Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-05-07
Telephone rleetlng.

In response 10 the call isrueu III 1ho
"Enterprise" for meeting of holders
OF telephones, who were dissatisfied
with the service they were now re-
ceiviug, a number OF gentlemen as
sembled In the clerks Office at Acco-
mac @. H., and organized by electing
Mr.. A. j. Lilliston, president. The
grievances against the company were
many but most of them could be
traced to poor equipment and In
efficient operators with one or two
exceptions.
Without further discussion or effort
to map out any particular plan OF
action, Mr.. Wainwright represent
ing the Diamond State (the company
now operating here)-bein1 In town
and wishing to be heard, was invited
to appear before the meeting. As
great many promises had been made
by the company for better service
aud no Improvement having been
noted, Mr.. Wainwright was asked,
what we could expect and when.
In brief, Mr.. Wainwright stated, the
ca use OF delay in giving the service
he had promised was due to the To-
ability OF the company to get poles,
b ut they had now secured them and
would in all probability be down as
far as Only by the fall with the long
distance system and Id complete
the local system as soon thereafter to
the above point as possible-proba
bly, In a year; could give no assurance
whatever when, If ever, they would
carry the local system below Keller;
that the cost of phones would probi-
bly, be $500 a year with an extra
charge for Northampton, il they went
10 that territory and possibly for the
extreme part Of Accomac, like
charge; that the long distance work
was what the Diamond State was de-
sirous OF and that the local work was
OF not much profit to the company;
II they did not 90 through Northamp-
ton with their local service they
would at any rate operate their long
distance wires In that territory.
Mr.. Wainwright then retired and
DR.. Waters representing the Acco.
mac and Northampton company, a
company recently chartered by the
legislature, appeared before the meet
ing. DR.. Waters stated his system
WAS not surpassed by any In the
country, in fact, they had patents
that could not be had by the Dia-
mond State, among them being the
lockout plan by which person can
converse with another without being
heard by anyone else; that the cost
OF the phones would be at the uni.
versal price of $12 so except the lock-
out phone which would be $500
with no extra charge anywhere In
the two counties; that they only
wanted the local work as they reali-
zed that was what was wanted by the
people; that the company he was rep
resenting had been operating 10 Wor-
cester aud Somerset counties, Md. for
the past four years, side by side in
many instances with the Bell Com
pany and were not considered inferior
in any respect; that they had paid to
the stockholders a dividend OF IL per
cent and put by per cent. for main.
tenance; that In order to show his
confidence In the enterprise he would
take / OF the capital stock; that
with his company we would be KEEP =
ing our money at home and the con-
tract would be with our own people.
Both companies greed to keep the
centrals open nights and Sundays.
From the foregoing statements 1t
was READILY concluded, that the
Diamond State when completed
would charge probably twice the
price OF the opposition company with
no assurance of connections 10 North
ampton; that our people was chiefly
interested 10 local phones and that
the Diamond State was mainly after
long distance work; that the system
OF DR.. Waters was not an experiment
but an assured success in the coun.
ties In which they were operating;
that the partial failure OF the local
companies recently operated among
US should not prejudice US against
another enterprise that had been
successful in like territory; that the
lock out plan, whereby conversation
could be strictly private, was very
desira BILE; that as the Diamond State
cared little or nothing for local bust
ness the prices would be almost pro
hihitive for that service; that we in-
vite the cooperation OF all who feel
interested In the matter and In order
to get at the wish OF the people they
are requested to fill out the blank
hereto attached and mail to Mr.. W.
P. Bell, Aecomac, Va.
L, .....'....''.'''. ..''''.''''
postofflce at. ..... Observation-Disclosures.
approve OF the proposition OF DR..
Waters as stated above and will be-