American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1915-03-27
People Revolt Against
Raising Telephone Rates
Telephone Users Demand Contlnu.
ance Of Free Service Between
Towns Of Alpine Stake and Threat.
en- TO Install Independent Service
II Their Demands are Denied.


Resolved that we instruct the COM
mittee to demand Of the Mountain
States Telephone and Telegraph Co.,
that the present minimum rate Of
Sl75 for residence telephones be
maintained, that the present free SER
vice between the towns in this end
of Utah County be maintained and
that the free service be extended TO
Provo city be requested, also that we
hereby agree to stand back Of the
demands made by the committee, even
to the removing Of our telephones.
The above resolution was passed
unanimously by eighty-seven tele.
phone users at meeting held In the
Assembly Rooms last Saturday even
ing. The committee referred to con-
sists of Dr. II. C. Holbrook.. Edward
Southwick. A. j. Evans. James II.
Gardner. J. E. Cotter, Enoch Russon
and Thomas TrinniHan. They met
afterwards and sub-divided their
work, so that one member will look
after one of each Of the following
towns: American Fork. Pleasant
Grove, Provo. Springville, Spanish
Fork, and Payson. In an endeavor to
get the support in crystalizing q senti-
ment for installing mutual county
telephone exchange to be owned by
the telephone users. provided that the
Bell Telephone Co. carries out its an
nounced policy.
Prior to the passage OF the resolu-
ton and the election of the commit
tee. DR.. Holbrook was elected chair
man of the meeting and q. A. Coates
secretary, Edward Southwick made
an extended talk showing the gradual
raise In rates, and explained what
other communities were doing re-
garding the installation of their own
systems. He stated that Bear River
Valley, Manti and other cities In the
state owned their own systems ind
were paying good dividends at much
lower rental than Lehi was paying.
A. J. Jones. James II. Gardner and
others made remarks along similar
lines and the sentiment OF all present
seemed to be In harmony with the
speakers,
Messers Hyde. Jones and Osborne,
representing Salt Lake City, Provo
and the American Fork offices, were
present and endeavored to make an
explanation Of the proposed changes
in the rates and the disseminating
OF the free inter-town service They
were not permitted to talk. however,
until after the business OF hte meet.
ing was transacted, when Mr.. Hyde
explained that the discontinuance OF
the si75 residence rate was not o
raise. Heretofore there has been
much trouble and complaint from thu
people on the four party lines be-
cause OF grounded conditions which
could not be remedied. For this
reason the company has decided 10
use only single and two party lines
charging $2,25 and $500 per montl
therefore, the same old rates Re
garding the cutting out of the free
service between the towns. Mr.. Hyd,
said that the lines between these
/. towns were being used so much fol
gossip that II often interfered with
the toll service with Salt Lake City
, The Company was disseminating tn,
free service between all the town,
where another exchange had to b.
used He said that his Company hat
recently sp mt $4,000 In rebuilding
he l.ehi exchange which was one o
h he best in existence
The meeting 10 the all absorb,
4 talk this week and when the com
mittee reports its findings one WEE
from tonight, no doubt the size OF IN
meeting will be doubled,