Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-05-11
EUGENE WANTS BETTER
TELEPHONE SERVICE
Merchants Protective Association
Appoints a Committee to Con-
fer With the Company.

The citizens of Eugene appear to be
gerting hard deal as the result of
their loyalty to Pacific States Tele-
phone Company as the following
would indicate, which is news dis
patch to the Portland Journal from
Eugene. "Tbe Eugene Merchants
Protective Association has appointed
a committee to confer with j. II.
Thatcher, superintendent Of the north
west lines Of the Pacific States Tele-
phone Company and demand q better
telephone system for this city. Several
months ago an improved system was
installed, and it was expected that the
service would be better. but instead 1t
10 alleged that it has gradually grown
worse"
1t was only this last December that
these same business men signed re-
monstrance to the granting Of fran
ohise to an automatic telephone COM
pany and on their request the council
would not allow the new company to
put in their system OF telephones In
Eugene. To show their appreciation
Of having monopoly of the telephone
business Of Eugene the Pacific States
Company installed their much lauded
central energy system in that town,
but it has not proven the success that
was claimed for it as the vigorous de-
mand for better system would indi-
cate.
Should the Automatic company
again aply for franchise in Eugene
the business men of that place will
likely not be 80 snortsighted as before
and will allow the company to secure
q frachise. And all IL not serene and
contentment in Ashland and Mvdford
with the doings of the Pacific States
Telephone Company in those towns as
the following from the Medford Tri-
bune would indicate: "The Ashland
Tidings thinks the Pacific States
Telephone Co. has considerable nerve
in asking franchise in that city
drawn wholly in favor of the COM
pany, wh lie said company is discrimi-
mating against Ashland in rates for
house telephones. II the Tidings ex-
poets the Pacific States Telephone Co.
to be anything but hogglsh, they
don't know the policy of that corpora
ton"
And again: "The Pacific States
Telepone Company has kind of a
plant in this city and the subscribers
&C. a kind Of service, but it is of a
very poor kind. It's all the fault OF
the company, not of the operators. -
The automatic system is making q
tremendous growth in the United
States in the last two years. Indian.
apolis. city larger than Portland,
is entirely supplied by automatic tele-
phones and there is not Bell tele-
phone in the city. Over $4,000 auto
matte telephones have been installed
in Los Angeles during the past year
and soon the Bells will be out Of that
progressive city. A company has Sc
cured the franchises and has COM
menced the installation of an auto
matte system that is to embrace San
Francisco, Oakland. Berkeley and all
the other places about San Francisco
bay. The company announce that
they will spend $4,000. 900 on the work
and will put all their wires in the
business districts under ground.
A complete automatic telephone sys-
tenn is being installed in Portland and
its suburbs and franchises have been
secured In Salem and Albany for this
system. In Seattle over 5000 auto
matte telephones have been installed
in the last three months and this
system is soon to be introduced IN all
the other Sound cities. Work is to be
begun this Summer to put in a long
distance system &c extend from Seat
tie to Los Angles and take in the en-
tire Pacific Coast.