Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1921-01-21
Inland Telephone Company at Fault
Saw Farmers-Faulty Farmer
Lines Cause the Trouble,
Says Manager Ruth

II TO blame, say the farmers or the
Evansville district. 'The farmers
themselves are at fault" says Man
ager ]. c. Ruth of the telephone
company. Plenty of opportunity
there for argument, and the scrap
is on. It's up to a committee from
the chamber of commerce, including
DR.. e. A. Archer, D. F. Staley and
W. C. Kruegel, to pour oil on the
disturbed waters, and nobody envies
the committeeman their task.
The whole situation took definite
shape at the chamber of commerce
meeting last Tuesday, when J. H. T..
Smith, secretary of the Evansville
Telephone association, asked the ap-
pointment of committee from the
chamber of commerce to cooperate
ing steps to improve the alleged poor
service given the Evansville farm
ers by the Inland Telephone COM
pany Mr. Smith stated that meet
ing of the Evansville association,
which maintains the telephone lines
from the rural district to the city
limits. where they connect with the
local system, was held last Saturday
at which it was decided that definite
and drastic action must be taken at
once to secure adequate telephone
service for the farmers.
1--WE have no service" said Mr..
Smith, land if we can't get it from
the company we must take other
steps. Many farmers east can con-
meet with the Moscow exchange,
60 through Colfax, but we in Ewarts-
vile section must take our medicine
in the form of a service through the
Inland company that is next to
worthless"
Mr., Smith was supported in his
contentious that the service is de-
plorable by c. S. Vollmer, who cited
several cases to prove his point
In answer Manager j. C. Ruth of
the telephone company took the
viewpoint that the greater part of
the trouble experienced by the farm
ers OF the Evansville district is
| their own fault, through defects in
their own lines and not at his office.
he courted the proposed investiga-
ton but urged that the committee
De instructed to make it a complete
one, including the Evansville lines
as well as his own system He called
attention to one case in which he
was blamed for the inability of the
farmers to get central" in which
investigation disclosed that at one
point farmer had moved the rural
INES, and had tied three of them
oeether to barbed wire fence.
Ahother time, he said, a farmer had
grounded his wires in such a way
as TO throw out the entire line. and
ne was blamed. Tell your commit
'ee 10 lind out the why of the poor
service he said, and presented a
motion to the effect that the com
mi'tee be empowered to investigate
the farm lines.
manager Ruth mentioned the AL
nun situation, where a number of
farmers are on the verge of associat-
e with the Colfax exchange. claim
rs poor service through Pullman.
anu stated that this agitation has
zen prevalent since 1911. He said
"' -FOUR different times after they
"ere connected with Pullman recent
tne Albion connections were dis
~ oeu by some unknown person.
o"ihg the system into a turmoil
causing unwaranted trouble and
pehse Tor the Pullman comnany.
ot ~ as to his impression
ne local service, of which much
pa4i has been made, Manager
n stated that 'it is as good or
: II !. 'nan most towns of the state.
49,, sometimes slow. but YOU
h.as, put on enough operators to
tion inc business to the satisfac-
| bio VI :. the public when there is a
mr. sorority fete going on, or a fire
VI athletic game"
To ~ Z. A. Archer called attention
lng o., alleged long delays in answer
ce0, salis' citing the case of the re-
He c,a,. winch destroyed his garage
attama. ,ned that Mrs. Archer, who
trail , TO put in the call to CEN
hsy. 'or the fire department. could
run down town and notified