The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-08-22
OLD TELEPHONE RATE
IN EFFECT SEPT 1ST
Company Got Concession
From City on Promise
of Lower Toll.
INTRODUCES ORAL AGREEMENT
Nothing on Record Of It's Kind
Forces Hammond Back Into
Old Shoes; Retains Privilege.

Beginning Sept, 1st. Hammond will
go back to its old telephone rate to
Chicago and manner of calling its num-
mer of party. While tn whole arrange
part of the people of Hammond, it was
nevertheless the only avenue of escape
open to the subscribers and the result
is that the telephone company has
concession in the way of a franchise
from the city for which at the present
time the city is getting nothing in
return, except its old rates
Plans Laid Long and Deep.
1t took the telephone company al
most a year to work out this scheme,
but the plans were laid long and deep
and by putting onto the shoulders of
the old board of public works an oral
agreement at the time the franchise
was granted, but of which the old
board members have no recollection
it sprung the 15-cent rate on the pub
person mush be called for This was
several months ago.
History of the Deal.
what along these lines The Chicago
Telephone company. placed poles on
Summer streetn, then known as the
long road. There was nothing in it's
original franchise to permit the placing
of poles on annexed territory, and
when the city wanted some concession
from the telephone company for the
pole privilege. the company tumbled
over itself to give the city lower rate
to Chicago. The Interstate Automatic
Telephone Company also threatened to
come to Hammond, and the Chicago
Telephone company had to do some
thing to put the Hammond people to
sleep 1t gave them the lorew rate
soothing syrup. ana signed q zszrftten
agreement.
Company's Good Memory.
When the thing had slumbered long
enough until the city. officials forgot
just the exact words at that particu-
lar meeting, some one of the Chicago
Telephone company bobbed up with
such good memory and he remem-
bered that John Rhode, the president
of the board at that time, hooded his
head in assent to the oral agreement
that the subscribers could have a par
ticular party on the lower rate. John
Rhode does not remember it, however.
At any rate, the plan went through,
the 15-cent rate was only a bait with
| a hook on it. and the subscribers had
to swallow it whether they want to
or not
Now that the business men have
taken action, the company has issued
| the following statement
In Effect Sept. 1st.
I'm accordance with the wishes of
the merchants of Hammond, as indi-
Gated at the recent meeting of the
Hammond Business Mems association.
and in view of the express wishes of
| merchants in aEst Chicago, Whiting
| and Indiana Harbor, this company will
on Sept. 1. change its toll schedules to
allow a call to metropolitan exchanges
in Chicago at a rate of twenty 600
cents for three minutes conversation.
This rate will allow the person call
ing to designate an individual at the
! number desired, and unless that par
ticular party is secured, no charge will
be made, providing, of course, that the
party calling specifically indicates at
the time the call is made that a GER
tain indicidual is desired
Not Effective in City Limits.
10 telephones IN chicago operated
at the neighborhood exchanges In
Longwood, washington Heights
Gresham, Hegewisch, South Chicago
Burnside and West Pullman, where the
! rate has been reuduced to the low fig
ure of ten cents for three minutes
conversation, and where there is com
paratfvely little toll traffic calls will
be received for number only and the
xrvii ha
party is placed in communication with
| any one at the telephone number
called"