Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-01-28
EMPORIUM PA. THURSDAY, JANUARY %, 1904.

system. Everything they had i'll the
way of toll connections was at my
command. Under such circumstances
could not afford to be independents
indeed, this word is wrested from its
true sense when hawked about by tele
phone statesmen, and other men with
axes to grind. True independence
impels n man to seek out and secure
the best results. My trade relations
with the Bell people have continued
with increasing mutual benefit. There
are several hundred local lines and ex
changes in northern Pennsylvania
and southern New York that are using
Bell telephones exclusively for like
reasons. | know of many originally
independently lines and exchanges
that have discarded their socalled OPP.
position telephones, in order to con-
form to certain essential requirements
that enabled themto getbetter and more
profitable service All of which indi-
Gates natural drift that has set in
throughout the country at large.
Where rural lines use Bell telephones
the long distant company gives them
direct connection into their nearest
exchange, and thereby the rural line
subscriber or patron can talk directly
with all subscribers of the village or
city where the switching is done.
Not only this, but they can also use the
long distare toll lines and parties at
distance can talk directly to them
The Bell people also construct lines
for the accommodation of out of-town
subscribers were the local situation
warrants the undertaking.
AS to the building of rural lines,
whether the work be done by individ-
uals or on company plan, exper-
ience has taught me that it is sheer
folly and self-deception for any one to
attempt by any sufterfuge or devise to
get something for nothing. The one
attempting to do that, no matter how
alluring the bait, invariably gets moth
ing for something. Pay as you go or
don't go. Rent a telephone if you can
and pay fair price for the service. If
circumstances compel you to go into
the telephone business because you
cannot otherwise secure long dis
tance telephone, then go at it in
practical business way. Dividends are
better than assessments. Unification
and consolidation is the economic
order of the day. IL costs more to
keep up an "independent' telephone
line equipped with variety of an
tagonistic instruments, than it does to
properly equip and maintain one that
uses standard Bell telephones and con-
meets with the established system of
national highways of conversation.
The all-aioneness in the telephone
world of an independently telephone
line or system, suggests to my mind
the picture Of a bridge standing on
a m 70 Ga do ~ ,.ix
with no approaches on either end. In
the rural telephone business, the same
rule applies that compeIs the owners
of Il short line of railroad to cultivate
the purely local trade, and make the
best possible traffic arrangements with
the trunk line. Each helps the other.
They are interdependent.
And what the uniform gauge is to
the railroads of the United States, the
standard Bell system is TO its telephone
service.
Here in Emporium you have a we'll
conducted exchange, under local own
ership, which connects with the Bell
sr item. 1t deserves the patronage of
cry one interested in the prosperity
OF the village and the development of
Cameron county. The telephones dis.
tributed throughout the village furn-
ishes the best fire-alarm and emergency
call system ever devised, and that with
out cost to the taxpayers. No busi'
ness man can afford to get
along without telephone-to
say nothing about the looks of it..
1t is great help in the home. Those
who try a telephone never again con-
sent to do without it. Each telephone
added makes the local system more
valuable to the other patrons. And
now that the work of building rural
lines, connecting the various sections
Of the county up with this the county
seat, is to be undertaken let me urge
those interested to keep in touch with
Mr.. Metzger, your local manager, for
his experience and good Judgment
will save expense and insure the best
results.