The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-15
BIC PROMISES
ARE MADE BY
THE HOME co.

There will be a number OF never-before-
heard-of things in the telephone service
the Home Telephone company plans to
give the people OF this city and state
said Judge Thomas z. Lee OF Barney q
Lee counsel for the company. this morn
ing
They include a system by which the
watchman at factory. bank or other es-
tablishment. In addition TO having a
watchman's clock. IL such is considered
desirable. may press "A button signalling
the central telephone office, and the sig
nal is turned I'm TO the company even IL
the phone Is in use at the time
In case OF failure OF the watchman 10
press the button. at the end Of FIVE min
utes he is called by central and IL there
is no response, or the response Is unsat-
isfactory, the proprietor OF the place, or
the police. as may be considered best. are
communicated with by phone.
"A number Of rings is abolished by using
the harmonious system. which does not
disturb any person on a party line save
the person for whom the call Is intended.
the others being ignorant OF the fact that
such person Is wanted.
classified directories containing lists
OF physicians. lawyers. real estate men.
butchers, grocers. market men, etc, Will
be used.
Bureau of information with time ta-
bles for railroads and steamboats, and
such other like information as may bo
needed for ready reference will also be n
feature.
Direct signals from any central Office
to the police or fire stations will be pos
sible, as well as little bedside telephones
which may be kept at ones pillow. and
an unlimited number OF extensions for
use on the premises without extra charge
for service because OF the presence OF
other extensions. These are regarded as
by-products of the up-to-date telephone
business.
when the company's system Is i'm op-
Grafton the legislature may compel II to
connect with the existing company. or
vice versa, as has been done I'm other
states.
Thousands Of persons have indicated
their Willingness and readiness TO take
our service just as soon as IL Is installed
I'm this city. We shall make no charge
until the number Of subscribers here
reaches 5000. The number of would-be
first subscribers would astonish our
friends OF the Providence company were
they made known.
There seems to be n wave OF granting
franchises to independent telephone COM
panies. IL has proved irresistible in the
west and Is now sweeping over New Eng
land. noticed the other day that the
Boston board of aldermen has granted
a franchise TO the Metropolitan Home
Telephone company OF that city by a vote
OF II to I. The subject OF the company's
petition was referred 10 a committee that
appears 10 have been packed In the in
terests OF the Bell people Ohe New Eng
land Telegraph and Telephone company.
which declined 10 make a report. The
Home people there got busy and the board
of aldermen acted without the commit
tees report.
so far as I know. the men behind the
Providence company are not identified
with the Boston concern Connections will
be- made with their lines. however. as all
the independent companies are connecting
with one another
Il notice in the Financial Chronicle OF,
Dec. Is the largest Issue. that the city OF
Milwaukee,. which is considerably larger
than Providence has granted a franchise
20 an Independent company by a vote OF
iS TO OF It's city council This company
promises phones at low rates as wa
promise them here IL will furnish busi-
ness phones for from s36 10 $50 per year.
and residence phones for from s15 TO S2t.
do not now recall just what the schedule
ot prices will be for this city; but II will
be correspondingly law"