The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-07-28
RURAL PHONE SYSTEM PRO
POSED.

AsOAS<AA A4XON@ Oh 1oXGM kktOs
POSED.
Florence. July 22.-Mr. Hartwell
M. Aver. Of this city. has received
the following communication from
Mr.'M B. Peer, division commercial
superintendent of the Southern Bell
Telephone Company, at Charlotte, N.
c. An effort will be made to do as
Charlotte is doing in the matter.
Charlotte, n. c., July 10, 1909.
Mr.. H. M. Aver, Editor. Florence
Times. Florence. C.
Dear Sir:-The extension Of the
telephone system into rural commu-
mites Is now receiving more than
passing attention, the general propo-
sition having been laid down, which
Is obviously correct one, that there
Is no more reason why the dwellers
in cities and towns. where easy access
and quick communication is possible,
should enjoy telephone service, than
those living in rural communities
where personal communications in
volve the time element, and much
greater personal effort. The subject is
one which readily appeals to the far
mer, wherever 1t Is presented, as the
need Of this service and the value of
1t to the farmer is so great, but it is
not always as easy to convince the
merchant that 1t is materially to his
to cooperate with the far
mer in the establishment OF this SER
vice.
II Is estimated that there are ap-
9,100 families in Meek
lenberg County. living outside the
corporate limits Of the cities and
towns and an effort isnow being made
by the Greater Charlotte Club, the
Retail Merchants Association, and
he Wholesale Merchants Associa-
ton, In conjunction with the Farmers
Union, to arrange for Farmers
Day" with view to securing the
presence In Charlotte. upon a given
date of as large a number of the far
mers Of Mecklenburg County as is
possible, that a movements to place
telephone In the home of every white
farmer may he launched.
Thinking that you may be interest
ed in some of the newspaper refer.
ences to this matter. I. am taking the
liberty of forwarding. to. you, under
separate cover. a copy of the Char
lotte Evening News, OF July 2rd, in
which please see the Cartoon, the edi-
torial, and the write-up ON the first
page of Section 2. ts..
While 1t Is not possible to even ap-
proximate tho condition Of, a tele.
phone In the residence of every one
OF the white farmers. it is thought to
be not unreasonable to expect that a
development Of not less than 5000
farmers telephones in Mecklenburg
County can be secured. The value of
this connection to the 2,SOO subscrib-
ers to the Charlotte Exchange can be
very readily understood.
What development do you think is
possible In Florence County? And, 20
what extent would the value of the
Exchange telephones be enhanced by
reasonable Farmers Line develop-
ment?
In the event that the DEVELOPMENT
or the Farmers Line service in Flor
ence County is one OF more than cas-
ual interest to you. and that YOU
would care to investigate the matter
further, with view to inaugurating
definite campaign along somewhat
similar lines to those suggested i'm the
Charlotte articles. l would be very
glad to personally confer with you
and other influential citizens of your
town. Yours very truly.
Southern Bell Il. and r. Company.
M. B. SPEER,
Division Commercial Superintendent.