Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-02-09

won the battle. For several years the
Wisconsin Telephone company, repre-
senting the parent 2ell company, con.
tinned separate office in this city
with separate lines, and to some extent
dida competitive local business, though
its principal business here was its
tlnng distance toll line work. This long
tdistance connection has always been
useful to our patrons, but it imposed q
good deal of annoyance and hardship,
81 IL required either two telephones in
q business office, or q trip and long
wait at the long distance office each
time it was used. The Wisconsin
Telephone Company claims that the
long distance WORK requires uniform
| ity of construction in instruments con-
nected with the line; we believe this
b. be true, and our contract with that
company, briefly provides that it shall
Eeetablish and maintain its toll station
in our exchange, make all proper con-
nections aud furnish all instruments
necessary thereto for the transmission
of long distance messages !; further,
said company furnishes us with as
many sets of telephone instruments
without cost, and such instruments
are installed in the telephones of such
of our subscribers as desire them. AS
a rental for these instruments, we pay
the Wisconsin Telephone Company
two dollars 200) per year for each
such instrument. We agree that we
will not connect their long distance
lines with any of our subscribers not
having their telephone, that is the in
strument which they furnish and for
which we pay two dollars per year.
We have the right, however, to COM
meet all of such instruments SO used by
our subscribers with all other instru-
ments in local use, and with any other
toll line with which we are connected
That is, the only limitation imposed
on US is that no telephone in our ex-
change shall be connected with the
Wisconsin Telephone Company's lines
except such as have their instruments
SO leased by us. We further agree in
the contract to attend to their long
distance work in this city, and we re-
ceive a commission of ten per cent on
all tolls collected by us on outgoing
business originating at and sent from
our system. The contract is made for
five years, with the privilege on our
part of cancelling it at any time on
thirty days notice.
The commission we receive under the
above contract is insufficient to pay for
the work done. For this reason we
make a charge OF three dollars $1,000
per year to each of our patrons having
this long distance connection. We have
deemed this just, and we believe it has
met the hearty approval of all of our
patrons. By this contract we practically
have reciprocal connections with the
Bell Telephone Company lines, besides
we are on friendly basis with that
company. Immediately after entering
into this contract. we purchased, at
reasonable price, their entire telephone
system in this city, including all their
pole lines, except the line which brings
their long distance wires to our Office.
Our contract does not require us to give
any preference to the Wisconsin Tele-
phone Company lines over other inde-
pendent connections. It is plain. fair
business arrangement. just to both par
ties. and doubtless benefits both parties.
Besides, it insures us permanent control
of our local business, and without COM
petition.
EXTENSION BELLS AND EXTENSION
TELEPHONES.
1t has always been pleasure to your
directors TO aid any patron, in every
reasonable way, to get the most from
his telephone service. We have in
stalled systems of extension bells and
extension phones in many offices for the
convenience of patrons, charging merely
the5bare cost of such installation, and
have made no extra charge to such
patrons for maintaining the service
when installed. We believe that this
is mistake. and that some additional
charge should be made for such main
tenance, and we wish to call attention
to it at this time, that all may under
stand The matter, and that there may
be full discussion at this meeting.
NIGHT SERVICE.
We have made no added charge for
night service, and except for the abuse
of such service would adhere to this
policy. We appreciate that it is difficult
to arrange any system of charges on a
basis that would be fair to the majority
of our patrons, hat there should be a
discussion OF this matter at our meet
ing.
THE FIRE OF FEBRUARY, 1902.
Thesuits brought by us against lnsur-
ance companies, TO enforce payment lof
the fire loss we sustained in our central
office. were brought TO trial in January
of this year, before Judge Webb, in
Grand Rapids. The damages proved
or said trial are Sl.lI0.50. The court
has not yet rendered decision in this
case, and it is, therefore, impropee for
us To comment on the matter in this re-
port, further than 10 state the facts.
In conclusion we are pleased to say
that the outlook for the coming year Is
bright. We expect to be able TO COM
plete our outside extension work with
out incurring Indebtedness. We be-
lieve our plant and property today is
reasonably worth not less than S25 900,
and we believe that with the increased
facilities afforded by our new construc-
tion work our next report will show
greater growth than any in our history.
In this connection we call attention TO
the fact that. while there has been no
change in our telephone rates, our
monthly earnings have increased from
S9IS.67. as shown from our last report,
to 81. .05l 81. as stated in this report
In closing We once more thank our
patrons for the good will they have
shown u.s. The proper maintaining OF
good telephone service Is at best q
difficult undertaking, and there are
times when patrons suffer annoyance,
This cannot be wholly avoided. II has
been our effort to reduce this annoyance
to the minimum, and we very much APP
preciate the uniform courtesy and
patience of our patrons, and the keartF
support they have given us.
Respectfully submitted
y. HEINEMANN,
E B. THAYER.
/ JAS. MONTGOMERY
/ ". ". ALBERS.
@. ID. JONES.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
| The following statement shows the receipts
and Disbursements OF our company since ouF
/ last report and cur present financial condiflon