The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-07-12
EXPLAINS THE DELAY
Better Service Promised Pat
rons Of Telephone Co.
new EQUIPMENT FOR MILTON
Last Fall Company's Representative
Promised New Apparatus for
the Athena Office.

For some time past the newspapers
of Walla Walla and other towns have
been attacking the service given it's
patrons by the Pacific States Tele-
phone and Telegraph company. Ag-
itation, favoring better service was
pronounced and general, and finally
Chas. w. Reynolds. division superin-
tendent for the company. answered an
article appearing in the Milton Eagle,
as follows:
Spokane, WASH, July 2, 1907.
Milton Eagle:
Gentlemen 81 am just in receipt of
clipping from your valuable paper of
June 9th issue entitled Telephone
Patrons Agaiu Kicking" fully ap-
preciate that we would be in a posi-
tion to give our patrons, your towns
people, better service had we greater
switchboard facilities at Milton aud
wish to advise you in this connection
that the only reason that increased
facilities have not been provided as
promised and fully expected to be ac-
complished by us ere this time is that
we have been absolutely unable to get
necessary equipment from our eastern
factories, which provide this nature
of telephone apparatus. The order has
been placed for several months and |
am pleased to be able to inform you at
this time that. according to our latest
advices. switchboard will reach Mil
ton and probably will be installed
ready for service not later than ;the
18th inst. If you happen to have had
any personal experience in endeavoring
to get material or machinery from
eastern manufacturers within the past
year you will probably have gone
through experiences very similar to
ours, not only as regards to Milton,
but affecting the entire West. From
the fact that, as l understand it, de-
mands upon large manufacturers for
some time past have been greater than
they can accommodate with any de-
gree of promptness.
Trusting that Yourself and other
patrons at Milton will fully recognize
this feature of the situation and for
bear with us for a few days longer,
am, Yours very truly,
Chas. W. Reynolds,
Division Superintendent.
Since Mr.. Reynolds letter was re-
ceived and. published in the Eagle,
new apparatus has been installed in
the Milton office. another operator ad-
ded to the force ,and the company is
now giving the fruit town first class
service.
At the time of the consolidation of
the rural lines centering at Athena
with thoso of the long distance system.
last fall, the company's representative
made the promise that within six
months. or as soon as possible, the
company would install up-to-date
equipment in the Athena Office and
otherwise improve the service.
The period of six months has passed,
and still Athena is patiently plodding
along with antequated Office apparat-
us; the service rendered the patrons
bsing recognized by them as resulting
from the capable efficiency of the op-
orators employed here. However, in
view of the fact that the Milton equip
ment has arrived from the East and
has been installed, it is supposed that
apparatus for the Athena Office has
also been received by the company,
and that installation will take place at
once, much to the relief of long suf
fering public.
Promises for better service were
given Milton at the time improve
ments were promised Athena.