Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1912-04-27

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station, for example. is likely to ask
for the wrong number for the purpose
Of his call, for SO confusing Is the
array Of titles and numbers in the
telephone directory that It is often
difficult to decide upon the department
that is wanted. Frequently the infor.
nation bureau at a railroad station,
when appealed to, refers the inquirer
to another telephone number In the
same building. This necessitates the
payment of q second toll. Telephone
operators are careful to prevent the
second call from being made without
the payment Of second nickel.
Both the railroad companies and the
telephone company should do their
best to see that the arrangement Of
department names In the telephone d..
rectory is sufficiently clear to enable
inquirers to call the first time for
the number they really want.
The city ought to have bureau Of
complaints to which appeals for the
Improvement OF faulty conditions Of
service might be made by patrons Of
local public utility corporation.
The telephone trust is the most
grinding OF the many trusts that exist
In the United States.
It snuffs out competition BY the
power Of its money and the people
are like 20 many serfs to be used at
It's own beck and call.
The rising tide Of indignation will
never subside until the whole tele.
phone trust and It's aides and abettors
are punished.
Charles F. DeWoody, division super
lntendent In the Department Of Jus.
tlce secret service. returned from a
trip on which II Is 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 It's scope. is being carried
on by the forces Of Attorneys General
Wickersham looking to the ding 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 Bell
syndicate alleged to be In violation Of
the Sherman law.
"You have been West It Is under.
stood for the purpose of getting data
bearing on the alleged telephone
trust, have you not?" DeWoody was
asked.
"That is a matter that cannot
possibly discuss. There is nothing
that we can announce regarding any
such investigation" was the reply.
The telephone monopoly obliees tAs
users Of nickel phones to guarantee 8
cents psr day. II the monthly 6epos3t
Of nicksls falls short Of ~ guarantee
the company makes the phoae rontos
pay the difference. II there shoulA
happen TO b IN excess q niekea1 the
company gobblss them al. The phone
renter gets no credit for that excess.
That's the logic a The msno0eiy.
~HA
We take the following from page
~ Of the Report on the Causes Of
Municipal Corruption In San Fran.
cisco as disclosed by the investiga.
tions of the oliver grand Jury and the
prosecution of certain persons for
bribery and other oifenses against the
state" made by committee appoint.
ed by the mayor OF that city and pub.
lished by order Of the board Of su.
pervisors, city and county Of San
Francisco, January s. 1910:
1.-THE Pacifi Telephone and Tele.
graph Company bribed the Supervis-
ors to prevent the Home Telephone
Company OF any other organization
from obtaining q telephone franchise
In San Francisco. No attack Of any
kind on the Pacific Telephone and
Telegraph Company was threatened
by the Supervisors. and the sole pur.
pose Of the crime was to maintain q
profit which might be cut by the
competition Of business rivals. The
Supervisors were paid In all over
$4,000. The managing committee Of
the board Of directors Of the company
swors before the Grand Jury that they
did not know how the funds were
procured for the bribery"
This report was signed By william
Kent. formerly . well known alder.
man and refornsr Of Chicago and six
other members Of the committee sp-
pointed By the mayor Of San Francis.
co. Oct, -. 1908.
Telephone rates are entirely too
high In Chicago. The Aldermen have
Q chance TO lower them. win they
do IT.
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