The Cortland News, Friday, November 26, 1886.
THE BIG TELEPHONE FIGHT.
Over Seven Hundred Subscribers Shut Down Their
Instruments to Obtain Lower Rates.
ROCHESTER, NOV. 20,
1886.—The telephone service in Rochester is, for the present at least,
suspended. At noon to-day 750 subscribers out of the 900 carried their threat
of discontinuing the use of telephones into execution, and their intention was
carried out with all the care and attention of a well organized strike.
Precisely
at 12 meridian the huge foghorn on Kimball's tobacco works, which can be heard over a mile, was sounded, and the
sound was prolonged to a degree that made people on the streets who did not know
the cause of the disturbance stop and wonder what was the matter. The deep
intonation of the fog horn was the signal for steam whistles all over the city,
and these were immediately sounded in
dozens of shops and factories. The result was a genuine sensation all over the city.
No
one of the striking subscribers could plead ignorance or forgetfulness, as the
unearthly noise recalled t o the minds of all that the hour had come when a determined
stand at what Rochester people are calling the encroachments of monopoly should
be taken, and it was taken. So far as known there is not a single subscriber who
failed to carry out his agreement. The majority of them disconnected their
phones by taking out a plug or cutting a wire.
There
has been little or no telephonic service in this city this afternoon. At the
exchange all has been idleness. The score or more, of girls whose duties are to
make connections could be seen looking out of the windows and gazing at
pedestrians on the street. They did not seem to be at all unhappy, but rather
enjoying the lull in business. The
managers of the local branch were reticent as to the troubles, and would say
nothing more than they considered the fight a one-sided one, with all the
advantages on their side, and that it would be only temporary. Their argument
is that the people of Rochester cannot get along without their telephones,
and that after a few days and possibly weeks, of inconvenience resulting from
no service, they will one by one fall into line again and resume the use of
their instruments. Of course, they are sanguine from precedent, for they had
almost a similar fight with Buffalo subscribers a short time ago. In that fight
they were successful, and they of course expect the same result here.
On the
other hand, the striking subscribers take an entirely different view of the
situation and say they will stand firm until they have gained their point. All
are pledged to stand together, and for any one or more of them to yield will
mean ostracism by the rest. Many business men were loathe to agree to the
strike until they had the assurance that their business competitors would do the
same. So the canvass was conducted by lines of trade and the result was satisfactory.
The
result of the present fight is, of course, doubtful, but at all events no one
of the Bell Telephone companies ever encountered a more determined and obstinate
resistance than the Buffalo company is at present experiencing from the citizens
of Rochester. A permanent association has been formed known as the Citizens'
Telephone Association of Rochester. Dues and subscriptions are exacted, and
these funds are to be used to secure legislation, both from the city and State,
for the purpose of defining the rights and powers of all similar monopolies. Locally
they are, of course, working for themselves, but they will make a test case before
the State Legislature which will settle the matter for the whole of New York.
At present the company is
carrying on its business in Rochester illegally, for its license has been
revoked by both the City Council and Executive Board. The striking subscribers
are looking about for some other company to operate in Rochester in the event
of a long fight with the Bell people. Correspondence has been opened with
various corporations.
CORTLAND AND
VICINITY.
A
cross walk has been completed across Main street in front of the First National Bank at the head of Railroad street.
D. C.
Bliss for several days past has had on exhibition in his show window a lively specimen of opossum, sent to him by his brother in Virginia.
The
Board of Trustees elsewhere publish a notice of a meeting to take into
consideration the building or buying of a water works system. Citizens
interested should attend. [Cortland was engaged in a legal dispute with the
private Water Works Co. over rent for usage of fire hydrants—CC editor.]
The
Odd Fellows of this place have let a contract for the decoration of their rooms
to D. F. Wallace. It will probably be one of the finest decorated lodge rooms
in Central New York.
In C.
S. Strowbridge's show window this week are displayed a large number of Japanese
curiosities which were recently brought from that country by Mrs. Dr. Lanning,
of McLean.
The
Board of Supervisors took their annual feed [dinner] at the county house on
Wednesday. The resolution introduced and called up several times to do away with
this visit didn't seem to meet with hearty approval.
Mr.
Stone, Superintendant of the poor of Cortland county, extended an invitation to
the Board to visit the County Alms House, Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 12 noon. On
motion of Mr. Green, the resolution was accepted—Eighth day, Supervisors’ Proceedings.
Richard
Hounipin, who claims to work for the Hitchcock Mfg. Co., was pitched head first from a saloon on Main street
on Friday last.
A couple of aged ladies were walking down
Port Watson street last Thursday afternoon when one of them stepped on the end
of a loose board in a defective side-walk. The other tripped on the other end
and was thrown violently to the ground sustaining quite serious injuries. The
attention of the authorities had been called to the condition of this sidewalk
on several occasions, but apparently nothing had been done. Perhaps the corporation officers have forgotten
the litigation wherein one Mrs. Butler received a verdict against the village
for injuries received in a similar way.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Saturday
night of last week, as George Case, who drives the McGrawville express, was
about to cross the S. & B. track on Port Watson street he thought he heard
a car bell ring, but not until his horses were upon the track. There was no
light displayed, but Case stopped the team and pulled them quickly on their haunches,
just getting them off the track as an engine and baggage car backed past, not
two feet from the heads of the horses. There were five passengers in the wagon,
and although none were hurt they were all terribly frightened.
About
two years since steps were taken by the trustees to force the railroad company to
put gates at the crossings, and it was understood that the railroad
commissioner had succeeded in such an arrangement, but as it has not been done
it must be inferred that the attempt was unsuccessful.
ALL OUT OF GEAR.
Something certainly is wrong with the present
season. Saturday evening H. D. Light showed us a white daisy and a butter-cup
which his wife picked the day before. They were growing in his front yard on Clinton
Avenue, and had poked their way up through the snow. Sunday afternoon in Dr. F.
O. Hyatt' s yard, on South Main street, we noticed at least twenty dandelion
blossoms and they reminded us more of April than of November. Will the
"oldest inhabitant" please tell us what this is a "sign" of.
[We
sent this item on Global Warming to former Vice-President Al Gore for a
scientific explanation or comment—CC editor.]
Recommended:
The Great Telephone Strike: http://stopthecap.com/2009/04/11/past-is-prologue-the-great-telephone-strike-of-1886-when-bell-tried-to-eliminate-flat-rate-pricing/
No comments:
Post a Comment