New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-03-19
Or THE AMERI-
CAN TELEPHONE AND
TELEGRAPH CO.'S
ANNUAL REPORT.

sent TO the 5000 stockholders
of the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company the annal re
port Of the directors. showing that
1909 was a year of remarkable
activity, progress and prosperity
The important activities include
he purchase of Il substantial in
terest in the Western Union Tele-
graph Company, the conversion Of
over a hundred uilI.ion dollars
Of bonds into stock, the increase
in the number Of shareholders by
over nine Thousand during the
year. and the Encouragement OF
territories Of some OF the assoc at
ed companies in accordance with
stale or geographical boundarjes.
The number of teieph ne stations
in the Bell system was increased
to over five millions, including
one and a half m llions operated
by connecting companies; the
wire mileage of the Bel oOmpau-
les has been increased TO over ten
million miles. the traffic has III
creased TO nearly twenty million
connections q day, am1un ing 70
SIX and half billion connection
year: the plant additions we
over $2S.00N. 900. with nearly for
ty-fiYe miliien dollars applied out !
OF revenue to maintenance and re- |
construction purposes, with the re-
suit that the plant has steadily |
become more permanent
The gross revenue collected
from the public for telephone ser
vice by the Bell system not in
Guiding the connected independeni |
companies, was $15e.000.0o0, an |
increase Of nearly twelve millions. i
and $f5.000.000 or ns lrly one
third Of the whole w's approp-
rated for current rrplHs. main
tcnanco and depreciation. The
surplus available for eherges and
50 forth was A43,j00,Oo0 Il which
,wenty-four million were paid in
dividends. The net Obligations IN
The hands Of the pubic were 1904
000,000 while the companies prop
erty amounted TO &6t2, SOC odQa-
an excess Of 1913 100000 or I per
cent. Of property above liabilities.
without any account being taken
of franchises. contracts. puf anrSa
righ'e Of way Of er ens vatnes-a i, !.
which would now be difficult t1f
obtain at any price.
IT was announced tha the bus
mess of the Western Electric Co
showed an Improvement Of 49,
100000 in net, and the manufac-
turing operations are being con-
centrated at Hawthorne as fast as
possible.
The American Telephone and
Telegraph Company taken by it.
self had q net revenue Of over
$30.000,000 and after the pay
ment of interest and dividends.
the balance $6.059.112.SS shows
an increase, Notwithstanding the
'arge increase in dividends due to
the exchange Of convertible bonds
for shares. While there is not in
contemplation any large financ-
ing, it is recommended that the
authorized capital stock be in
creased from 5000, 100000 to $500,
100000 in order to be forehand-
ed, although it is stated that none
Of this increase will be needed
during the current year for ordi-
nary capital expenditures
The relation between the tele-
graph and the telephone and the
Obligations Of the company to the
public CONSEQUENT upon taking
over a substantial interest in the
Western Union Telegraph Com
pany are explained at some length
Briefly stated. it is mainta ned
that the two services are supple
mental or auxiliary to one another
rather than competitive.
Telegraphy eliminates time of
transit Of correspondence, by the
electrical Transmission of the text
from the Office Of origin to the
office of destination, but it is in
in that The meth3ds of !
collection and delivery are slow !
md primitive. II
Telephony eliminates distance by
placing parties at distant points
n direct personal cpn,municati9n
with each other. but tie expense
prohibits its use for the transmits
ZION Of written MESA ges over long !
fcfaucpo