The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-02-02
A LIBERAL PROPOSITION
Made to the Farmers of This Parish
by the Cumberland Telephone
Company.
ADVANTAGES OF A TELEPHONE
NEED NO DEMONSTRATION.
Proposition of the Company Given in
Letter to Superintendents and
Managers Printed Below.


berland exchange has received the
following letter from General Man-,
ager Hume, which makes most lib
eral proposition to the farmers of this
parish. The many advantages and
benefits of having telephone in ones
home need no demonstration, for it
is evident that being in prompt COM
munication with town, ones merchant,
doctor, neighbors and friends saves
not only many trip to town, but gets
the service of a physician promptly
when needed and makes country life
more pleasant by removing the lso-
lation of being away from neighbOrs.
Under the proposition made by the
Company it will be possible
for the farmers of the parish gener-
ally to avail themselves of telephone
connection and no doubt many will
take advantage of it in the near flu
ture. The letter is as follows:
ITO Our District Superintendent and
Local Managers:
"The farmers rural line proposition
now authorized by the Company is
one that you can offer to the general
public with the assurance that it
will commend itself as being attract
i've, equitable and fair, and you are
directed to offer this proposition to
all country applicants, and. further
more, you are expected to canvass
the public for this class of connection
and business.
"The proposition briefly is this:
Wherever parties live outside the
basic exchange radius and desire tele-
phone connection and service, such
parties may build their own lines to
the exchange radius, where their lines
will be met by our lines, and connec-
tion made, the company owning and
maintaining the lines from the switch
board to the point of connection, and
the subscribers, known as rural line
contract subscribers" building, own
ing and maintaining their lines from
the connecting point at the exchange
radius to their respective homes and
places of business; the Company pro-
viding this connection and service
through it's switchboard just as it
provides through its switchboard SER
vice for other customers, charging
for each trunk line running from the
exchange switchboard to the point of
connection at the exchange radius the
straight line business rate that applies
to that particular exchange, plus So
per year for each telephone that is
placed on the farmers line. Where
more than one telephone is placed on
such line, the parties on the line are
to designate one of their own number,
who will act as the treasurer of the
line, and who will make settlement
for the connection and for all toll
messages going through the exchange
to other points where tolls are charg-
ed to al other subscribers of the ex.
change, and in this and other capac-
tiles will act for the members who are
on that particular farmers or rural
line.
lied, or the farmers can build their
own line to the exchange radius. or
corporate limits, Notwithstanding the
existence of the Company's pole line
on the same road.
I'm other words, we want the prop
osition to be liberal and flexible, and
thus to meet the approval and CO
operation and secure the patronage
of all farmers who will build theil
own lines with view of getting fol
themselves the very lowest possible
rate for service.
Each manager is authorized to ac
under this proposition, being yer!
careful that the farmers who ART
"In cases where farmers live a con
siderable distance in the country, ant
: where this Company has a pole rout'
extending beyond the exchange RI
r dius, the Company will, if it is de
sired, meet and connect with tn
farmers line at any distance from tn
exchange where it has an existini
Q pole route, and charge to the farmer
; or rural line the same rate for tn
: trunk line that would be charged TO
q direct bushes subscriber at tina
: distance.
I'm case the Company has q pol
: route extending beyond the exchang
radius on road where farmers wis
to build and connect with the Con
!. pany. the connection can be made a
j / far ont as the Company has poles
charging the rate Just above author