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JL'ilE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS.
•rUESDAY. AUGUST 20, IO07.
fires gained headway
WHILE CENTRAL DELAYED
CONNECTION FOR ALARM
On at least two occasions the citizens of Atlanta have been left at
the mercy of fire, and valuable property has been swept away because
of the Inefficiency of the telephone service and -the failure of those In
charge of the central office to respond to calls in time to hasten the ar
rival of the tire department.
One of these occasions was the memorable lire at Piedmont park
In the fall of 1906, when the New York building, the line art building, the
bowling alley and a part of the old club house, approximating a loss
of something over $50,000, were destroyed by Are.
On that occasion Sergeant Mike White, who then had and who still
has charge of the grounds, spent at least five or six minutes In an ef
fort to arouse the central office and get connection with the fire depart-
nKn,t, The Are occurred about 4 o'clock In the morning," said Sergeant
White Tuesday, "and It took me at least Ave minutes to get any re
sponse from the office. I do not think the lines could have been very
busy at that early hour of the morning and I cannot account for the de
lay unless the people at the central office were asleep."
When Thornton Home Burned.
The other occasion on which slow service on the part of the tele
phone company caused a delay of over Ave minutes on the part of the
Are department was the burning of the residence of Albert E. Thorn
ton, at 811 Peachtree street, In 1808.
That Are also occurred about 4 o’clock In the morning. Whon the
Are was discovered, Mr. Thornton endeavored to get connection with the
Are department over his telephone, but after about Ave minutes' effort with
no response he was compelled to go to the home of a neighbor and use
the neighbor’s telephone.
"I do not know why It was that I could not get any answer over
tny ’phone," said Mr. Thomon Tuesday, "but the only way In which I
can account for it was that the central office Was asleep.”
ONE LONG DISTANCE EXPERIENCE.
To the Editor of The Georgian:
God grant that your Aght against the monopoly of the Bell Telephone
people in the behalf of their much-abused patrons may be crowned
with the same glorious success that you met with In your Aght against
the Iniquitous liquor traffic.
You are eminently correct In' your statement of the Injustice done
the patrons by this corporation. It Is true that If our bills are not paid
promptly, 4he 'phone will be taken out and a suit mads against us
In a Justice court.
You cite nn Instance In which you stood forty minutes trying to get
connection with New York. On Saturday, two weeks ago, one of the most
prominent rullroad men in Macon rang mo up on a business transaction
Involving $625. After getting through with the usual colloquy between
they were very sorry. I asked them to give
me my man In Macon again, but long distance told mo that she did not
know where to And him. I spent the whole afternoon In my office trying
to get this party In Macon.
The next morning (Sunday) he rang me up again, and after the
usual formula I got connection with him and for a second time I was
cut oft. After making an effort to And him and falling, I appealed
to Mr. Roberts direct. He. with his courtly manner, told me he would
make a search for him and And him If possible, but I never heard from
him again over the 'phone, and I presume he failed In Ills efforts. The
transaction fortunately was Anally consummated by wire. It is rare when
I can get central to answer my 'phone under a minute’s waiting, and
when complaint Is made. It Is Invariably answered with some girlish sauci
ness.
I hope you will carry out your determination In your Aght against
this monoply to success In obtaining for Its suffering patrons some
half-way service at least.
Yours respectfully,
KIRKWOOD.
Aldermen Favor More
Light on Phone
Matter.
NO ACTION TAKEN
BY CITY COUNCIL
JUST A FEW PROTESTS
ON A “ROTTEN” SERVICE
Grocers and butchers more than any
other then perhaps depend upon the
telephone. They use It for hours at
a time day In and day out. They know
something about Its workings, too.
Here's what prominent grocery men
say. There were others who said the
service was bad, but did not want to
be quoted. „
D. L. Foster, of Wood & Foster,
Peachtree street—"I believe that the
trouble with tho Bell system Is that
they have too few operators. They are
probably trying to cut down expenses
and make more money. That gives
their girls too much to do. It Is Just
as though I were to put one man out
In front to wait on our customers. I
would have less salary to pay. but my
patrons would get poor service.’
Arthur Wood, of Wood & Foster—
'The service Is poor. As a general
thing the Arst call we put In Is
answered promptly. After that If you
want to get another number you have
to shake your arm off. Our telephone
was out of order for three weeks de
spite all our complaints. We paid only
part of the bill on account of the trou
ble. If we didn’t pay except when we
got good service the telephone com
pany would get little of our money,"
H. w. Maddox, of Maddox Grocery
Company—"Our 'phone got the tick
ing habit not long ago and we could
hardly use It. We notlAed the com
pany and two boys came up here.
They looked at It and said they could
not see anything wrong. Then they
went away. The service Is often rot
ten, sometimes fair and never,ff ooa.
The Georgian Is taking a splendid
stand on the question." ,
J. W. BrazeH, of T. R, Sawtell's
Market—"The Bell people ought to be
put out of business It they cant give
better service. The delay is annoying.
You wait ten minutes, then give your
number and five minute* later have to
do It over again. The Georgian
working along the right line both
to the service and the franchise propo-
sltlon.” , _ .
K. R. Cox. of L. W. Rogers’* Peach
troe store: "I have 'a fine operator
as a general thing—the best I ever
mw. When she 1* not working there
la trouble."
Get* Wrono Number.
J. B. Richard*, aecretary Antl-Sa^
loon League—“You can't Bay enough
about that telephone service. It's mis
erable. At my home, 41 Houston
street, I answered the 'phone twelve
times a few days ago, and nine of
those times central had rung the
wrong number. When we ordered our
office 'phone cut out, the company got
mixed and went down and cut out my
residence Instead. Then they reported
to Inquirers that the office phone was
discontinued. When I tried to call a
friend a few days ago. central told me
the 'phone was busy about Ave times.
When I got on a car and went there,
I found It had not been busy during the
evening. That’s Just a part of the
telephone user's troubles.”
From An Undsrtsker.
Q. H. Brandon, of Barclay A Bran
don—"The service In ray office Is mis
erable, but at my residence, which
comes throngh the West exchange, the
service Is a vast Improvement over
the main and north exchanges. Sev
eral weeks ago a lady tried to reach
me by 'phone In my office and waa
told by the central that the 'phone had
been taken out for indebtedness to the
company. She walked up the street
several doors and tried again, getting
me all right. Nothing good can be said
of the Decatur exchange, either.”
Always Wrong Numbers.
"It's rotten. We can’t get numbers
when we want them and many times
we answer the 'phone we And the peo
ple on the other end of the wire have
been given wrong numbers." That's
the emphatic manner In which the Bell
telephone service was criticised In the
office of the Oglesby Grocery Company
on East Alabama street.
Is good," declared those In the ol
the A. P. Morgan Grain Company on
the same street, "but that given us by
the Bell people Is very rocky. Wa get
wrong numbers and people get us when
they want somebody else.”
At the store of Ed. Matthews A
Company, on East Alabama street, fur
niture dealers, the Atlanta 'phone was
declared to be nil right but the Bell
telephone service poor.
"Damn rotten, not to give you a
short answer,” was the emphatic man
ner In which ths Bell 'phone service
was described In the store of Foote's
trunk factory on East Alabama street.
The same troubles were recounted
there as In ths other places where ths
service was complained of.
Publicity Might Have Helped,
Scott Allen, manager of the L. W.
Rogers grocery store—"Up until Mon
day our service over the Bell was
abominable. Since then we have been
getting splendid attention. I have no
Idea what the cause Is, but If the serv
ice continues as It was Monday and
Tuesday we will ba satlaAed. Prior to
that time we made complaint after
complaint, none of which seemed to
have any effect. Tho people at the tele
phone building were apparently Indif
ferent. We have Afteen Roll telephones
over which we do much of our busi
ness. It became so bad that I asked
them to either take out the 'phones or
do better.
R. A. Broyles, head of the Broylos
grocery stores, said—'The Bell tele
phone Is only moderate. I am glad
to see that The Georgian is taking
up the Aght for the people against the
corporations.”
F. Bond, #f Greenberg, Bond
BIoomAeld—'The service Is miserable.
We have a great deal of trouble getting
service over the Bell lines."
L. C. Glisson, of 348 South Pryor
street—"I am certainly glad to see your
position on the Bell Telephone Com
pany, Their service In Atlanta Is the
worst I have ever seen anywhere.'
Long Distance Troubles.
•The telephone service at my ofAce
and at my home Is very unsatisfac
tory,” said a well known business man
In ths Empire building, Tuesday after
noon. He asked that hts name not be
used.
•The principal trouble that we have
In the ofAce Is In regard to long dis
tance calls. When a call la put In the
telephone operator Is supposed to keep
a record of It and notify you In a few
minutes whether she can or cannot get
the place wanted. Sometimes I have
put In os many as four calls, and have
never heard anything more from them
until I again called up the dperator.
To Raisa Prices.
I was Informed a few days ago that
I would have to pay $5 per month In
future for the telephone at my home.
produced a contract, good until the
Arst of next year, and which called for
only $4 per month. I was then told that
I would have to pay the Increased price
Just as soon as the contract expired.
Will the aldermanlc board, despite
the protests of the people and the
wishes of council, vote to grant a 33-
year franchise to the Southern Bell
Telephone and Telegraph Company for
practically nothing? ,
The question IS now squarely up to
the aldermen of the city. At Monday's
session Councilman Huddleston asked
that the franchise be returned to coun
cil for further consideration, but the
motion was ruled out of order. At the
special session of the aldermanlc board
Alderman Key asked that the franchise
be sent back to council and this wus
ruled out of order.
The franchise Is now on the table of
the aldermanlc board, and action will
be taken Thursday. It Is not believed
that the aldermanlc board will grant
tills franchise.
No Reason for Haste,
It Is pointed out that there
haste on the part of the city In grant
ing tills franchise. If, as Is claimed,
the Southern Bell lias, a perpetual fran
chise or even one that lasts until 1829,
the city can well afford to take two
weeks or a month to Investigate the
situation.
"What earthly harm could be done,'*
asked a member of the general council
Tuesday morning, "If this matter were
referred back to the same committee?
‘Those nldermen who would vote
against such a proposition, It seems to
me, would have no reason other than
that they might be afraid the city
would get more out of the trade than Is
now proposed. Tho city gets nothing
now. The Southern Bell, by opposing
recommitting the franchise to this same
committee, would by its opposition
show conclusively that It was afraid an
Investigation would show that the city
was not getting nearly what It should
for granting this long franchise."
The people of Atlanta generally take
this view of It. and If under any cir
cumstances the Southern Bell secures
a 33-yenr franchise for nothing, ns Is
now proposed, a general storm of pro
test will be created that would live
long and probably unpleasantly In the
memory of those who favored such a
proposition.
Statements have been mode by all
the members of the aldermanlc board
who. axe In the city, and from these It
may be surmis’d that the franchise
will not be "railroaded’' through, but
will go back to a committee where tho
disclosures made by The Georglnn rel
ative to the franchise may be Investi
gated.
Back to Committee.
"The franchise," stated . Alderman
Key, "should certainly go bark to
committee. As It Is now drawn the city
would get practically nothing for a 33
year franchise. If there Is nothing
wrong with this franchise. If It Is not a
tad trade for the city, why not let It
go back where the light of day may
shine upon It?”
Alderman McEachern feels the same
way about It.
“I say let It go back by all means,'
stated Alderman McEachern. "With
the Information now before me I con
bte no excuse for any other course."
Alderman Curtis has not yet deter,
mined what stand he will take, but it Is
probable that he will vote In favor of
a thorough Investigation by the same
committee that had the matter In
charge before. >
This committee was composed of the
members of the ordinance committee
and the committee on electric lights
und telephones.
Alderman Peters, Alderman Holland
and Alderman Beutclt say they are yet
undecided.' Alderman Peters says that
If council wishes to reconsider he Is
witling for It to go back. Alderman
Holland Is looking up one point In re
gard to the franchise. Alderman Beu-
t< II Is considering the matter.
Alderman Hlrsch Is out the city
and will not return until October. Al
derman Qulllian spent Tuesday In the
country. i
This August Reduction Sale
An Event of Extraordinary Importance
August and the usual great economies it brings, finds today accented tones of expression, for now
begins the most remarkable of these stock reduction sales. * '
Over the store there has come a very determined and decisive changing of prices. Not only small
lots and other certain lines, but among practically all classes of summer merchandise. We have gone
through the departments almost one by one and, as you’ll see, reduced prices so emphatically that
the savings often reach one-half, and over.
The new season must be started without any interruption, hence this clearing of the way.
Gathered up on center tables and counters, convenient, and above all, enticing, the new offerings
will appear continuously. Each day you can profit, sharing freely the low prices and that chann of as
sortment, which, with our usual guarantee of quality, insures fully the most satisfactory selection.
Evidences of savings, just hints but absolutely correct and well worth careful reading:
I cannot understand why the price
ehould be raised unless it means that
the company has the public by the
heels."
Mr. G. A. Richards, of the S. P.
Richards Company, also has a griev
ance against the Southern Bell Tele
phone Company.
Trouble Second Time.
'Our service has been very unsatis
factory,” said Mr. Richards, Tuesday.
"We are bothered with long waits, and
If you once get tho central ofAce and
fall to get the party you wish to speak
to at the Arst ring. It Is practically Im
possible to get the central ofAce a sec
ond time. On several occasions I have
tried to get parties and have been told
that the line was busy. When the con
nection was Anally secured, I have
asked the party If the line had been
busy and have been told a number of
times that It had not.
“During the past two or three days,"
continued Mr. Richards, "thsre has
been some Improvement In the service,
due, I suppose, to the kicks that have
been made about It."
Fancy Silks at 39c
Buying for 39c splendid Silks, in stripes and checks,
light and dark colors, including weaves such as Louisines
and Taffetas, many of them worth 75c.
The opportunity is here, in these—a whole counter
ful of stylish summer Silks, in excellent variety.
Together with finer Silks, reduced also, especial prom
inence is given to their neighbors. Dress Goods—many
at half price. $1 Suitings at 50c, for instance; and again,
very important, is an offering at 25e of regular 50c Dress
Goods, in checks and plaids, styles suitable for little
school dresses.
20c Lingerie Cloth 10c
That soft and dainty white fabric so much in demand
for strictly lingerie wear, waists and dresses. 38 inches
wide and at 10c a yard, instead of 20c.
Thatls unusual—very. So are the numerous other
items, Lawns, Swisses, Batiste and the like which compose
this mngnificent White Goods stock, now at very much
less than regular prices. It is among^these that some of
the occasion’s most remarkable values are shown.
Embroideries, 3c a Yard
A tableful of them—Edges and Insertions in Nain
sook and Cambric, regularly 10c and 15c.
And at 3c a yard—imagine paying as little for snch
Embroideries. The quantity is large but at tho price let
us suggest that you see them early.
Now, the finer Embroideries, and among these values
that will please you greatly, as also the Laces, Valen
ciennes particularly, which afford far more than ordinary
''attraction. There arc many very beautiful effects that
cost much less than they ever did before.
$5 to $7.50 Wash Suits
For Women, Now $1.98
Just forty wash Suits; Etons and tailored cutaway
• Coats, a few Prince Chap models; made of white Linene
and also of brown and linen-color materials.
Any of these can bo bought for $1.98. Earlier in the
season these Suits would have sold at $5 to $7.50.
In addition will be found two collections of handsome
Suits at $10.00, instead of $15.00 to $25.00. Some are of
Linen, in white and linen-color; others, the more expensive,
arc of Silk. Simple, tailored styles—beautifully mado
garments.
And some unusually attractive offerings of Waists
and Skirts—best appreciated as you view them, on dis
play.
25c Cotton Voiles 10c
Voiles, also mercerized Poplins; plain colors, includ
ing favorite shades—pink, light blue, navy, red and Nile,
also black. Fine fabrics for street suits, regular 25c val
ues ; now at 10c yard.
No less attractive are the offerings among printed
dress fabrics, cotton and silk-and-cotton mixed. Varie
ties of the less expensive Lawns and Batistes alsoyat very
notable price reductions.
59c for Womens Hose
Some Were $1.50
An assortment of plain black lustrous Hose in lace pat
terns—allover and ankle effects. Fine and dainty; the
designs are of unusual charm, and shown in excellent va
riety. Some of these are regular $1.50 Ilose, others were
$1.25 and a few arc $1 quality. The choice is yours—pay
59c pair.
Besides are other reductions among stylish summer
nose, women’s and children’s as well, including plain
sheer lisle, openwork and full varieties of kinds, in all
good grades.
Stamped Linens^ Reduced
Conspicuous in the Needlework store, for this occa
sion, are several large assortments of Fancy Linens, ns de
sirable ns ever but very much under price.
CENTERPIECES, for example, at 25c ench—regu
larly 40c to 85c. Attractive white linen pieces stamped
for coronntion braid, eyelet, white work and the various
popular clnsses of embroidery. Sizes 22 to 30 inches.
STAMPED LINENS, including Scarfs, Table Covers
and Lunch Cloths, all stamped in most pleasing designs;
values up to 75c, at 49c each.
. Stamped Scarfs and Squares, values to 40c, at 29c
each.
Baby Caps, 25c Each
Formerly 50c and 65c
Beautiful little Caps, in twenty styles fully. Sheer
white Lawn with groups of tucks and dainty lnco edges;
some are of allover embroidery with full, fluffy ruches;
others with French knots, ribbons and rows of briarstitch-
ing.
Regularly 50c and 65c, for this oecnsion at 25c each.
All styles of Headwear, Dresses, Underwear—in fact,
something of everything for children of all ages, enters
the sale at very substantial savings.
Davison-Paxon-Stokes Co.,
Store of Many
Departments.
MERCHANTS MADE MOVE
MORE THAN A YEAR AGO
AGAINST BELL PHONES
Aggravated almost beyond endurance
because of the Inefficiency of the South
em Bell Telephone Company, nearly 168
merchants In Atlanta doing business In
Broad, Alabama and other neighboring
streets, petitioned tho Southern Express
Company. In January, 1908, to Instal'
Atlanta 'phones In Its local offices,
agreeing to pay the expense of service
out of their own pockets.
The petition was sent to H. M. Smith,
local manager of the Southern Express
Company, by O. M. Bergstrom, men
der of the American Box File Com
pany on Alabama street. Tho petition,
according to a letter received by Mr.
Bergstrom, was never received by Mh
Smith and the matter waa dropped. Mr.
Bergstrom, acting for himself, however.
I.ad the Bell 'phone taken nut of his
place of buslnes.i and substituted the
Atlanta 'phone.
“The petition was sent to the South
ern Express Company," said Mr. Berg
strom Tuesday, "because of the rot
ten aervlce we were getting from the
Bell Telephone Company.
"When tho merchant! of Atlanta
wished to get a wagon from the ex
press company It was almost Impossi
hie to ever get the company's office over
the Bell 'phone. The conditions Anally
became so unbearable that a petition
vp.s circulated among the merchants
usklng the express company to have
Atlanta 'phones put In their offices, the
merchants agreeing to pay for them
rather than put up with the service
we were then getting from the Bell
Company.
"When Mr Smith notlAed me that he
had not received tho petition I let tho
matter drop for lack of time to bother
with It.
"I had my Bell 'phone taken out. but
have been compelled to have It put back
In during the past two or three weeks
on account of so many of my customers
using that 'phone. Since I have had
the 'phone put back I have been com
pelled to wait eome times for ten min-
BELL IELEPHONE FOLLOWS
7IPS GIVEN BY GEORGIAN
n% . . -
through The Georgian of complaints
made by subscribers of the abominable
telephone service, the ofAclals of th»
Bell monopoly are getting busy.
Some of those whose kicks have been
heard through The Georgian have been
remedy existing troubles.
One of those called upon Tuesday
was Col. M. L. Covington, of the
United States district attorney's ofAce.
It Is possible that the ordinary run of
utes before getting the proper number
when calling for It.
'I don't like to be numbered among
the kickers, hut t hope something will
be done to remedy the trouble, for tho
service we are now getting Is simply
rotten.”
While Mr. Bergstrom was talking an
other business man walked Into his ol.
Ace,
What do you think of this telephone
service?” he was asked.
"Well, It's bad enough," was the re
ply.
A 40c box of Wiley’s candy given with every
30c want advertisement brough to The Geor
gian Friday and Saturday, for Saturday’s paper.
common people have been given the
high sign by the monopoly. Ordinary
common people do not cut much Ice
with the monopoly. But nowadays It Is
good policy not to make ofAclals of the
United States department of Justice
vexed and sore.
Not that they wouldn't obey orders
from Washington any slower to use tho
big stick on monopolies and trusts, but
It Is just naturally better to keep them
from feeling sore.
“What Is the trouble with your
phone?” politely asked the suave rep
resentative of the monopoly.
Coming as It did after he had writ
ten several letters to the ofAclale, com.
"If you will kindly consult tho Ales of
Manager Roberts." he replied courte
ously, "you will And four letters from
me fully setting out the kicks I have
coming. I would be glad If you would
read these and then take some strenu
ous action that will relieve the situa
tion.”
But so far, the colonel says, he Is
not noticing any change In the rank
service at his residence.