
has Unexpectedly subjected itself to
very severe censure and criticism,
some OF which is justified, much OF it
not so, by reason OF its inability to
give the service that it comedies the
public is entitled to and that will be
rendered as soon as the new plant is
fully installed and equipped.
1t is hard for the public to fully ap-
preciate the difficulties encountered in
the installation OF such a plant, re-
quiring as it does the best appliances
that human ingenuity and skill can
devise and.the application OF the best
Judgment and knowledge that can be
obtained in electrical science.
The completion OF the work has been
delayed by failure OF some OF the
parties, with whom contracts had been
placed for supplies, to furnish the
goods in the time specified but they
were protected by clause in contracts
relieving them from liability for fail
ure by reason OF strikes, accidents, etc. f,
beyond their control. Every business
man OF average intelligence knows
that it is impossible to make contracts
with manufacturers in any line with
out this kind OF condition attached.
The delays encountered have been by
reason OF strikes and come within the
conditionsi Of the contracts and there
was therefore no remedy.
Frequent assurances have been given
that contracts will be completed speed
lily and it is confidently expected that
few days more will see the entire sys-
tenn in good working order and the
service rendered will be all that can be
desired. The company is not sur
prised that the Bell Telephone Com
pany, the common enemy OF every in
dependent telephone movement in
this country, should, through the
agency OF its paid emissaries, make an
effort now to recover the patronage
and support that it formerly had in
Bellefontaine and which was lost by
reason OF its greed and selfishness
which have characterized its policy
everywhere and in its entire history
before the establishment OF the Inde-
pendent Telephone movement. The
original promoters OF the. latter in
Bellefontaine will remember the ma
licious and annoying threats made by
these people to bring suits against
them and their patrons for infring-
ments, and how every means reputable
or disreputable were resorted to to de-
ter and discourage them in their work
However, being men OF persistent
courage and pluck they persevered and
with the loyal support and encourage
ment OF fellow citizens they succeeded
in laying the foundations OF the inde
lpendent telephone business in Belle
fontaine and Logan county, and thu:
protecting our people from the monop
olistic greed that demanded 81 PEE
month for the use of a telephone in
strument. The policy OF the Bell com
pany indicated that they had pre-
tempted right to all creation and tha
the whole country was theirs by rea
son OF their monopoly of patents anC
capital, and it has required a vas
amount Of courage and persistent Ell
fort to defeat their claim. However
it has been done and We find the In
dependent people in the ascendency
in almost, il not quite every town ane
city in Ohio.
The tendency everywhere among th'
people is to give loyal support to loca
enterprise and capital and thus con
tribute to the welfare and prosperit,
OF the community. 1t is not believed
or feared that the people of Bellefon
tain and vicinity are lacking in this
sort OF spirit or that they will give any
: considerable support to a movemen
to weaken or in any wise cripple thu
{ usefulness and efficiency OF business
enterprise in which so many OF thei
Town number are interested. 1t is be
lieved that such labor ought ant
A will be left wholly to the paid agent
t OF that gigantic embodiment Of gree
t and avarice, The Bell Telephone CO
t OF course their paid agents are foun