Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-25
DISCUSS PHONE RATES
sUBsCRIBER SAYS aslEALL Fry
ARE NOT BENEFITED.
Kxplanation BY ofncials Of the chesa-
peake ana Potomac Company
Getting Things Mixed.

The foregoing is the question that has
been agitating business men and subscribe
ers generally since the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company announced
reductions In its tariff Of rates. Some OF
the subscribers say that it costs just as
much In some instances to worry with the
hello girl under the new schedule as for
meriy. The telephone officials however,
claim that there has been most material
reduction and that subscribers. both BUSH
ness and residential. are bound to benefit
greatly thereby. But plants are nu-
merous. 1t is argued that where reductions
were needed they have not been made, and
vice versa The telephone company seems
to be running its business on large BUSH
ness principles, say some of the subscribe
ers. but the small fry. the limited call sub
scribers, are not materially benefited.
The telephone company is going on the
principle Of big hotel one subscriber
said today and we all know It Is cheaper
to feed LOCO people than 1t is to supply 2O9
with food. BY advertising the reductions
the company is helping its business with
the big people, but do not see where we
small uns come In"
In other words. the subscribers on the
four party lines say they are still at the
free lunch counter, SO to speak
On the whole, there seems to be mucn
misunderstanding of the tariffs. although
it cannot be gainsaid that reductions of a
material character have been made in some
quarters.
Views of Subscriber.
The Star received the following commune
cation from a subscriber today:
THE advertisement of the C. and P. Tee
phone Co. in your issue Of yesterday is very
interesting, but there are misstatements in
the first two rates. the only ones I am IA
miliar with. 1t is stated that the old rate
for 600 messages is $4S per year for bust
ness or residences and the new rate will be
$50. a reduction of SO, whereas the present
rate for GOO messages is SIG per year and
the new rate will be an increase of 49, l
now have unlimited residence rate of SIS
re:' year, and the new rate is to be $40 for
500 messages. Wherein is there any re-
ductfon in that?''
sion Manager D. s. Porter both agreed
that the writer Of the communication was
laboring under great error.
Ihe subscriber. Mr.. Ciarkson said. lis
getting the business rate mixed up with
the residence charge. The former charge
for an unlimited service on a direct line
In the home was $50 1t is now only $4s
The G00-message service is reduced from
S4S to $50. The subscriber in question is
on a two-party line. for which he pays $4S
His service will be changed to unlimited,
single-party line. so it can readily be seen
what ma terial benefit he derives"
Added Cost of Equipment.
Considering the ADDED cost of equip.
ment and construction" Mr.. Porter inter-
rupted. there can be no doubt about the
change in the rate
1t was then explained that the writer of
the communication is not limited to 500
messages under the $4S rate This lirnita-
ton only extends to business phones There
is no longer any such thing as an unlimited
business telephone, there was under the
old fiat-rate system. The phone people
say If the business man makes his money
We nv oft ha
ought to be willing to pay for what he gets
There are still some old fiat-rate telephones
in existence in this city, but when the con-
tracts expire they will not be renewed
How about the small fry-the sub
scribers on the four party linesf" the re-
porter asked.
1.-The rate in that instance remains the
same replied Mr.. Clarkson-S26"
Mr., Porter explained that the two-party
line service had been entirely eliminated
and that 1t was the confident belief of the
telephone company that the new reduction
would be of the most material benefit to
the business man, and an added induce
ment TO him to have good service.
Benefits to Business Men.
1.-The business man." Mr.. Porter said,
pays nothing for the innumerable mes
sages that so into his establishment, and
under the new schedule he is bound to
profit
It was pointed out that in some in
stances the rate had been actually cut in
half, as in the case of the extension sta
ton. Formerly the rate was s12 1t is
now only Sc. Now if business man has
a suite of offices he can have his phone
put in each room for Sc. where he used
to pay ST.. The reduction of one penny
from four to three cents on additional
local messages, as we'll as the reduction
of the cost of equipment of a private ex-
change of s42 from s1S6 to S144 the off,
cials point to as splendid achievement.
There is scarcely a rate" Mr.. Clarkson
said. sin the new tariff whereby the SUBJ
scriber has not been benefited. and as l
have pointed out. some of them have been
cut right in half.
Still, the Subscribers with whom the re-
porter conyersed are in the main kicking
strenuousy. The two-party resident sub
scribers say they can't say where the ban
auets come in for them, and some say they
would just as soon be two-party line
as not They claim they get no decided
benefit from a direct line, as the Interior
ence counts for very little
But it is the subscriber on the four-party
line who is not taking kindly to the new
order of things. The rate in that instance
is s36-just what it used to be, and there
have been no reductions.
Mr. Clarkson said there would be other
changes in the rates hereafter.