The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-05-13

a statement from him on the matter
in dispute. DR.. Porter, accordingly
mailed the following letter Frida,
TO the editor of the Times:
Columbia. Tenn, Nav 5th, 1904.
ITO the Editor of the Memphis Times
Memphis. Tenn.
Dear Sir:
II have received Your communica
ton enclosing a clipping of an inter
view with Mr.. Leland Hume of Nash
vile. Assistant General Manager OF
the Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph
Co, by the Representative of the Com
merclal Appeal respecting the recent
decision rendered by Chancellor Ali
son at Nashville. ousting the Cumber-
land Telephone Il Telegraph Co, from
doing any business in the State of
Tennessee. In reply to the statement
made by Mr.. Hume, beg to state the
following facts:
Some eight or nine years ago,
several citizens of Columbia and Maury
County, composing a committee, went
to Nashville and tried to induce Mr.
Caldwell, the President of the Cumber-
land Telephone & Telegraph Go. to
give our people more favorable rates.
The rates at that time being ST. 90 per
month for business houses, and three
dollars per month for residences with
toll charges throughout the County.
Mr.. Caldwell treated this delegation of
our citizens with discouItesy, if not
to say contempt. and emphatically de-
cllned to reduce the rates of his Com
pany. Thereupon our citizens estab-
llshed co operative Telephone Co.. in
Maury County, the rates of which have
been and are 81. 90 per month for resi-
dences and 81. %. for business houses.
Our Company has succeeded finely
is out OF debt, it's charges pay all the
of operation and provide
sinking fund for repairs and extensions. |
When it was seen by the Cumber
land Telephone & Telegraph Company's |
Ulcers, that the Citizens Telephone |
Company in Columbia was likely to be
, success, the Cumberland Telephone &
Telegraph Company sent ont an en-
who made a house to house
canvas, not only with the citizens of
Columbia, but with the people through
'ut the County, and cut the rates to
fifty cents per month for residences,
lot only in the town. but to citizens
n the County, to whose houses they
would have to erect telephone lines to
upply the services. This emmissary
n many instances offered to put the
instrument in the house and did put
in houses without requir-
ng any pay whatever. At the same
ime, he avowed that it was the pur-
ose of the Cumberland Telephone &
telegraph Company to break down and
rush out its weaker rival in Column
ia, and that after they had done SO
he former rates would be restored
when the Cumberland Company
ad thus reduced its rates in Column
ia, andaAlaury County, other towns
! the State, notably Brownsville and
lurfreesboro, demanded that they be
iven the same rates which were being !,
iven in this county. They predicated |
1eir demand upon statute of the !
tate against discrimination in rates, !,
-hich declared the legal obligation of l
telephone Companies to give to all
,wns in the State Of similar size the .
ame rates. The Cumberland Com
any executed lease of its Maury
ounty plant to Leland Hume, it's
ssistant General Manager, and the
'lephone operations in Columbia were ?
)erated and conducted thereafter by
Gland Hume Lessee