Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-01-15
TeleDhOne History

TOPIC On Wullu II hiibuN DN "S' ~
give some information.
There have been three distinct
stages in the manufacture aud use
OF telephones. The beginuing OF
the actual telephone era was when
Bell discovered that communication
could be carried on over i single
wire and by the use OF what We now
call an "ill devised" telephone. lie
/ then patented the same and called 1t
telephone and after long years OF
| study and labor he finally inter-
ested capital and formed what is
known as the Bell Telephone Com
pany. This completes the hrst
stage.
Then came the second stage, and
here was where the foundation was
laid for the most formidable trust
ever known up TO this day This
combination was effected some 20
years ago The telephones then
used were OF the magnetic type with
hand generator, local battery, the
same as we have at the present date,
and was then considered world
wide wonder.
so strong were the entrench-
ments OF this company that no or
binary corporation could enter the
field as competitor In any sense.
They became so strongly fortified
that every patent that came into the
field was purchased at any price or
else was tied up in law suits Tor
infrlngements and laid to rest In
the higher courts. Every attempt
OF the Independent move was met
with injunctions. Publishers were
bought outright under contract not
to publish any information to assist
in an independent move. In this
way they suppressed any agitation
OF the public and the price OF tele-
phone service was beyond the reach
OF any man in moderate circum-
stances.
This condition OF affairs continued
to exist until 1898, when the Bell
patents began to expire. and one by
one passed on the records. Then
came the last stage. A dozen pat
ents were waiting to 90 on record
and on the very day that the first OF
the Bell patents expired there was
a stampede in the U. S. Patent
ONCE at Washington. and with II
came a thousand and one improve
ments in the telephone field Al
this time was when the now famous
central energy system was intro
duced.
Among the pioneer independent
manufacturers were Kellogg. Strom-
berg Carlson, American Electric Co..
Dean Electric Co, and score OF
others followed in quick succession
each company striving to outdo the
other In advancement
The first great battle between the
Bell interests and the Independent
Telephone Company was fought IN
the states of Ohio and Indiana. It
was the Bell trust against the public
and the public won. But the Hell
telephone Company died game and
made desperate stand at every
trench on their retreat. but Ietoat
was theirs and after spending mil
! lions of dollars In most helpless
and hopeless struggle. they for Ave
years kept up this constant firing
But when the people, the press
and the money powers turned their
mighty guns upon them they found
that II was useless for them to spend
their revenues and savings In that
foolish manner, so they changed
their tactics and began new course.
They would install a new plant
where they had practically lost by
competition and then cut the rates
even SO low that in one instance In
an Eastern city their earnings ran
behind their operating expenses
5000 900 annually
Another course they had adopted
was to buy a plant for some $500
and advertise the same from sea 10
sea in great display advertising,
thus Another independent COM
pany absorbed by the Bell" This
would naturally lead people to be-
lieye who are not Informed along
this line, that the Bell Company had |
absorbed all OF the New England |
states
but alas tor the Bell Telephone /
Company, it is the Union Forever" |
and onward to victory march the /
home companies over the most cold
blooded trust. Indifferent to the pub
lic interests, that ever attempted to
deprive nation and the whole
world of The most useful OF modern
inventions.
lu tht spring OF 1S9S there came