Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-09-21


any subscriber, and this greatly facil-
itates the service. While we were at
Los Angeles we interviewed great
number of persons, from the smallest
corner grocery to bank presidents and
the heads Of the large department
stores Naturally our interviews were
mostly with persons who subscribed to
both the new and the old telephone
systems. Some few of these were in
favor Of two systems, and even they
said that if the service were good,
they favored only one, but the large
majority stated emphatically that the
dual telephone service was nuisance,
and they preferred the single system,
To illustrate; One subscriber out Of n
large number with whom we conversed,
prominent business man, said: Sun
der the old system we had a private
exchange and employed a girl to an
swer calls. When the new system
was installed we were compelled TO
put in another private exchange and
employ another girl, and the expense
was about doubled"
From our investigation at Los An
geles, we are satisfied that a large ma
iority of the persons who use both
telephones, opposed the dual telephone
system, but felt compelled to go TO
the expense Of having both. Most
subscribers to both systems, while ad-
mitting that excellent service was
given by both companies, complain of
the annoyance and emphatically de-
clared the dual system to be nuis-
ance. IL must be remembered also
that the dual system in Los Angeles
is just in its infancy and was viewed
by us in its most favorable aspect, for
II is highly probable that the incon-
venience now complained Of, from
the experience Of other cities, will
within the next few years increase
rather than diminish ms the systems
expand. Had we favored the dual sys
TEN, an inspection Of the practical
working Of the two systems at Los
Angeles would have changed our minds
and convinced us that two telephone
systems in the same city are not 20 the
best interest and convenience Of the
public.
In San Jose there is only one system
in operation, but several years ago q
competing system was established, and
II resulted in complete failure. Here
also we made canvass among business
men 10 learn their ideas on the matter
and did not find a single person who
favored IT, The general reply was that
IL was a nuisance. San Jose Is city
considerably larger than Fresno and II
IL was failure there IL would almost
inevitably be failure in Fresno.
In Sacramento there are now and
have been for several years two tele-
phone systems in operation. In that
city we also interviewed many bushes
men in regard TO the success Of the
dual system. Here we found like
unanimity Of sentiment that the dou-
BILE system was a nuisance and imposed
an unreasonable burden on the bust
ness community The system has been
in operation in Sacramento for several
J years and has had fair trial, and has
been found wanting The consensus
of opinion Of tho business community
was decidedly adverse to the double
syetem.
From all the evidence that we have
been able TO obtain and after per
sOnal inspection of the actual working
Of the double system, we see no reason
70 change the opinion that we eD
pressed when the matter was first be-
fore us. In fact we are more firmly
convinced than ever that the dual sys-
TEN is not only impraetieable and in
convenient, but useless, and imposes
unreasonable burdens on the business
community, and the public at large.
A competing telephone system for
local use is logical absurdity. There
can be no competition except in the
efficiency OF the service rendered. The
community at large fayOrs one or more
competing light, power, ice or Goa
companies, because they compete with
each other. II is immaterial TO "a
from "B" proeures his light, coal, Of
ice, but il is material and important
TO ga" II "B" has a telephone, thai
he can communicate with him, whiei
be could not do unless both were sub
seribers to the same or both companies
No one would favor competing gas
! electric, ice, water or coal companies
II very person that uses either Of
thea commodities were compelled "a