The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1914-12-11
THETiE.L.EPHoNE MERGER

The Chamber of Commerce succeed
ed by its protest to tho public Ser
Wee Commission in preventing tho
seensoIidated Telephone Company
from Increasing its rates $500 per
yerr,sor In other words the subscrib.
ass will be given the benefit OF tho
200 on account as before although
theEcompany will be permitted to col.
iect its rentals monthly instead Of
quarterly
Some interesting facts were devel.
npeda the meeting last night. Cen
cal manager J. Walter Barnesr Of
the Consolidated company, was pres.
enf eand was asked II 1t was true that
the Consolidated company was con-
strotIed or owned by the Bell Tele.
phone company but he stated that
Re did not know, that as far as no
had been informed that such was not
tho case; but that the Consolidated
stock; or q very large proportion of
10 wassowned by the Ohio capitalists.
The internal differences between the
SstGckholders of the Consolidated Com.
spanys arising from the organization
az the National Telephone Company
BY John IA. Howard, Of Wheeling,
tilIew he Company into the hands Of
tie coaHss by which 1t was not sold
and itsf05nership since that time has
been very much in doubt.
From the Information given by Nj.
Parnessit was learned that the people
Ds Huntington and Charleston, had
been ableSto eliminate one OF their
phone services but under what terms
Ssas not stated. It: was also stated
thot the Consolidated Company had
approximately 400 phones in use in
ffatrmont and that the Bell has about
1fG0, but in many other cities and
towns in the northern section OF the
state the Bell phones are negligible
Gnanity. IniWeston, for instance, the
CONSOLIDATED Company has about 500
phones while the Bell has about 1000
Ia Parkersburg, B%uckhannon and
many other places the Consolidated
Company has a greater number of
Sspsfunes inrabout the same ratio as
IL Weston. The advantage in cost
of long distance charge tolls for com
1lunication with CIarksburg. Grafton
end other towns this service is free
cTer the Consolidated lines to sub.
scIibers. It was also shown that the
Consolidated Company had a rate OF
$4,000 1t Buckhannon with the service
free to subscribers over a very large
district extending over several coun-
ties while the Bell rate in the same
fcwn was $500.
Anymerger that might be perfected
must be made by an agreement be-
Eweensthe two companies, If they are
end such an agreement is not very
Hkelyato be made by them. The Con
10 %solidated property is one of great
magnitude and holding as 1t does q
greater number Of phones in the or
them section of the state it would
not surrender its business to the Boil
company under circumstances adya1,
tageoussto3 Boil company and the
Bell being a great organization and
seeking to- extend rather than to cur
tail It's operations would not YER
likely want to give its holdings in any
community over to another company
from the fact that its local lines, no
pattershow small are feeders for its
long distance lines, in which service
it e1cels.
The Public Service Commission is
now making an Investigation as to
telephone rates and practices general
u oyer the state and the differences
d rates shows that the Commission