St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-05-15
Double Telephone Systems CONSOLE
dating in One.

The extent to which the newspaper
press OF the country is daily giving
evidence of the consolidation and unihca-
ton of the telephone systems OF various
communities is one of the most notice
able phases of current events. In its
issue OF April 18th the Los Angeles Times
prints the following from the neighbour
ing and enterprising little city of San
Bernardino, which has for few years
mad two telephone systems:
Merchants of San Bernardino have
taken up fight against the luxury OF
paying tribute to two telephone COM
panies. At meeting of the San Ber-
nardino Merchants Protective Associa
ton, Wednesday, the matter was dis
cussed at length and a committee was
appointed to obtain the sign lures of all
the merchants of San Bernardino to an
agreement to subscribe for only one
phone. Merchants are now signing an
agreement to stand together in the
fight.
Editorially the Times of the same date
says: "a sensible move has been made
by the business men of San Bernardino
in their campaign for single telephone
system. 1t will spread. 1t will break
out in other cities where people are
FESTIVE under the expensive, harassing,
nonsenscal double telephone nuisance.
A greater outrage than this two tele
phone abomination, Uos Angeles has
two systems) never was foisted upon
community. There will be a great up
rising against this illogical and indie
feasible state of things. 1t cannot sur
vive. 1t would be as rational to oblige
citizens to take domestic water from
two sources and pay double rates"
In its issue of April 4th, the Marion,
o., Daily Star, editorially rejoices that
the experience of that city with double
telephone service is approaching an end.
In view of plans for the consolidation of
the various telephone interests of Marion
County under one management, largely
local, the Star says the publication
carried welcome an announcement to the
Marion public, and with it the record of
a step forward in modern telephony"
Long before Marion had the dual
telephone service" the Star continues,
this paper argued that the telephone
was rightfully natural monopoly.
Unhappily the public has always SHE'D
at the word monopoly, but the truth
remains, the telephone at its fullest
efficiency is natural monopoly. To the
subscriber, the only efficient telephone is
the one that reaches every other tele-
phone The competitive system requires
the patron who wants full service to
employ both lines of service at double
cost and endless confusion. Much of
this Marion knew before we had two
systems. But there was that irrepres-
sible feeling of need for competition.
Marion would not have been happy
without trial of two systems, because
promoters had appealed to that una
prejudice against monopoly,
and now that we have had the
experience, there is rejoicing to contem-
plate return to one system"
W. g. Harding of Marion in a publish
ed letter written to citizen of Indian
apolis under date of April 4, said:
Before Marion knew the woes of dual
service, argued that dual service was
though l joined in the
of the independent system.
This was seemingly an inconsistency,
md n ID, it %as sqeR P but believed that there
'ented to join in the necessary eyiI.' +
We built well and strove for the ideal
service, but we soon learned that we had
added tax to public burdens which
)aid dearly for the service. The business
nan who wished to make his house
'vailable to all phones, was obliged to
AIRY both phones, at double cost. The
lwelling that was kept within telephone
all of all residents or professional men
md needed long distance service was
obliged to have both phones, with the
louble cost and inevitable confusion. In
hort what seemed beautiful dream in
PROMOTION was very much a nightmare
n realization"