The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-12-19
COMPETITION In
TELEPHONE SERVICE
Results in Better Rates and Better Ser
vice to Users--New England Cuts
Rates Where There is
Competition.

Editor Times When we read that
every Alderman but one in Boston,
Mass, voted to give the Metropolitan
Telephone Co., franchise to organize
and put in an independent telephone line
to compete with the New England, what
is the matter Of saying something
about telephones at home. The New
England Telephone CO., have had, as /
understand, the privilege Of running as
many lines and In as many streets and
put IN as many instruments free as
they please, Whenever any other com
pany have asked for permission they
have been on hand at our council meet
ilgs to tell them what we should not
allow and what would be damage to
the city. They were non-residents and
some think had no business to Interfere
until their rights had been infringed up
on, but with charter from the state
and assistance from one Of the business
men two other telephone companies
have been able TO reach this place after
a struggle Of five years, but not with
out being blocked hindered and ANNOYED
By our city officials and others.
They were obliged to pay one dollar
for each instrument they put in, their
price to the subscriber il $12 or $13
against SIS and S25 for the present
company's rates. The only argument
we have ever heard against competition
is we do not want so many wires in
town, especially antagonistic against
the harmless competing Telephone Co.
We hail with delight competition in
railroads, we welcome two lines Of elec-
tricity that have strung our city in
every direction with their death giving
power attached to them, for the people
needed them. Men have been employed
for 15 years stringing this city with
its telephone wires and never any OBJ
lection. Doubtless more than $50
is paid for its services every year, most
Of ii going out of the state to one Of
the shrewdest monopoies Of the
country ! have heard them say to our
council, we come down in price when we
have competition to make us, and un-
derstand they made similar statements
before our legislative committee.
| do not understand why ollr Street
Commissioners are asking the Orange
County Telephone Co. to bury their
wires on a back street across the river
and why asking the Union Telephone
Go. to bury their wires ON one Of our
cross streets. Why the alderman in
Ward il out telling men to stop dig.
ging telephone pole holes on private
land. never knew him to notify. the
company that monopolizes this citv
from doing what they choose
Il Is possible that those that repre-
sent our interests are SO tender OF us.
The four receipts the competetnc com.
panies have brought for ST each for the
four Instruments they have put in
here should be held as valuable, being
conspicuous for both the right Of our
council to demand It and The principle
of IL understand our merchants are
looking this up and hope they will for
/ think they can i'll afford to LET the
people surrounding this city think they
do not want to be more in touch with
them and this Is year when monopo.
lies and discrimination do not 90 down
| in this country.
Personally, I have no interest in any
of these lines mentioned except that /
pay the New England Telephone Co.
at least Sf10 year II is lust what |
agreed to. and no fault with the SER
I vice, but I want to be able to get this as
low as they do in st. Johnsbury where
competition comes IN, and above all.
what man who is man, who sees
a fight, whose sympathy is not in favor
of the small dog. unless he has some in
terest in the bigger one
S. D. Allen.