The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-10-18
Kenosha Home Telephone Co.,
Named as Defendant in Action
to Collect a Forfeiture
DISCRIMINATION IS CHARGED
DR.. Il. r. Row ell Refused Service by the
Local Company, Seeks to Force
Company TO Furnish Service
That is Service at Once

DIR. E. r. Rowel1, the Main street
dentist has offered himself as a
sacrifice to the people of the city, who
are suffering from poor telephone
service, and with DIR. Rowel1 as the
complaining witness, District At
torney r. v. Baker has started a suit
in the name of the State of Wisconsin
phone company has been named as
defendant. The company is charged
with violation of the state law by
discriminating against person seek
ing telephone service. The suit is
to be started in Justice Sturges court
on next Thursday.
DR.. Rowell was formerly a patron
of the company, but for two months
the service for his office was so poor
that he made repeated complaints,
and finally when the collector called
he refused to pay the rental, on the
grounds that the service had been of
no value to him. He stated that he
was willing 10 pay for reasonable SER
vice. The following day after the
controversy, the company against the
protests Of Rowell removed the phone
from the Office and has since refused
to replace it. Rowell went to the Off
ces Of the company and rendered to
the manager the rental Of the phone
in advance, but the company has not
installed the phone and has shown no
willingness to take such step. The
suit is the outcome of the refusal of
the company.
Many people of the city have I'M
doubtedly suffered from insufficient
or improper service and for this rea-
son the law under which the suit is
brought is given in full as follows:
Section 1871 A.
1t shall be the duty of every tele-
phone company or person, firm or cor
poration engaged in the business Of
supplying the public with telephones
and telephone service or operating a
telephone exchange to receive and
TT ansmit without discrimination, mes
sages from and for any other COM
pany, person or persons upon tender
of payment of the usual or customary
charges therefor; and upon such pay
ment or tender of the usual or custom
airy rental sum it shall be the duty of
every telephone company, person,
firm or corporation engaged in the
business Of leasing telephones to the
public or supplying the public with
telephones and telephone service or
operating telephone exchange to
furnish without unreasonable delay
or without elimination and with
out any further or additional charges
to the person, firm or corporation ap-
plying for the same, including all
telegraph companies or other tele-
phone companies, telephone or tele-
phones with all the proper or neces-
sary fixtures, as we'll as connection
with the central office or telephone
exchange if desired and to connect
the telephone of such person, firm or
corporation with the telephone of any
other person, firm or corporation hav-
ing come ction with the same or a
connecting exchange or central Office
whenever requested to do SO without
regard to the character of the mes
sages to be transmitted, provided
they are not obscene or profane; and
| every person or corporation neglect
ing or refusing to comply with any of
the provisions of this section shall
forfeit not less than SIS nor more than
500 for each and every day such neg
lector refusal shall continue, one-half
of which sum shall go to the use of
the person or corporation prosecut-
ing therefore.