The Natchitoches enterprise., 1920-10-28
Atlanta, Ca, October l6, 1890.

- New Orleans. il.
Your letter Of October 18th asks very natural
question, and one which demands full and frank
reply. which am glad to make.
apparently been reduced. ;s"se ca :as IN .ress
90 rot apply to article. U.s. isy VI. ;,iIne com.
parry, or affect the ex II "s cc.e.s~y il: shs
cs;struct'on, inansenss'= ~ .c' 0. .:e
Tie si following ella. q. OF espy,..s. constitute
more than ninsty-dve pei cent Of the cost of
furnishing telephone servi;e:
Labor
More than fifty i've per cent Of the total ex-
perditures of the Company in rendering service
Tor wages and SALARIES; less ,a:, ore t.: III Of
per cent of this be:ng fur executive ard gen.
erAl salaries.
TIE wages paid to our employees cannot, and
SHOULD not, be reduced. On the contrary they
must be increased, in many cases. to bring our
wage scale on level with wage; paid by unregu-
lated businesses so that may retain our .kilIed
smp!oyes necessary to give you efficient service.
Material and Apparatus
Many items OF material and apparatus are in.
volved In the current maintenance Of the property
entirely apart rom the enormous quantities in
v0lved IN the Construction of new property, and
this represents largs item of expense. There
has been no reduction, any indication of reduc.
ton, in the price Of thesc essential articles. in
practically all Of which tn. labor, freight and haul
Ing cost is b. IT tn. largest proportion Of the
total cost.
We know TIN. he manufacturers of telephone
equipment and material have orders booked for
two years in advance, with constantly increasing
demand. and which in turn makes reduction in
price in the near future most improbable.
Freight and Passenger Costs
Our snnual expense for the transpo.tion of
freight and passengers is more than one million
dollars: No one expects the Railroads to reduce
their charges under the level of costs in rendering
their service.
Except in the larger centers our central Offices
ana stocks OF material are housed in rented build
inRs, and in the larger centers we rent vary.
ing amounts vi ."uperties.
Like everyone else, our rents have been greatly
increased, with no prospect of any reduction.
pied BY US were rene we'd only at higher charges
than for the previous rental period.
Hotels
The boa.d and lodging bill for our men. who
must travr; Il, connection with the operation and
maintenai"' ~ tie property, cs IS many thousands
OF the h" els t'y.ring their charges. Until they
90 we mra. psy tie present high charges.
Electric Power and Li6ht--
Street Car Fare
We spend many thousands of dollars every wear
!or tnese services rendered to employees engaged
IN me maintenance Of the property. Practically
have been substantially increased and there is no
thought OF any reduction. The Telephone Com
pany. like all others, must pay these increased
rates.
Paper. Printing and Stationery
we scnsums ton: Of paper for bookkeeping
thousands Of dollars for printing annually. This
ITEM o. expense has increased in percentage more
than TIE Others and no one has suggested that any
reduction in these costs is probable
Coal Bill
The Telephone Company purchases coal in large
Quantities to heat the buildings occupied by IFS
employees in rendering tho service.
We, Of course. must pay whatever price Il nec
essary to secure the eeal for this purpose.
Insurance
Even whore the actual rate per one thouaand
dollars has not been increased we are Compelled to
carry larger auount Of insurance than in pre.
war days IN order 70 protect ourselves in the re-.
production Of any Of the property which may b
destroyed by hre, and this Is reflected in verv
large increase in the total insurance bill