Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1909 — ACTION NOT URGENT; FRANCHISE CAN WAIT [ARTICLE]

ACTION NOT URGENT; FRANCHISE CAN WAIT

Every Citizen Seems to Agree With the Republican that the Telephone Franchise Should be Def erred

The opinion expressed by the Republican Wednesday evening that action on the franchise asked for the Jasper County Telephone Co. should not be taken at the special meeting last night, seems to meet the approval of all citizens except those who are directly interested in the telephone company. The case is not urgent and the service the telephone company is now rendering is very fair and as the present franchise has almost four years yet to run this franchise could be held uj> for some time and no one suffer injury. We believe the people are demanding this course. We believe that 90 per cent of the people of Rensselaer will urge a delay in action until, the people find out more about the business and its possibllltise and have an opportunity to make a comparison of the rate asked here with the rates paid at other places. Here is a list of questions that should be answered from other points and the people made familiar with the answers before Rensselaer fastens itself up with a long-term franchise. What Is the business phone rental in other cities? What is the residence phone rental in other cities? When was the franchise! granted? For what term of years? Does the company give free connections with all country lines connected with the central system? What rental do the country line subscribers pay? Are they entitled to free connections with] all phones on the city exchange and with all other country lines connected with the city exchange? Does the plant in the town or city have full metallic service with automatic ringing phones? _ What is the cost of a modern switch-board for a metallic system of 500 to 800 phones?

What Is the average operating expense per phone on systems similar to Rensselaer? How much would it cost to replace the present Rensselaer system with a new and modern equipment? Would it cost $15,000, or could it be done for $8,000? The Republican, has been indulging in some figures based on the claim that it will take $15,000 to install a new metallic system with automatic ringing phones and a new switch board. Oh the basis of 500 phones at an increase of 50 cents a month per phone the company would have a monthly Increased revenue of $250 or an annual increase of $3,000, which is 20 per cent on the increased investment It is claimed by some men versed in the telephone business that the new system would not cost more than slo,ooo,in which case the interest provldedl by the increase would be 30 per cent, and in less than four years the increase would pay for the new system. All these things should be considered and the council should not bind the city up for a term of twenty years with a franchise that would be. a hardship to the people of this city. With the remarkable strides that are being made in electrical appliances it is hard to tall what may transpire within the next few years. By that - time every person may be able to have a wireless system that will permit him to talk to Oshkosh or San Antonio. But all of these things are matters that may be discussed later. What is mainly essential is that the matter carry over to a later date. And another important thing is that the franchise if granted at all should by drawn up by Attorney George A. Williams, the city attorney, and not by the telephone company.