The Detroit times., 1910-11-29

OF the independent lines. IL mas NV
million telephones in service ana op-
crates ten million lines OF WIRE
There are fifteen thousand indepehu-
ent companies and they have nearly
four million telephones. Inc IN
declare that they are al
better shape today than ever before,
but as they occupy mainly the rural
fields. there is little room Tor turther
conflict
The stronghold OF the independent
lines "a I'm the middle west, %here
the rural telephone mas peconie
an important factor In the ne Vi lno
prosperous farmer. In many ass
the man living five or ten miles iron'
the city. or In the center OF MS own
vast fields OF wheat ana corh' NAB
found It 10 his advantage 10 CONSTRUCT
his own line to the nearest teiepnone
exchange. He has been able 10 90
this at comparatively small expense
for labor. utilizing his farm hands
during dull seasons. This independ-
ent construction policy has naturally
given an impetus TO the Independent
telephone companies and in many
cases the farmers are large STOCK
holders in the small but prosperous
exchanges.
Investment In the independent con
Germs has ben fostered by the
knowledge that every additional teie-
phone installed In the immediate
vicinity enhances the value and the
usefulness Of the entire system. The
establishment OF telephone eX-
change In neighboring city In
creases the value of all exchanges IN
that territory. Ii Is an entirely dif'
ferent proposition from that OF other
industrial enterprises, where proximi'
ty usually means competition or one
form or another. The hgnt between
the so-called monopolistic telephone
company and the independent con
Germs has been going on with vary
ing bitterness ever since the latter
entered actively into the Held. Ihere
have been many legal battles, many
accusations Of bribery OF legislatures
charges OF spy systems and OF neIar
ious and underhand warfare, and the
contest Is still in progress, but the
independents continue to grow IN
strength. The rate OF increase for
the trust" for five years has been
1877 per cent. while that for the in
dependents was 1873 per cent.
In the matter OF determining fixed
costs, the establishment or an inde
pendent company is comparatively
simple proposition. II Is easy &c
reckon the cost OF constructing q
mile line for a single telephone al
about sixty-three dollars. The life OF
q we'll constructed telephone line Is
10 years. BY using one line for sew
eral phones "a party line) the cost
Is materially reduced The only
other item Is the cost Of maintaining
and operating a switchboard This
varies anywhere from seventy-five
cents to three dollars a year, being
determined by labor conditions. rem
tails, and the number or telephones
served. 1t Is generally conceded thai
telephone line. two miles long, serv
ing a single subscriber, cannot mel
profit to the company at twenty
four dollars q year rental, but II siN
parties are on the same line the cos
can be reduced to twelve dollars 4
year. II is In the extraordinary ex
penses. such as the devastations by
storms and the lawsuits brought by
persons who have been injured by
falling poles or sagging wires, that
the element of chance plays such &
large part in the profits OF the indie
pendents. AS an attorney for tele
phone company has aptly expressed
IL, there seems to be a universal ar
finity between an intoxicated traveller
and a telegraph pole, and as a con
sequence damage suits are especially
numerous in wet states
An independent telephone enter
prize, which has been in successful
operation In Budapest for severa
years, has SO many points Of novelty
that II will probably find its way tc
America In the near future, The Bude
pest concern is operated as news
telephone and is entirely distinct from
the regular telephone service owned
by the government and operated under
the supervision OF the minister OF the
interior. The news telephone begins itS
service at g.: So In the morning, when
there is a loud buzz for 15 seconds
announcing the correct time. At .: &c
the days program of important events
Is announced, including ceremonies
concerts, lectures, plays. races, etc
Between 10 and III stock quotations
and general news items are given. Al
noon the buzzer once more announces
the correct time. At IL As parliamen
tary news and general items OF inter
est are recited. and at O'Clock there
Is more parliamentary news, as wei
as the stock quotations from Vienna
Berlin and the local exchange. At
O'Clock the closing stock prices ale
given, as well as the weather fore
cast Court proceedings and miscel
laneous news follow at 4. In the
evening the subscriber may choose be
tween sitting in his drawing room
and listening 10 the opera at the
Royal opera house, or hearing some
play. This diversion Is followed by
music furnished by one OF the tzigan'
orchestras. IL he wished he may alsC
listen TO one OF the military bands
which play in the gardens and cafes
of the city from 4:30 To $50. Fol
this service the Budapest citizen pays
$751; a year. In addition to the cos
OF installation and of removal which
is about $3.50. Each telephone Is pro
vided with two receivers. SO that {
mans wife may enjoy the same priv
leges at the same time as the head o
the house.
Quite different is this service from
that which obtains In Japan. where
there Is always a dearth of telephone