Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-07-11
Tuesday, July IL, 1905.

reVleWeu the nlsUOry OL the beuIOTu
Telephone company, relating how 1t
had been started with few phones as
a private experiment, and grown until
at one time the subscribers had con-
nections as far as Chattanooga, Tenn.
The first out of town line was built to
Sharon, the next to Tirzah, the next to
Glover and the next to McConnellsville.
and this was as far as the Bedford
Phone line ever went. 1t is all that
has ever been sold to the subscribers.
and where they get more 1t Is In ad-
dltion to what the Bedford company
contracted to give them. Somebody
has suggested that this recent CONSOLE
dation is a consummation of plans
that were in view when the Bell COM
pany constructed their line to the out
skirts Of Yorkville two years ago. Mr..
Moore insisted that at that time he was
hostile to the Bell: but that as mat
ter of fact the Bell did finally come
In on his invitation. He extended that
invitation for reasons of courtesy and
reasons of selfshness. He could be q
feeder to the Bell and that fact would
add to the value Of his own system.
They could not take anything but his
long distance business. He had made
an offer of his system to the Bell two
years ago, but they would not accept
1t, and he was unwilling to accept their
counter proposition. A trade was con-
summated afterward, however. and 1t
was exactly on the same terms that
were contemplated In the original pro-
position So far as the franchise was
concerned, he had operased lEug time
without 1t, and he did not know that
II was Of any special value anyway.
Coming to the sale Of his system, Mr..
Moore said that he had put 1t into the
Piedmont company as stock on basis
Of 30 cents on the dollar. That was
the best trade he could make and he
considered himself lucky to get that
as the system had about reached the
point where It would have to be rebuilt
and he did not care to incur the ex-
pense.
At this point Mr.. o'Leary remark
ed:
II may be wrongly informed; but ]
am told that when your line was brok-
en- down by the freeze here in the
spring. and you were trying to get the
people to take stock, you claimed that
your telephone system was bringing
you an income Of $4,000 a year. Is
that correct"
Mr.. Moore replied that he had never
said anything like that. He showed
the committee the books. as he had
promised to do; but he did not mention
anything about drawbacks or hard
| ships. He wanted to sell.
In conclusion Mr.. Moore said that he
believed he had made tie best deal for
the protection OF the community that
he knew Of.
Mr.. Jennings said that he had heard
that Mr.. Moore was paying the town OF
Lancaster an annual bounty Of 75 cents
phone for the exclusive right to oper-
ate an exchange In the town and want
ed to know whether or not the infor-
nation was correct. Mr.. Moore stated
that such was the case. 80
Mr. Darlington was next invited to
the floor: but excused himself. stating
that he would give place to Mr.. Maui
Din. who was director Of the Bell
Telepbone company, and who could
snaak antboritatiyely as to the COM
nanv.s plans. etc.
Mr.. Maupin was very glad to be here
and TO have an opportunity to be here.
and had intended to come about three
weeks later anyway. He was from
yireinia--to the manner born, and
could say that he had never yet met
body of representative South Caroli-
mans who did not stand for fair play
and ne presented his cause therefore
with confidence. Senator Brice had
said that nothing that q Bell man
would say could be relied upon and the
newspaper had sought to make the Inn
nression. Although he was q director
In the Bell company, and was not
asbamed of his connection with people
., whom he held better opinion. he
dos,rad that In Code name what he
should saw should be considered as
corning from Virginia gentleman He
vent ON TO explain the status of the
piedmont company, which, he said was
owned by the Bell and by citizens Of
North and South Carolina, the hoidingn
:, tha Rau beine about 6s per cent.
ua said that some of the stock would
he nut ON the market and offered to
tha neonle Of this community. He TOLD
NJ the excessive cost Of construction
nndar Ren specifications-4zO pounds
~ copper wire to the mile at 17s cents
a nound. ate. and explained that the
ohiect ~ .he Rell In buying up smaller
ond mora cheaply constructed sys-
,oos was to SECURE feeders for It's
,ono a,stonce service. He insisted that
,one distance service was impossible
over iron wires. II was not the pur.
nooo q, the piedmont company to give
go oory,ca n Gastonia, Shelby, etc,
hr, ., .. the nurpose to invite the far
=, .ha oountv surrounding to Join