The Newtown bee., 1908-04-24
HOME NEWS.
THE TELEPHONE SITUATION IN
 NEWT0WN.
As Presented by Rev J. H. George.

NeWtWon, C0nn., Aprll 10, l9Uo.
 To the Editor of The Newtown Bee: In my last letter l gave the reply of the Telephone Company to the New town petition for a lower rate to Bridgeport, and examined the first part of it, namely that which rehearses the history of the Newtown exchange, the reduced rate to Woodbury, and the price of telephone service with what we get for it.
 will take up what follows ID their Reply; and the better to comment upon it and so as not to tax your memory, l will give again that portion of their letter: Qatter part of the reply of the telephone company to the petition.l
 "Our toll rates are interdependenI, and they are based upon maximum charge of twenty-five (25) cents. We connect two subscribers, separated by the width of the state, for twenty five cents, whereas, were we on mileage basis, the maximum charge would be more than Sl. In order that the maxi mum charge may be twenty-five (25) cents, it becomes necessary to arrange our schedules so that, without working a hardship in any particular instance, our average toll charge will be reason able under all the conditions existing in the State of Connecticut.
 It is plain, therefore, that this re- quires a well-balanced schedule of rates, and that to increase or reduce a rate in one place, necessitates core spending change in another place, to preserve the balance.
 This is easily comprehended and ap- plies to the concrete case of the charge between Newtown and Bridgeport. It might be changed, but any change would require another change to offset it, and so on through the whole sched- ule. This would, naturally, lead to d complete readjustment of our rates, and would, probably result in the adoption of a mileage basis. A mile age basis would leave the Newtown- Bridgeport rate substantially as at present, and increase the rate to al- most all of the other exchanges.
 It is clear. therefore, that Newtown would gain no lower rate to Bridgeport, and would have to pay more to talk with other exchanges, if the schedul e was based on a mileage charge.
 In view of these facts, we feel that you will agree with us that change in the schedule of toll charges between Newtown and Bridgeport alone, is i'm practicable, and ought not to be under taken, unless we are prepared to adopt new basis for the whole territory, which we do believe to be advisable, at this time" "
 First we will examine the plea that the rates are interdependent and based on a maximum charge of 25 cents. We are given to understand that tEis is a concession to those who telephone more than 25 miles, and that those who telephone a less distance must pay more in order to make up to the Con- pany an average of one cent a mile. We gather this from the statement that if the charge were on a mileage basis, the maxim um rate within the State would be more than $1. Now the State of Connecticut is not 100 miles in any direction except from the southwest at Greenwich to the north east at Thompson, where it is little over 100 miles, leaving out Greenwich, (which is long distance point" to quote the words of the Telephone Di- rectory. We therefore gather that what the letter means is that the Com pany intends to have one cent a mile for telephoning.
 Now why doesn't the Company adopt this basis? Newtown would benefit by it. We are only 19 miles from Bridgeport, yet we are taxed more than this mileage rate. One reason why it would not adopt this rate is doubt less, that it would lose large share of its business. It has competitor in the telegraph company. and the tele- graph company charges only 25 cents for the same service. If we could telegraph four times for the price of one telephone conversation, we would telegraph; so this talk of putting us on mileage basis doesn't worry us any. Our present rate to Bridgeport would be cut about 25 per cent, and we would use the telegraph, if the dis tance warranted it.
 But why should the rate be one cent mile. The Railroad Company will take man and 150 pounds of baggage for two cents mile. More over, if he buys a co mmutation ticket, it will take him to Bridgeport and back for 24 cents, which is one cent less than the S. N. E. Telephone Company will let him talk to that city for. But we. are not troubled by this mileage bug-bear. The managers of the Company under stand their own interests better than to oJAr{ {bof p1op Tbox- ,,rJorefonJ fbat