Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-29
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

At a meeting of telephone subscribers
fheld in this ely on the 2lst Of March,
p 1881, resolutions were
Telephone adopted to the effect
Rate War. that if the proposed
which objections had been raised by the
subscribers, were persisted IN. the pro-
| testants, to the number OF SUI OF noLe'
would cease the use OF the phones on
the 1st of April. The Star Of March
| %, 1881, says:
From the spirit of the meeting held
on the subject last evening 1t IS ap-
parent that unless there is readlust-
ment of prices the present telephone
system Will soon pass largely, II not
wholly, out of use in Washington. Inc
withdrawal of something more than 800
subscribers will leave to those who re-
main so small a means Of communlca-
ton with the business circles OF the CITY
that their connection with the central
Office will be of but little service TO
them and gradually they, too, Will 1aII
on. The chief value OF the telephone
lies in the fact that those who employ
it can in an instant be placed in speak
ing connection with almost any business
house in the city. When this circle Is
diminished to about half its former pro-
portions the value of the device to those
who use 1t is reduced fully so per cent
or perhaps to an even greater extent.
The price of its use to those who retain
it should, therefore, be reduced in the
same ratio, and as this will not prob
ably be done, it is easy to see that dis
satisfaction and finally general disuSe
will follow.
while upon the subject of prices,
there is one point in connection with
that matter that has not been fully I'M
derstood here. The telephone company
has laid considerable stress on the fact
that the yearly rental in Washington is
not as large as in most, if not all, other
cities. At first sight this seems to be
just ground for credit The point which
the company has studiously kept out of
sight, however, is the material one that
the service is not as good nor worth as
much here as elsewhere. In other words,
while, as we are informed, in most cities
the number of instruments in single
circuit will not average more than two.
here the average is probably more than
double that number. The chances of
quick and efficient service are accord
ingly diminished one-half. Hence it IS
that the answer so often comes from
the central office in Washington that
that line is busy just now when a par
tlcular person Is called for. In other
places annoying delays from this cause
do not occur so frequently as here. 1t is
lower here than elsewhere. The Wash
ington subscribers pay less. but they
also get less for their money"
X x
President Garfield had hardly settled
down in his official chair 80 years ago
ocI before strife arose on
GarneId and the subject of patron
Conkling. age; ;, one OF his his early 4Sdy
of State Senator Robertson of New York
to be collector of customs at the port
of New York, one of the most valuable
offices In the Federal system. Senator
Roscoe Conkling was deeply offended by
this selection of one who was attached
to the Blaine faction of the party In
New York, and war was declared The
fight over the Robertson nomination
was one of the factors which eventually
led to Garfield'S assassination, Guiteau.
his slayer, having been enraged by this
break with the 'stalwart" group of the
Empire State. The Star of March &c.
1881, says:
According to New York papers the
talk of Conkling papers there is de-
cidedly belligerent toward the admins
tration because of the nornination of
Mr.: Robertson, of what they cal the
naf breeds, to the collectorship, The
threat Is freely made that If the PreSi-
dent does not beat a retreat from the
nomination there will be trouble ahead
Ior the administration. But it does not
appear that the wrathful ones have set
Tea upon plan c. campaign against
the WnlIe House. ara sbey are an
about it." AZ" " Se'