Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1914 — MONTICELLO ALSO HAVING TROUBLE [ARTICLE]

MONTICELLO ALSO HAVING TROUBLE

Thad Hanaway and His Telephone Company in Bad With the Business People and Farmers. Two or three years ago the Montieello -telephone, company, -which is managed by Thad Hanaway, secured an increase of rates. Residence and fhrms paid $1.50 and business houses paid $2.50 p» month. A number of farmers withdrew and later secured connection with the Monon and other exchanges. This attracted their business to other towns. Monti&ello businessmen felt the loss of trade and recently started an agitation about the telephone rates. A public meeting was held Saturday night and it is reported that several were very outspoken and' threatened a general boycott of the Hanaway system unless he made concessions and again adopted the dollar telephone rate. It is said that Hanaway has become very obstinate in his management and has charged country subscribers a 10-cent toll for all calls after 9 o’clock at night, and also indulged in other practices that have incensed the people and made them a unit in the demand that the old rates be restored. It is not improbable that Monticello will adopt the same plan that Rensselaer is to take up, namely, municipal ownership in town, and mutual ownership in the country.