Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-27
PHONE SUBSCRIBERS
FIGHT HIGH RATES.
Plans to Secure Reduction Out
lined at Indignation Meeting
in South Orange.

AT an indignation meeting last
night in the South Orange Village
Hall about thirty-five telephone sub
scribers in South Orange, supported
by the public utility committee of the
village Board of Trustees charged the
New York Telephone Company with
violating its franchise in South Or
ange by demanding rates which are
sad 10 be in excess of other mu-
inequalities with as great or greater
population. That the company has
contract with the village and must
i've up to it's terms was the sense of
the meeting, which appointed Health
commissioner j. Budd Smith, George
ii. Becker and Ira I. Redfern to take
Up the matter with the public utility
committee in an effort to force the
telephone concern to lower its rates.
CHARLES l. Beck acted as chairman
of the meeting and A. II. Bataille as
secretary. Edward a. Marks is chair
man of the public utility committee.
Chairman Beck stated that the
telephone rates We're higher in South
Orange than BelleVille, which is larg-
er than South Orange He said that
according to the franchise granted to
the company the rates in South
arrange We're to be no higher than in
nv municipality in the State which
haG as large a population or larger.
Lower in BeiIeviIle.
1t was shown that the rates in
Belleville We're considerably lower. as
follows: Direct wire for business men
-Belleville SIS, South Orange $50:
-party-Belleville 1886. South Or
ange $iS; four party-Belleville $780,
South Orange $50.
Residence phone direct wire, Belle
vile $3.50, South Orange $4S; two
party-Bellaville $50. South Orange
$50; four party-Belleville $24, South
Orange $50
Assemblyman e. Morgan Barra-
dale, representing Engineer Redfern,
said that the Legislature last
month had ordered an investigation
into the telephone rates in the State.
He declared that in the lower part of
the State the rates were lower be-
cause the telephone company had a
competitor in the Keystone Telephone
Company.
No Competition Here.
In this section, however, there was
but one company which had a mon
opoly. He said the company had not
lived up to its agreement with South
the rate for a residence telephone was
but $24, as against $50 in South
Orange
Remarks condemning the course of
the telephone company were made by
DIR. Edward T. Taylor, G. II. Becker,
DIR. George e. Adams, j. B. Smith,
w. II. Evans, William Rockefeller
and Philip l.. Small.
Mr. Evans charged that the tele-
phone company had hoodwinked the
people of South Orange, told them
stories that Weer untrue and mis-
represented conditions in general.
They have succeeded in having a
greater part of the business men sign
a contract which are nothing short
of an imposition. He concluded by
asserting that South Orange subscrib-
ers do not want to be rogued out of
their money.
Village Clerk NJ. A. Fitzsimmons
told of how the village had won in
previous fights for lower phone rates.
Trustee Marks read an opinion from
illage Counsel Adrian Riller in sup
port of the subscribers contentious.
Other telephone subscribers who at
tended the meeting included Village
Trustees Frederick j. Lovatt and
Lawrence A. Norton. who are men,
bers of the public utility committee;
]. Frank Parmley, Halsey Drake
Tom G. Watkins. j. Ludlow Kitchell
Samuel y. Tillou. Andrew /. Nc
Donald. Joseph Tracey. Arthur K
Reeve Richard S. Farrell. John J.
Bowe Hoyt II. Tucker George H.
Becker Homer A. Kilburn and
Charles Z. Colley.