The Republican journal., 1907-04-11


will stop the irregularities and cure an.
case of kidney and bladder trouble that i
not beyond the reach of medicine.
AMERICAN TEL. AND TEL. COMPANY
President Frederick P. Fish in the
annual report of the American Tele
phone and Telegraph Company which
has Just been issued shows that the
Bell Companies had total of 3,06S, 80;
telephone stations in the United States
at the end of the year 1906 as against
2,52S,7 15 stations at the close of 1905
There were in use, for exchange and
toll service, 7,46S, 9O5 miles of wire OF
of which 1,6SS,9 1887 miles were added
during the year, these figures not in
Guiding the the mileage of wire operat.
ed by sub-licensed companies. In 1906
the Bell companies handled a daily
average of 16940, 900 connections, or at
the rate of about 5, 455, 100000 per year,
being ga telephone calls to each man,
woman and child in the United States.
There was expended by the Bell Com
panies in the United States for new
construction, including exchanges, toll
lines, land and buildings, $40, 1866, $40 as
against $50, 7SO,9O6 in 1905. The grand
total of expenditures upon properties
during the seven years beginning with
1900 has been $29s, 914,255.
During the year the Bell Companies
in the United States offset the deprecia-
ton which would otherwise have taken
place in the value of the lines and
equipment by expanding 49,, S14, 56S for
maintenance and renewal of plant.
This expenditure was independent of
that for new construction. 1t was
made from the earnings of the proper
ties and was charged to expense. The
report states that as result OF this eX-
penditure the plant is in better condi-
ton than ever before and could not
now be reproduced for less than $70,-
100000 in excess of its cost. Year by
year the plant is becoming of more
permanent character and nearly all of
it is now of type which need not be
replaced until it is worn out. Through
out the country the business of the Bell
companies is supported by satisfac-
tory plant, a good organization, and
good service.
President Fish devotes a portion of
the report to statement of the way in
which the growth of the system is be-
ing provided for. He says that in the
earlier stage of the systems develop
ment it seemed consistent with sound
policy to assume rate of growth not
greatly in excess of that then prevail
ing, but if, under present conditions,
buildings were erected and central Of
flee equipment installed sufficient only
for the business in sight at the time it
would not be long before they became
inadequate. In many cases they could
be enlarged only at an expense alto
gether out of proportion to the increas-
ed facilities gained. The same is true
even to a greater extent of the line
construction which connects the ex-
change with the subscribers stations.
For these reasons the Bell Companies,
particularly in the last year, have built
for the future as far as was consistent
with sound economy. They have pro-
vided for growth that is sure to come
and have not limited their construction
to the business actually in sight. In
line with this policy is the increased
use of cables upon pole lines, made pos
sible by Improvements in the cables
and securing increased capacity, lessen
ed interruption of service, and decreas-
ed maintenance expense. The extent
to which the companies have thus built
for the future is shown by the fact that
S25,000,0O0 are now invested in circuits
in cable that are not yet in use, but all If
which will soon be in service. The re-
port points out that adequate provision
for the future is made possible by sys
tematic engineering and that engi
neering of the kind now characteriZing
the work is of great assistance to the
companies in meeting promptly apC
frfo ntor 10 4
vice.
companies it is stated that, as far as
can be learned, they are, with few ex
ceptions, making no relative gain; thai
have been established within the pas
few years and that investors are appar
emily less inclined than formerly tt
place their money in these undertak
| ings.
In recounting the financial operation!
| Of the year, the report says that tn,
gross revenue of all the Bell companie!
| in the United States, taken as whole
and excluding Implications was owe
| $114, 100000. These figures do not in
clude the revenues of the Bell Compan!
of Canada nor the Western Electric
| Company. In spite of the abnorma
financial conditions, which involved
unusual interest charges, the very grea
investment in construction, much O.
which did not become revenue produc
ing during the year, and the high cos
| of labor and material, the net return
| from the business as a whole we're no
reduced, although there was not the in
crease which would have been if tn
| conditions had been more nearly mol
NAL. All things considered the fnan
cial results were satisfactory and it
believed they will be substantially bel
ter in 1907 than in 1905.
| The New Pure Food and Drug Law
We are pleased to announce that Foley