The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-10
DOUBLE TELEPHONE
SYSTEMS TO co
Now Predicted Consolidation
Will Be Made Wherever
1t Is Feasible.
THE LOCAL CASE is CITED.
OFFICIAL OF BELL COMPANY
TALKS OF REASONS WHY THE
LOCAL AGREEMENT WAS
BROUGHT ABOUT.
Spe cial Correspondence.


agreement, by which the double phone
service is abolished. has become part
of the discussions in regard to the at
tempted consolidation of the two local
companies, now under way An Off
cial of the Central Union company, in
speaking of the Richmond agreement,
told your correspondent that there
was little in common as between the
two situations-at Indianapolis and
ichmond-except that the one great
object, as in the case of Richmond,
is to get rid of the double telephone
system.
Over at Richmond" said he, I'VE
had losing proposition. The COM
pany wasn't making cent. We were
also in fight with the city over mat
tiers that threatened to interfere SER
iously with our service. For instance,
we had been ordered to remove all
our poles by certain date, and it be-
| came plain that the best thing all
reasons affecting the physical condi-
ton of our plant, that consolidation
be perfected. While it is true that
| the Richmond case is the first victory
| for consolidation of telephone COM
| panies in cities of that class in Indi-
| ana, it must be remembered that con-
ditions at Richmond were unusual.
have no doubt that the double tele-
| phone system will see it's end before
| long, at least wherever it is possible
| to bring about consolidation, for the
| system is a nuisance and a heavy
expense to patrons. The Richmond
| people are to be congratulated, and
I am sure they will appreciate the
benefits arising from a single service"
Just now the city officials are hav-
ing a war of words with the officials
of the Central Telephone company.
The mayors latest is the assertion
that the word of Pre- sident Richardson
of the company, is not to be taken in
the phone controversy as it would be
accepted in other matters. He sHems
to think that the company is dilly-
dallying, despite the fact that Presi-
| dent Richardson declares his deter
| mination to meet the city and the
rival company on every fair PROPOSE
| ton.
Taft Can't be There.
There has been much disappoint-
ment over the declination Of Mr.. Taft
to come to indianapolis on the occas-
| ion of the laying of the corner stone
of the new Y. M. C. A. building. The
date for the event had been left open
for the convenience of the presidential
candidate who has notified Secretary
GODDARD, of the Y. M. G. A., that it
will be impossible to come at any
time soon. The hope that he would
accept the invitation had resulted in
rush of invitations to speak else
where in the state on the occasion of
his visit, the theory being that he
might consent to speak from the rear
platform of a train at some of the
larger Indiana towns through which
he would have to pass in order to
reach Indianapolis. Mr.. Taft faceti-
ously promised to see his Indiana
friends later and already the cam
paign committee is arranging dates
for his invasion of Indiana during
September.
Surety Companies in Test.
The surety companies of the state
have Joined in an action which is to
be brought against the state auditor
to test that section of the law relat-
ing to the bonds of officers of trust
companies and banks. 1t seems that
the auditor has insisted on bonds that
cover every kind of loss to depositors
in short, that the bonds guarantee
the faithful performance of their du-
ties by such officers-while the sure
ty companies object to such blanket
| bonds. The encouragement has de.
cided that bonds satisfactory to the
auditor must be given, which leaves
the matter in this officials hands. 1t
will be a test case that will go to the
higher courts.
Surprises G. A. r.
The report Of a committee recently
appointed by Geo. H. Thomas post, G.
A. R., to look into the advisability of
bringing about some plan of consoli.
dation that would perpetuate the or.
ganization, has caused some surprise
A majority and a minority report have
been made, the former reporting I'm.
favorably on the suggestion. 1t seems
that many of the old veterans are in
favor of permitting the Grand Army
to pass out of existence as its ranks
are thinned by death. Eventually, in
perhaps Is years, it was estimated
that not more than few hundred OF
the civil war veterans could be mus.
tered for an encampment, and al
though this somewhat pathetic feat.
ure was strongly put in the majority
report, that section of the committee
felt that the Grand Army, being made
up exclusively of civil war veterans
would be losing its identity complete
ly by passing its name on to a con
solidation of military organizations
that have sprung up since that strug
gle. The minority report favored the
merging of such other military organ
izations as now exist into one grand
army that shall carry the name of the
parent organization even after every