The Detroit times., 1913-07-24
Won Schlegell Gives This AS One
Reason For Poor Service
In Detroit
LINES CONSTANTLY
CROWDED, HE SAYS
Local Manager Faces Angry Sub
scribers in Probe BY Council
Committee

I this is one big reason why the service
is poor, according 10 Arthur Won
Schlegell, general manager OF the
X Michigan State Telephone g.
Mr.. Won Schlege. appeared before
the council committee OH public utlil
N ties In the first public meeting, We'd
Nesday morning, 10 receive complaint
against the telephone service, and ~
tempted to explain how and why 1t is
8 that the company does not give be-
ter sSNvice.
ASSSrding 10 his statistics, Detroit
is the fifth city in the United states
!, In total number OF telephones, While
4 ranking eleventh in population IN
number of gross telephone calls De-
froit ranks third, behind New York
and Chicago. But in the number OF
calls per day per telephone. Detroit
ranks as the first city in the woriu,
showing conclusively that the people
n In this city do heap OF talking, and
much OF 1t over the telephones.
1--WE have not had a solicitor out tor
new business in the last three years,
because tire commercial growth OF the
& city has been so rapid that we nave
had all We could do 10 take care or
4 our patrons" said Mr.. Won Schlegell.
FIFTY per cent OF the people in De-
troit are using party lines, or what
we call cheaper service. Only three
other cities in the country have more
party lines The private exchange de-
velopment in the business sections OF
the city has also been slow, only about
\ l5 per cent in comparison with 70
and 80 per cent growth in other cities.
& This means that the great load OF
business calls falls upon the company
4 instead OF being handled by private
exchanges. The business men are not
spen& 3pg enough money for telephone
servfk in this respect.
'InylRi3 we built a system to keep
abreaSf the growth of the city and
provide Wfs 5000 additional tele-
nhones. INTO July |, we had in
stalled 800 knew telephones. thou
sands more than We had expected to-
Durine- May the company changed
(. 4. 5OO-~telephones for the migratory
/ class.-.The exceptionally rapid growth
q OF the city and the great demands
made upon the Telephone system here
I IL re6ponsible for a number of com
plairits. Severe storms often inter
\ rupt the service, causing the subscrib-
ars considerable annoyance that can
not be halped Also, our telephone d.
rectof IS grown 10 enormous pro
4 port Riben the new directory is
n out U NJ mooth ont number of
the .Alse calls that people are now
comr lining about.
w IRE both proud and sorry that
Detr) Is the biggest telephone city
in thu world.
The local exchange employs
!. girls and over 80 per cent of them
live az home With their parents We
invite people to come and inspect our
telephone system. We are always
readyAto listen TO complaints and do
what we can TO remedy them.
Manager Won Schlegell made the
sboye@.statement IN answer to a
series.of violent attacks made on the
ROTTEN service and alleged poor
MANAGEMENT OF the local office by
about so Disguised subscribers pres
ent In the meeting.
AID. John c. Lodge, chairman or
the committee. opened the meeting
by inviting Aid Barnett. whose reso-
luton TO the common council two
months ago resulted in the investiga-
ton, to furnish some proof of the
''intolerable" service, admitting that
everybody was aware of the "exas-
perating" service.
Barnett replied by denouncing the
service as absolutely rotten and
suggesting that the prosecuting at
torney be summoned before the
committee to read aff1davits he has
(, in his possession, which might throw
>>6Ome light on the reason for the poor
service The alderman said he had
Information that the prosecuting at
torney collected the affdavits several
months ago
IL also would like this committee
!. TO Investigate and find out Why GER
>tain officials of this city have tele-
ybhones In their homes and get re-
ceipted bills without paying a cent to
the company" said Barnett. He gave
the chairman of the committee the
I name OF J. b. Munsell, an attorney.
formerly employed by the company,
who has records TO show, Barnett
claimed, that certain city officials
have been getting free telephone SER
vice from the company.
Joseph Lougheed. clerk OF the coun-
ell committee, read number OF COM
plants against the telephone service
Some of the complaints were amusing
while others were pathetic.
Chairman Lodge then gave those
present an opportunity to be heard In.
dividually
Frank Hamburger a manufacturer,
& No. 135 Jefferson-aye., said he left his
list OF grievances in his Office, but he
4 recited from memory several in.
stances- where he was obliged 10 wait
from 20 minptes to two hours to get
PARTED. on the telephone
Edward Greco, attorney, told the
y committed. that the reason Che COM
pany Bse' him poor service was. pos.
nibly. because he had been SO active
81 frog6ff several Legislative meas
ures eoataronistic TO the telephone
company .a-....- ..--.s.-.---a-..-
Mrs- George Stubbs. No. go Ferdi.
nand-aye.. objected 10 having her
y home called In mistake for an I'm.
K. Aertakipe parlor, and foundry.
AID. Joseph Schemansky declared
\ that ne, was unable 10 call doctor
4 ~ me tk1epbone when bis wife was
/. rr1Xnoiy iIiZ Another man told Of
(. 1ol1lnx the telephone number OF IA
4: 1~sf6rp without a single reply when
<'K1~ child MAS very III c. n. TAYLOR
n ~ 1ruros 10 show that In the two
c~nn nrior to last Saturday he had
[~- 49,. - - ii,