Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1912-08-24
CITY, COUNTY and STATECOUNTY DEMOCRACY
Official, Political and General News from the
Different Public Offices of Public interest

its to suit the Bell Telephone, which
owns them, If Chicago people were
not pressed for little more coin and
their telephone rates raised.
Because the local telephone com.
pany has increased its capital stock
from the original $500,OOO to $27,000,.
600 and S5,00O,O00 more in bonds.
Because the stockholders would not
get big enough dividends on this i'm.
mense stock issue if the people of Chi.
cago were not squeezed.
Therefore the telephone company
has the nerve to ask the City Council
to raise the rates on the people Of
Chicago.
The people of Chicago are to be
used as serfs by the Telephone Mon.
opoly and the last drop is to be
squeezed out Of them.
In the meantime 1t would be well
for the aldermen to inquire into the
alleged relations, in the past, Of Ger.
tain city officials with the above elec-
trical company, the twin Of the local
telephone company, both being owned
by the Bell Monopoly.
The telephone gang want the coun.
Gil to raise the rates on all phones.
To abolish all fat phones and make
everybody take measured service.
To put nickel in every phone be.
fore connection is made.
Fire Marshal Seyferlich asserted
that as practically one.half Of the fire
and police alarms are received by tele.
phone, he did not favor the general
installation of the "pay.in.advance"
type Of telephone instrument now be.
ing placed in various parts Of the city
by the telephone company.
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 It's money and the people,
are like SO many serfs to be used at
its own beck and call.
The rising tide Of indignation will
never subside until the whole Tele.
phone Trust and its aides and abettors
are punished.
The Telephone Monopoly obliges
the users Of nickel phones to guaran.
tee s cents per day. II the monthly
deposit of nickels falls short Of the
guarantee the company makes the
phone renter pay the difference. II
there should happen to be an excess
OF nickels the company gobbles them
all. The phone renter gets no credit
for that excess. That's the logic Of
the monopoly.
The telephone trust 10 the most
grinding Of the many trusts that exist
in the United States.
Il snuffs out competition By the
power Of it, money and the people
are like 20 many serfs 70 bo used at
it, own beck and call.
The rising tide Of indignation will
never subsids until the whole tsls.
phone trust and it, aides and absttors
are punished.
Charles +. 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.G General regarding the alleged
Bell telephone monopoly.
Telephone rates are entirely too
high In Chicago. The Aldermen have
q chance to lower them. VIII they
do It?
Il II reported that an investigation
national In it, scope. 10 being carried
on by the forces Of Attorney. General
Wickersham looking to the nling Of
proceedings for the dissolution Of the
alleged trust. An exhaustive investi.
cation has been going on In Chicago.
It is said. Of the operations Of the Bell
syndicate alleged to be In violation Of
the Sherman law.
"You have been West Il 10 under.
stood for the purpose OF getting data
bearing ON tho alleged telephone
trust. have you notf" Dswoody was
asked.
"That 10 . matter that I cannot
possibly discuss. There u nothing
that we can announce regarding any
such investigation" was the reply.
The enormous dividends paid to its
stockholders by the Telephone Trust
are wrung from the pockets Of the
people by excessive telephone charges.
Telephone rates must be reduced
and in time they will be.
The fact that one city council will
barter away the peoples rights is no
reason why succeeding councils should
do the same.
The fight for cheaper telephone
service will go on until 1t is won.
~
A telephone company that pays
eight per cent dividends on twenty.
nine millions Of stock Is making too
much money. The people are paying
too much for telephone service.
~
The telephone trust contemplates