New-York tribune., 1906-08-14
FIVE CENT PHONE CASE
Trying to Make Equitable Arrange-
meatS With Pau Stations.

settlement OF the difficulties attending the estah-
nshment OF scent telephone pay station rate and
the enforcement Of that rate at all public tele-
phones. except in hotels and a certain class of
apartment houses. are sought diligently by the
company, even TO the making OF concessions to
some of the pay station proprietors who have been
complaining. II. +. Thurber. general manager of
the New York Telephone Company. said yesterday
that In short time he expects that new pay
station contracts will be made with all the dissats-
1ed proprietors which will allow them sell calls
TO the public at cents the pay station privilege
would be taken away from them.
The company. Mr.. Thurber announced. was send
ing agents TO each owner Of apartment house
onerlng to make the regular pay station contract
with him. dating from July l, which would enable
him TO furnish calls to his tenants for 5 cents re-
ceivlng on each call commission OF 20 per cent.
The same offer Is being made TO each proprietor of
pay station who is a direct subscriber to the
companys service Almost all OF this class OF
pay station men have accepted the offer and most
OF the apartment house prOprietors are likely TO
take it, There is no way TO compel those who do
not agree. however, to furnish scent call.
According to Mr.. Thurber, public telephones are
classed by the company in four divsions-hotels,
apartment house service, pay station contractors.
who are direct agents of the company, receiving
only commission on the payment for calls sent
over their telephones. and those subscribers who
are allowed by the company to maintain pay sta
lions on their premises. The pay STATEN contract
people have the equipment installed free of charge
by the company There are about fifteen thousand
subscribers who maintain pay stations The s.
cent rate in most cases. means for them loss of
from TO cents call, and it is from them the
trouble has arisen. Many refuse fatty to sell a
scent call. Mr.. Thurber said:
We are offering 20 these men 10 make the regular
conmssion on eac6 cs giving them hen 20 per cent
cases. considerable loss TO the proprietor but I,
means the uniform scent rate for The public So
.aI dIHlost every che approached by agents has
results TO users of the telephones we NAV 6.
Obliged TO cancel the arrangements under Which
pay stations. ~ -''A-''''
To owners of apartment houses we are Offering
20 20 HlstaH the necessary equipment free and make
ing TO the tenants the scent rate OF course
tne proprietor may not choose to take this offer
canfs m b cass ne could continue 10 charge the 10
SSeIte, put would then be plainly the tenants
interest 10 have direct telephone Connection We
ea eI!IK from our experience thus far. that almost
eneLy apartment mouse, except some of the very
expensive ones, will take up this offer
2 lGtelS are IN different class, and not so
nIucn concerned about their rates The public gener-
any expects to pay for articles purchased at
hotel Then. hotels maintain booths and onsratCrs
Ior winch, l suppose, they entitled to charge
committees of the druggists associations in which
Ir aIIer the subject had been discussed thoroughly
would work out best for them and the 1uhIic anu
me loss TO the subscribers who maintain nav
the SUBSCRIPTION rate. while the 1O-cent nav sta
Ilon rate was maintained increased their profits on
S+atn SScm cnn from cent 10 or 5, cents
sion OF cent call, but IL that same Commission
~ per cent--had been offered to them wears aau
d HlIeH 1le SUBSCRIPTION rates were HIGH they would
The point of the whole controversy is that vvbila
IN me ply staton men, and the company, too will
Oe out OF pocket by this scent rate. the puhlic
may count on a lower rate Uniform AZ ali pIaces
over "hlch the company is able to exercise control