The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-01
TWO TELEPHONE SYSTEMS
 A NUISANCE TO THE PUBLIC
This is the Emphatic Verdict of Representative Business Men and Officials of
 Southern Cities.

lumbia, $. C.. under date of January | fth is05 writes concerning the com parative desirahility of one well con ducted telephone exchange. or two ex- changes In the same city, as follows During the year 1905 we had two distinct telephone systems in Coium- ba. one being the Southern Bell and 1 the other the South Carolina Long Dis tance Company Since the first Of January. 1904. we have had the Bell | Company only. and our experience proves that one system Is much more desirable. Two telephone companies arc burdensome expensive and annoying.
 and resulted in the necessity of all business men having two phones in | their offices and even in their private lresidences. We find the service of the Bell Company satisfactory, and would regret extremely to have to return to | the two systems"
 | The Mayor of Jacksonville. Hon. Geo. NJ. Nolan. Mayor of the City of Jacksonville. Fla, on Decem- berS 2srd, 1904. refers to the exper-
 fence of that city with two different telephone companies and says, T desire to say that 1t Is my opinion | that where reasonable rates and sat | isfactory service exist, I can see no good that could be derived by mu- nicipality granting the privilege of Icompetition.
 ..This aty has just passed through about eight years experience with | two telephone companies. and now that 1 the local company has passed out of existence, think it is with feeling of relief to the community at large
 that they see one company in posses sion of telephone privileges. | "Competition in the telephone busi- ness means necessarily two bills to
 pay with no more advantages. it seems
 to me, than with one. The question of
 d second system of poles and wires
 on the streets is also worthy of con sideration, as they no doubt detract from the appearance of city" 1 The Mayor of Raleigh.
 l Hon. A. M. Powell, Mayor of Raleigh, IN C.. writes under date of December lalst. 1904, how that city is afflicted
 with three telephone companies. and IT | they had only one system of tele- phones. a franchise would not be granted a second company:
 | Our city is afflicted with three tel lephone companies.
 .'The Retail Merchants Association
 tried to eliminate one by requesting members of their association not to
 use one; all of it's members would not lagree; friends of this company took
 up it's fight and the company sought | to be put out of business now has the
 greatest number of subscribers, hence
 we are still afflicted with three com
 panies.
 Business men. much against their | wishes and greatly to their disad- vantage, financially and otherwise. have to take three phones. Poles and wires are so numerous on some of our streets that our firemen can only wit.i great difficulty and loss Of time. raise | ladders for the purpose of lighting hre. | If we had only one system of tele- I I huf nn gapDnd
 company would be granted fran chise."
 Spartanburg Business men. The Spartanburg, s. C., Daily Herald of November 27, 1902. published the | following interviews with prominent business men of that city regarding | two telephone systems:
 1 John A. Law, President Saxon Mills I-Thinks two systems nuisance, and
 has never approved of two.
 l J. M. Conner, dry goods-I think one | system preferable to two. and more valuable to tho subscribers, provided good service Is given at reasonable rates. The rates proposed by the | Southern Bell Company strike me as 1 entirely reasonable.
 l J. B. Lee, merehant--I heartily en- dorse the proposition of the Bell Com pany to consolidate the two exchanges, as I consider two a nuisance and an | unn ecessary expense to the subscribers. | Stanyarne Wilson, Lawyer-I think we should have one system with good | service and am pleased to know that the Bell Company proposes to consoli- | date the two systems.
 | MT. B. F. Shockley, wholesale grocer and Director Board of Trade. said: Il am most decidedly in favor of single system-would even prefer to pay slight advance over present rate, for a single phone to have the service fur- nished by one system"
 MT. w. H. Hester, proprietor of the Hotel Argyle said: We have certain 1 ly had a long spell of the nuisance Of | two systems and surely no one can now
 regret that we are to be relieved or one" Mir. C. O'Neale, of Ralli Bros Agency
 said: Fl regard two phones a most decided disadvantage.
 H A. Beacham, of Spartan Hardware
 Co: One telephone system is suf- hcient nuisance. Two you couldn't stand. l favor one"
 w. P. Irwin. Agent Southern Rail way: "I prefer one system It Is easier to handle and TWO are huis- ance." Warren DuPre, of DuPre & Wilson:
 ..I can see no excuse for two systems of telephones in this city and would
 he delighted to see them consolidated; Dr. Arthur Irwin, druggist: would much prefer one system with sood service.
 MT. J. C. Ferguson. cotton merchant, said;. ',Certainly, I want to see the two systems merged into one; Two are very objectionable. nuisance in fact, and I cant see what any man wants with more than one, if it gives him a satisfactory service, and think the Bell people can do that all right. take two because l am obliged To do
 SO. but prefer one system" MT. J. M. Elford, the venerable Clty Clerk said: "I should think the en- tire business community should nall single system with pleasure i Mir F. H. Knox, of the Railway. Gas and Electric Light Co.,, was very posi- 1 tivr as he said: "Of course two sys-
 tems are d nuisance and always have been. I heartily endorse the idea of single exchange.
 Mr A. & Montgomery. Assistant | Treasurer of Spartan Mills said: l am most assuredly in favor of one eN- change and have never regarded two of any advantage,
 Mr E. B. Dean, Livery. said: Put me down for one system only. Never ,ould see that two were of any benefit They are q vexatiOus nuisance, Am deridcdIv in favor of q single system. l. D. Humphrey, proprietor of the Spartan Inn, also a member of Council and Director of Chamber of Commerce, said. "I am in favor of one system. as we have nc use for two" Mir l. II. pullen sain. '1 am most