Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-22
HELLO CALLS CHEAPER
REDUCTION IN NEW YORK TELE-
PHONE RATES.
Company Bows to Public Demand and
Gives Much Needed Relief
Driven to Position.

Telephone rates in New York are to
be reduced from what is now said to
be an exorbitant schedule of rates For
some time citizens of Manhattan have,
raved against the high charge for tele-
phone service, and as result of the pub
lie outcry against what has been term
ed literally extortion, an affection from
the same cause with which Washington
ians are now suffering. the Official an
nouncement of reduction effective
May 1 was announced last night by
Union n Bethel, first vice president and
general manager of the New York Teie-
phone Company. All direct line business
subscribers of the company win be
charged the new schedule OF rates. re-
CARELESS of the rates nan.sd in the con-.
tract now existing be- reen the sub
scribers and the company. 5s1As-
This action was determined upon yes
terday at meeting of the board OF
directors of the company. who. smarting
under the persistent demands made by.
the public, have not only reduced the
schedule of rates on limited calls. but
have revised other schedules to go into
effect three months hence.
This latter revision refers to the
schedule of toll rates between the sew
eral telephone districts in New york
city. The change in these rates, as oe-
termined upon yesterday. will take eff.
feet 'at the first of the month following
the next issue of the telephone direc-
tory" The directory is issued quarterly.
the one now in use being dated Janu-
airy L.
Victory is Won.
This is a victory won after a battle be-
gan ten weeks ago and carried on in the
face of the power of the New York
Telephone Company, that welded Its
power so that it apparently had SYM
pathizers in legislative halls and moral
support in some business quarters. -.s
When legislative assistance through an
investigation of the New York Telephone
Company'S financial affairs and its methods
was demanded every influence that could
be exerted by the company was brought to
BEAR both on the legislature and certain
merchants to prevent 1t. but the POSSIBLE
ity of such an investigation Is not yet De-
yond hope.
In the meanwhile the telephone company
has been driven from the position it has
maintained for a score of years-that OF
monopoliStic dictator, which would not
feel the force of public sentiment. and give
those dependent upon it fair and equitable
treatment.
That it's position has been untenable is
easily seen when now on the verge of a
hearing on Senator Keenans bill to COM
pei the company to reduce its schedule Of
rates throughout every borough. it is forced
to officially acknowledge that it has been
overcharging it's customers for the service
it has rendered.
To Commence May /.
Mr.. Bethel Announces that on May 1 the
rates for direct line business will be re-
duced on the basis of twenty per cent to
small subscribers and about ten per cent
to larger subscribers. In other words, q
customer who now pays SIS for six hundred
messages will obtain the same service for
$50, a saving Of SIS. The subscriber who
pays SOS now for four thousand five hum
dred calls will pay $204, reduction OF s24.
or about ten per cent.
The reductions are supposedly made on
the basis that the New York Telephone
Company is willing % reduce its net earn
ings so that the latter will be ten per cent
on the capital actually invested, instead of
the fourteen per cent 1t earned last year.