The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-03-20
TREMENDOUS GROWTH
Of TELEPHONE SYSTEM
COOKING EXPANSION HAS
MADE SYSTEM IN U. S. ONE
OF WORLDS GIANTS.
NEARLY $2,OOO,OOO,OOO SPENT
Fourteen Million Phones in Use, and
az Million Connections Are Made
Daily. Income, After All Charges
And Taxes, Was $66,170,428.

And Taxes, Was $66,17o,428.
CHICAGO, Ill.-"The ron Is ] Of
.bs telephone" might be the rfsstll
.cribed on the annual report of the
ReIl system, which represents the
business of the American Telephone
and Telegraph and associated COM
oanies. Intermingled with the usual
6c,res of a financial statement runs a
vein OF comment that links up with
the marvellous growth that has made
America the industrial giant OF the
world. -
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company has the largest number OF
stockholders and the widest distribu-
ton of ownership" the report states.
@On December 31st the number of
stockholders was 248,925, an increase
during the year of 62,583, the largest
increase in a year in the history OF
the company. The average. number OF
Shares held is %. Approximately 49,
Zoo Of the stockholders of record are
EMPLOYEES of the Bell system.
There were 14,050,565 telephones
in the Bell system at the end of the
wear. an increase of 100000 during the
wear, The number of connections made
daiIv was over 38,000,000. Miles Of
wire connecting the Bell-owned sta
tons increased to over 30,OOO,0OO, OF
which nearly 100000 miles are I'M
derground.
Big Demand Last Year.
Last year was marked by a sensa-
tional demand in many sections for
telephone service. Telephone rates
have not advanced in ratio with indi-
yidual incomes, hence rates are rela-
lively lower than formerly. More peo-
pie can afford telephones than for
merly and this is the chief reason for
the abnormal demand. During 192Z
over 100000 stations were added to
the system, a larger increase than IN
any preceding year. Something csef
100000 stations are now connected
with the system. Many Improvements
in apparatus and methods have been
introduced.
The program of machine switch
inc in the larger centers is going on
as planned with satisfactory results.
A continuing extension OF long dis
lance toll cables is shown. Whereas
at first one-half mile of cable would
seriously interfere with conversation,
it is now scientifically possible to hold
through 5000 miles OF
cable. which is equal in all respects
10 conversation from one room to
another in the same building:
Studies and experiments IN WIRE
less telephony have also been con-
tinued. A. series of transoceanlc eX-
periments undertaken late in the year
eliminated in continuous messages
being sent for a period OF about two
hours on January IA, which were dis
tnctlv heard in London by represent
atives of civic, scientific and CONNER
cial organizations and the press.
Plant Investment.
The investment in plant and equip
ment ON December 31st was Sl/o6,-
O0O00O More than $187,000,000 was
expended in additions to plants last
year In the three and half years
since the property was turned back
by the government more has. been
spent in plant additions than in the
10 years preceding the war.
The company now has about $780,
100000 of capital stock outstanding,
but the stockholders on March 18th
will be asked to increase the author
lied issue to $1,OOO,OO0,00O, to pro-
vide for future requirements, although
no new stock will be issued this year.
The stockholders have no cause Tor
complaint. The company's net income
for 1922, after all charges and taxes,
was 500, ,428, equivalent to Sll.l4
share on the $594,OO9,5OO average
amount of capital stock outstanding
during the year. This compares with
net income of $54,OO2,7O3, or $ll;l0 a
share on an average Of $476,477, 500
stock outstanding in 1921. After pay
ing dividends of 9 per cent last year
there was a balance of $l3,l99,l76 tor