Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-21
THIRTEEN MILLION
NILES of WIRE
NOW IN USE
Nearly Eight Billion Mes.
sages Sent Annually Says
Report Of Vast Bell Phone
System for 1911.

The growth Of the Bell system, is
broader usefulness and resulting
prosperity, are shown In the annual
report OF the American Telephone and
Telegraph company FOR 1911. by the
financial statement and other compar-
ativo statistics.
In addition 60 this usual informa-
tion. President Vail has made very
comprehensive statement OF the poll
ity of the company both IN the man
agoment OF It's business and In IFS re-
iations 10 the public.
The growth OF the systom is lndl-
Gated By an increase OF 74s,906 In
the number OF stations. making a to-
tai at the end OF the year OF 6.632,-
cas-. Of which 2,i5S,454 are operated
by connecting companies.
The Bell toll inlos nov reach 70.-
600 places. which Is 5000 more than
the number of post Offices and 10000
more than the number Of railroad
stations in the United states. The
total wire mileage has been increased
90 nearly i5,O0O,600 miles OF which
over half Is underground. ana tho
new f0-mlle subway between Boston
and Washington has been completed
except FOR the drawing OF some OF
the cable
The trafilc over the Boil limos shows
daily average OF 2t,i2s,O0O, or at the
rate OF 7.77O.O00.OOO connections a
year.
Comparison OF the total telephone
telegraph and flrst-class mail traffic
OF the United States and Of Europe
shows that telephone conversations
are 5s per cent of the whole In the
United states ana only 20 per cent
la Europe
1hcro was spent In plant additions
s5.G5O.73s, as against s53.5S2,S00 ths
year before. Estimates FOR the cur
rent year are sse,000.OO0. There wa'
applied to maintenance and recon
struclion during the year t5S,S40,000
making q total provision for the last
nine years OF g342.s0O.000.
Mr. Vain explains the company.
policy In this regard, showing tina
SUFFICIENT appropriations are made q
keep the plant at the highest posi-
bic efficiency.
In order that there may be no mis-
understanding rs 20 the conseryafiv,
policy Of the company ia regard q
returns and reserves. Mr.. Vail makel
the following stntomont:
Except where la the extension q
business extraordinary RISKS are takef
which entitle them Go some extra pro
nc In consideration OF such risks, o.
the net returns have not been SUN
Client 90 make an adequate return, q
any, On the capital, the American
Telephone aud Telegraph c0mpan,
and associated utilities controlled bs
u are and win be satisfied with rea.
aonaplo average returns on their out
standing obligations which compared
with other business Investment
should be about s per cent and wit
not expect or encourage any cxpecta'
tion of more than this and Ia thOas
excepted Instances above referred TO
they viii Oniy ask for that reasonable
return which any equitable commits
sion or court would award them
He says further.
''The only sound conclusion thai
can DO reached after fun consldera.
tlon OF ala tho various phases and fac
tors OF the problem is, that ample re-.
serves should be provided 20 mee
not only probable happenings, and
that such reserves should be so IN
vested that whatever increment o.
revenue Is 10 be derived from tbs
amounts unoxpendod or not used fol
the purposes intended will so 90 th'
public IN reduction OF charges for o.
IN Improvement OF service. ana ina