Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1912-08-03

Penny telephones are to be sstab-
llshed in Detroit and there II no good
reason why they should not be sstab.
l!she' n Chicago. The following
dispatch from Detroit explains itself:
Reduction Of local telephone rates
so per cent for the average user.
elimination Of the distinction between
residences and business telephones
and the establishment Of rate Of
$3.50 per month and 1 cent each for
outgoing messages In excess OF 200
per month on single party lines. with
no limit on incoming calls are pro-
vided for In an ordnance, on which
Q common council committee began
hearings"
From q learned "nhpoet's" reports
10 the City Council ws isarn thaG:
Telephone rates should - raisel
because the Bell Telephone COMPANY
owns the local telephone company.
Because the Western Electrical
Company IL also owned BY the Bell
Telephone Company.
Because the local telephone CON
pany u obliged 70 buy Ill Of it, equip
ment and necesoarieo from the West
srn Electrical Company.
Because neither the western Dloe
trical Company or the local telephoae
company would have big enough prof.
it, to suit the Boil Telephone. which
owns them. II Chicago people wers
not pressed for little more coin aAa
their telephone rates raised.
Because the local telephone com
pany has increased IL capital 0teeh
from the original 100000 b 17y0oo..
900 and e5,oo0.000 more In bonds.
Because the stockholdere would aot
get big enough Aividsads o. tAis IN
msnse stock issue n The people q Oh
caso were not squeesed.
Therefore the telephone company
has the nerve 70 ask the City Council
to raise the rates on the people Of
Chicago.
The people Of Chicago srs 70 bs ussl
% serfs by the telephone moeoply anl
the last drop 10 - - sQuesoed eas q
them.
In the meantime Il would 10 Ven -
the aldermen 70 inquire into ne ~
legged relations. IN the past q eertAi1
city omcials with the above electrical
company, the twin q tAe local ~
phone company, beth being ew1e1 by
the Bell monopoly.
The telephone gang want tAo 0o1A
oil to raise the rates On Ill phoass.
To put Q nickel In every Dhono ~
fore connection 10 made.
Fire Marshal eeyfsrlieA asseste1
that % practically one-half Of TIE lre
and police alarms are received by tele
phone. hs did not favor the gsnesN
installation OF the "pay4n-alvaAeer
type Of telephone instrumsnt now -
ins placed IN various parts q he ~
By The telephone company.
To abolish ell Aat phones and 0ake
everybody takes measured service.
The telephone trust 10 the most
grinding Of the many trusts that exist
In the United States.
II snuns out competition BY the
power OF its money and the people
are like 20 many serfs TO be used at
it, own beck and call.
The rising tide OF indignation will
never subside until the whole tsls-
phone trust and its aides and absttors
are punished.
Charles F. DeWoody. division super.
intendent In the Department OF JUS
tice secret service. returned from .
trip ON which It 10 reported he has
been gathering information for the At
torney.General regarding the alleged
Bell telephone monopoly.
It Is reported that an investigation
national in its scope. 10 being carried
on by the forces of Attorney General
Wickersham looking to the Aling Of
proceedings for the dissolution Of the
alleged trust. An exhaustive investi
cation has been going ON In Chicago
1t Is said, of the operations OF the Bel
syndicate alleged to be In violation oi
the Sherman law.
"You have been West It 10 under
stood for the purpose Of getting dats
bearing on the alleged telephone
trust, have you notf" DsWoody wal
asked.
THAT is q matter that I cannot
possibly discuss. There II nothing
that we can announce regarding any
such Investigation" was the reply.
The enormous dividends paid to 1T
stockholders by the Telephone Trus
are wrung from the pockets OF th'
people by excessive telephone charges
Telephone rates must be reduces
and In time they will be.
The fact that one city council will
barter away the peoples rights is NJ
reason why succeeding councils shoul'
do the same.
The fight for cheaper telephone
service will 60 on until 1t 10 won.
u Telephone rates are entirely tol