Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-07-10

lines can not remain In the Bell
switchboard with Bell Company con-
troll and be competitive any more than
the Postal wires could in the Western
Union.
A sell out in Dubuque exactly sim
liar to this one occurred about sixty
days ago and according to recent re-
port the result was a 100 per cent in
crease in the rentals July l.
Now to answer the questions asked
by MIR. BoWe.
Mr. Bowe directly misleads the pub
lie in comparing our rural rates with
the price he charges. We furnish and
keep in repair everything connected
with our rural lines and give 24-hour
service 365 days in the year at s12 per
year. In the case of MarshalltoWn
the farmer owns everything himself
and keeps it in repairs and pays Mr..
Bowe from Is to so cents per month
for simply switching him. The only
way the farmers got a chance to live
at all with the Marshall Company was
by threatening to build their own ex-
change.
If the automatic telephone is not
practical, my boy, it is not costing
you or the people Of 'Marshalltown a
cent to find it out and / think that the
fellows interested in the matter know
the telephone business perhaps as we'll
at least as yourself. When you asked
that question you knew that there has
been an automatic plant at Man
chester for years, one at Sioux City
for four or five years, and one just
completed at Omaha that makes the
Bell people hire not only a wagon but
a whole flock of drays to carry away
their telephones displaced. You knew
that there was an automatic plant at
Los Angeles, Cal, Of over 10000 which
put the Bell company out
OF business. If the automatic Is not
practical I can't see any real reason
for your company being SO scared.
Mr.. Moore spent considerable time
while in Chicago in January, 1908, in
the automatic and told the
writer that he was satisfied that it was
the coming telephone system and that
he would put 1t in at Marshalltown II
1t did not cost so much He further
said that he could not afford to throw
away his present plant in order to in
stall this system.
Now that the Bell company has
bought the junk pile and left the ter
ritory free to the Independents, you
may rest assured that the latest, up
to-date apparatus, automatic, all cable,
plant will land in its own
building at iMarshalltown, giving the
public service Something they never
had there) at your present rates and
better long distance service than the
Bell company can possibly give them
Now, Mr. Bowe. instead of doing
your best to mislead the public, sup
pose you try being honest with them
once and answer the following ques-
ions:
Doesn't the Iowa CBelD Telephone
Company own at least 81 per cent Of
the stock of the Marshall Telephone
Company? Tell us exactly what per
cent.
II the Bell folks instructed you to
cut off our toll lines. wouldn't you
10 it?
Before you heard that we were go
ng to rebuild Marshalltown didn't you
ell a certain rural company, that you
lad been switching for $50 per year,
hat their next year rate would be
t175?
When the consolidation was made
wasn't it your intention to hand 1t to
he farmers? In fact, didn't you make
he statement that you would now get
ven with the farmers?
Is It not fact that the farmers |
lave threatened several times to build
heir own plant in Marshalltown be-
ause your company would not give
hem a square deal?
Is it not fact, that Mr.. Moore has
Llways refused to build any copper
oil lines, claiming iron wire was just
Us good?
Now answer these questions or shut
lp. e. H. MARTIN.