The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-09-09
TELLS WHY ADVANCE IN SOME
PHONES WAS MADE. ALL
NOW GIVEN SAME SERVICE.

Says That Costly improvements Have
Been Made, and Only a Fair Re-
turn ON the Investment Is
Wanted. Comparatively
Few of the Subscribers
Are Affected.
Editor of The Dawson News: 1t
is with reluctance always that | per-
sonally go into print, but recent tel
ephone developments with which I
happen to be vitality connected have
taken such turn that l feel l owe
it to myself to let the entire situa-
ton be fully understood by the pub
lie. Certain statements are being
made which are calculated to mis-
lead, causing the impression to go
abroad that | am undertaking to inn
pose on this people in the matter of
telephone rates. AS every one knows
have just completed very decided
Improvement to the telephone sys-
tenn of Dawson, having added about
three miles of cable together with
other numerous improvements. The
cost has of course been heavy. The
conditions were such as made this
almost unavoidable. We had been
for several years gradually changing
the service to correspond with that
in other towns of like Importance
That those subscribers who had not
yet been so changed might fully I'M
derstand what we were doing and
exactly why, | sent to each of them
about three months ago the follow
ing circular letter:
ITO Grounded Circuit Subscribers
Dear Sir: Four years ago, after
rebuilding the Dawson exchange, we
expected that there would be none
who would fail to welcome any
change looking to improved tele-
phone service. Feeling thus, and
having an ambition to give Dawson
as good advantages in a telephone
way as was being enjoyed by her
neighbOrs, we set to work to change
the grounded system then prevail
ing to what is known as the two wire
or metallic system. To our surprise
, there were quite a number of the sub
scribers who were unwilling to &C
cept the Improvement indicated. To
us it meant a doubling of all ma
terial and a decided increase in the
) cost of maintaining. but much great
er satisfaction to the patron. To the
patron it meant but fifty cents more
per month for the improved service,
relief from electric induction at
) night, and from several other disad-
= vantages of the grounded circuit not
necessary to mention here. Rather
2 than be arbitrary the matter was set
: tied by allowing those who were de-
e sirOus of the better service to get
2 the same, and those who were willing
S to continue to put up with the cleo
| trio buzzing, etc, were allowed to
g continue the old circuit.
g 'Since that time we have univer-
t sally, within the corporate limits of
p the city, installed the metallic or bet
ter system, and as rapidly as cir
cumstances would allow we have
S made changes to this character OF
service. The demands of the times
make such Improvement necessary
= We do not propose to allow Dawson
to lag behind other towns in this re-
To- spect SO long as we can find the
r means to prevent it. 1t has been
apparent for quite a while that we
s. will have, in justice to the majority
of patrons, to make the service uni
form. AS matters now are, there are
less than One-third of our patrons
using the old grounded circuit In
other words, about 200 have the i'm
proved circuit andg considerably less
than 100 have the poorer service
This situation is working a hardship
on those who are paying for the bet
ter service. We are, of course. now
oftener called upon to connect a me
tallic with grounded than {
grounded with a metallic circuit 10y
reason of more than twO-thirds ma
jOrity against the grounded variety
When such connection is made the
patron who is paying for and is en-
titled to clear service at night as. a
other times, on a wet or dry day, is
forced to put up with the annoyance
of the electric buzzing, etc, of the
neighbours grounded wire.
This is clearly unjust to the ma
jOrity of our subscribers. We are
now making decided extension anC
addition to our cable system in or
der to not only bring improved ser
vice, but to enable us to change al
circuits to the metallic system Sc
that our service may be uniform
thus Kidding ourselves Of frequen
complaints of trouble which we are
wholly unable to correct so long al
there is not uniformity of service.
AS explained in the outset, in or
der to do this we are forced to incur
much additional expense. and the
only benefit we are looking for t