The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-04
ESCORT
Novel Scheme of New Topeka
Messenger Service.
Would Make the Young Woman
Independent.
AFTER A FRANCHISE.
Mr.. Whitney Tells About De-
tails of His Plan.
He Says That the Rates WilIBe
Low.
IFTER A FRANCHISE.

E. l. Whitney. the night chief op-
orator for the Rock Island railway in
Topeka, who asked the city council
Monday night for a. franchise to put
in a system of free call boxes through
out the city, has some new ideas on the
subject which will be of interest.
In addition to supplying MESSENGER
boys, the Topeka District Telegraph
company will make it its business to
supply escorts for ladies, chaperones
nurse maids to relieve tired mothers.
doctors on short notice, professional
nurses while you wait, and pretty
nearly everything that anybody can
want. if it is to be had in town.
1t frequently happens" said Mr..
Whitney today, that ladies want to
attend parties, concerts and similar
events and have no one to escort them.
We will be prepared to supply what
they need. One of our uniformed en-
ployes will see to it that they arrive
safely at their destination and are
safely taken home. Topeka doesn't
know anything about the conveniences
of such a messenger service as we pro-
pose to establish here Why, out in
San Francisco, where they have a sim
liar system, it is an actual fact that
the women call a messenger boy to
tie their shoes, or wheel the baby out
side a store while they are inside do
ing shopping, and for almost every
thing else you can think Of"
Mr.. Whitney does not say who has
secured the position of official escorter
for the concern. There is likely to be
a good list of applicants.
Mr.. Whitney calls his proposed new
| concern the 20. K. System from the
fact that on the dial of each. box is a
space which registers the letters o. K.
just as soon as the central office re-
ceives the order. Mr. Whitney pro-
poses to put in the call boxes free of
/ all expense, and his company will
/ make its money out of supplying mes
sengers and from commissions from
hackmen and express wagons, who get
the company's business.
/ There is at present no exclusive mes
senger service concern in Topeka. The
/ Western Union Telegraph company
bought out the old, A. D. T and sup
plies whatever messengers are sup
piled but the service is rather desul-
! tory Mr.. Whitney thinks there is a
field here for new concern, ana ne
says: .ssts
/ my idea is to. make 'promptness'
the great drawing card of this service.
We will prepare ourselves to answer
/ calls instantly, so that when a person
turns in a call.zhe VIII know that he Is
going to get the most Immediate attefi-
/ ton. Our. messengers VIII be boys that
we can trust. They will be uniformed,
and will be drilled like soldiers 1ney
will always be clean and neal Iney
will be, required tQgfWear clean collatIS
/ all the time and we will furnish the
collars We won't have much use for
the knee pant boys; our messengers
I will be older. We expect 10 start Win VIZ,
ten messengers, but will increase the
number as rapidly as required. we
| will make it q feature to do work IN
teIligently and under. strictest conf
denee.
Nj. Whitney's company is composed
of six Rock Island men, all residents Oh
Topelxa. Their company will be incor-
porated as soon as the city council
grants a franchise Mr.. Whitney viii
! then resign his position with the Rock
! island and will become superintendent
of the concern
The call box which the new COM
panv proposes to. use is on the same
plan as the present Western Union
call boxes. but considerably more elab-
4 crate. There is a call for police, fire
messenger and carriage, and one spec
| ial cali which can be used for any any
thing desired. Mr.. Whitney says tha'
in some places it is fixed so that pa1-
ron can ring for d load of coal II
Topeka it would be a very popular