The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-08-01
THE TELEPHONE QUESTION.

i
Every citizen should read the min
ates Of the meeting Of City Council
saesd Wednesday evening. The reasons
Ser the proposed safe of the Sumter
Telephone Company TO the Southern
Sell Telephone Company were clearly
ana canaidly stated by the official
Representatives of the local corpora
sson and the statements of Messrs-
Marion Noise and I. c. Strauss should
be carefully weighed before con-
,clusion is reached
Boiled dow. to hard facts, it is
evident that the Sumter Telephone
Company has reached a crisis in its
aEairs and Is practically forced to
sell or to face the steady depreciation
os its property, which has already
begun for want of capital to make
necessary repairs. Mr.. Noise and Mr.
strauss both assert that the income Of
tne company is not sufficient to meet
cunning expenses. make necessary re
eairs and add the extensions and i'm
orovements that the public has a right
&c expect and that the efficiency Of the
service demands. The local company
has not the required capital and the
stockholders decline to invest more
o,+.o,~,;-o +I,o+ hos ,c1,a,.
paid dividend and has no prospect
5of doing so at any time in the near
sueure, but which calls for the i'm
mediate investment Of approximately
$4,000 for repairs and extensions.
These being the conditions the stock
aesders of the Sumter Telephone Com
3oaDy are anxious to sell out to the Bell
people for a price that is much less
than the book value Of the plant, said
valse representing the original invest
ment and the amounts expended from
time to time in repairs and extensions
eut of the current income. These. are
the reasons of the local men for de-
string to sell.
The Southern BeN Company is will
Sng to buy at their own price, and. if
@ney eonsummate the trade they will
secure a bargain, for they will pay less
than the cost of the property they
will acquire. The only change in the
rates proposed is an increase in the
sgent OF residence phones from $50
ssao 50 per month, and this increase
viii not become effective until July 1,
1907. The country lines will not be
disturbed and will be operated in fu-
sure as at present. The local system
viii be connected with the long dis
1ance lines and subscribers can com
anunicate with any point reached by
the long distance lines without leaving
:Eheir residences or places Of business.
ignder the proposed ordinance the
City Council will be able to conpel
she Bel, company to furnish efficient
service and the rates to be charged
are fixed, which rates cannot exceed
she rates that obtain in other towns
Of the same size as Sumter, receiving
similar service.
The sale to the Bell company
would be oenfcial to Sumter to the
extent that it would give q greatly
Improved long distance service, which
would be appreciated by the business
men particularly. The local service
rpeould be equally as good as at pres
ent, If not better On the other hand,
the increased rate on residence
phones on July /, 1907, and further
saerease Of fifty cents per month on
81 phones to become effective when
there are 80 phones in service, can
be counted as Disadvantages that will
:eesuit from the sale. Still the officers
zos the Sumter Telephone Company
assert positively that if they are to
eseatinue in business an increase in
rates must be made.