Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-06-04
Co m m v mic alton.
Editor of The Register:

| AS there has been several misstate
ments in the various reports of the tele-
phone situation in this vicinity, more
complete history of the trouble is evil
IDENTIFY demanded.
Nearly three years ago The New Eng
land Tel. & Tel. Co. acquired control Of
the Addison Co. Tel. Co., an independ-
ent company, in competition with them
in Middlebury, New Haven, Vergennes,
Bristol and Lincoln, this line had built
parallel lines TO them all through these
towns, and they had to pay several lnrge
claims and make extensive changes that
evidently resulted in large capitaliza-
ton.
The new company was incorporated
as The Champlain Valley Tel. Co. The
president is the second vice president of
The New England Tel. & Tel. Co., and
the vice president is his assistant.
At that time, and for year after,
every pressure and inducement was
brought to bear on the independent sub
licenses in Addison County by the Off
GERS of The New England Tel. & Tel Co.,
to induce them to merge their property
in their corporation. These independent
sub license are: The Western Tel & Tel.
Co., in Bristol, Lincoln, Monkton and
Ferrisburg; the Addison & Panton Tel.
Co., the Wey bridge Tel. Co.; the Corn
wall Tel. & Tel Co.: the Shoreham Tel.
& Tel. Co., and the Champlain Tel. Co.
in Bridport.
These companies are owned entirely
by local persons, mainly subscribers, and
they were all started entirely independ'
ent and in opposition to the New Eng
land Tel. & Tel. Co., but all found it to
the advantage of all concerned to make
sub-license contracts with the Bell or
ganization and there is no doubt but
what it is for the advantage of the sub
scribers as we'll as the stockholders tC
have only one system without duplica
ton and as long as the New England
have all the toll lines in the New Eng
land States, it will be the only way tC
avoid duplication, as we must have long
distance connections.
The sub-license companies were will
ing to renew their old contracts, but the
New England would not renew under
the same terms, and one of the changes
= made was to the effect that either com
pany could stop the free service between
the Champlain Valley Co., and the sub
, license, by giving thirty days notice; tn
vice president of The Champlain Vale.
Tel. Co. has given notice to the above
named companies that said free service
will be discontinued July l, 1909.
The reason given is that the compan,
is losing money, and one reason for thei
losing money is that it costs SO mucl
for switching subscribers of the connect
ing companies.
Mr. Chandler states that a peg coun
, at Middlebury and at Vergennes showed
= that the calls from and to stations of tn
connecting companies that were givel
!, free, averaged one call per minnie TO
fourteen hours each day at Middlebur'
and nearly as many fifty seven or eigh
per hohr) az Vergennes.
p 1t is true that the privileges granted
have been abused and it has been nee
| essary for the Addison & Panton Co. t,
, build the second circuit from Addison t
+ Vergennes, and the Cornwall Co. hav
, had to build a second circuit to Middle
, bury for the same reason, and neither o
these lines give the builders any add
tional revenue.
1t is also true that, while by the clos
est economy, the several Independent
companies have been able to pay thei
bills and part of them pay 6 per cent
a interest, they have not got a surplus t,
fall back on when their poles give on
and have to be replaced, and that is jus
Z what they have got to face very sool
: and some one has got TO be paid for it o
I the lines will go down. This will hav
Q to be done by either raising the rate
or by paying small toll.
The expenses of the telephone com
D panies for the last two years has beef
, more than at any other time before, bu
i as their income is largely from fixe'
9 charges that has not increased in proper
: ton.
1t is very evident from the above tina
ordering your telephone taken out, ii
: you are a subscriber of the Independent
I companies). will have no effect as tn
= New England have no interest in thes
companies, but il you will use the tol
lines as little as possible, and for bushes
only, you can help your company out
1 and you will also notice that you can ge
g the line very much quicker.