Telephone Competition in the Middle West and Its Lessons for New England (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV Competition in Eoleoo The promotion and development of the independent telephone company of Toledo, called the Home Company, seems to have been little, if at all, adulterated with any desire to serve the public at fair rates. But in Toledo, as in Indianapolis, there was occasion and excuse for invasion by a competitive company. The old Bell Company had business rates of $72, and residence rates of $48, with but a small exchange of about 4,400 subscribers. The service rendered even in this small exchange is said not to have been good. But the remedy sought for this disease is a very costly remedy. On July 12th, 1901, the Home Company got from the Probate Court a franchise for a new company. One of the stipulations in this franchise was that the net rate for a single party business line should not exceed $40, and for a single party residence line, $24. The franchise also contained a provision that the company should connect its lines as far as possible with any and all lines and systems outside the City of Toledo in the states of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, on reasonable terms and without discrimination, "provided that the owners of such outside lines desiring such connection as aforesaid shall agree as a condition of such connection to furnish first class service and to receive and transmit on like terms all messages of the Toledo Home Telephone Company, its successors or assigns." Curiously enough, along with this provision requiring the new company to connect up with telephone systems outside the city of Toledo (thus recognizing that telephony is intercommunication) is another provision to the effect that the company should not assign or sell, directly or indirectly, to any competing telephone system operating in the city of Toledo, under pena...