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Is New Telephone Part Of A System

Is New Telephone Part Of A System image
Parent Issue
Day
6
Month
November
Year
1903
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Is New Telephone Part Of A System

Suspicious the Everett-Moore Syndicate Back of it

After Many Franchises

And Apparently a Big Rival System to the Bell System Is Being Built Up

Art Everett and Moore the backers of the new Home Telephone Company of Ann Arbor?

Among the business interest of the city there has been displayed considerable curiosity as to who the men were that held the controlling power in the new telephone company now engaged in building a plant in this city and what they hope to gain by putting in a service in Ann Arbor isolated apparently from all outside points, unless they could hope to secure connection with the Bell company's state line service.

A careful investigation, however, seems to indicate that the projectors of the new company are not building in the dark or blindly, but judging from appearances the line here is intended to be but part of a large number of local exchanges connected by trunk lines through northern Ohio and central Michigan. And that back of the Home Telephone company is a wise head thoroughly conversant with the telephone situation and with the necessary capital to carry out its aims. And this wise head may be the Everett & Moore syndicate of Cleveland.

It is a well known fact that this syndicate controls large telephone Interests in northern Ohio with miles of trunk lines and exchanges in many important cities including Toledo. The same parties also own a line running from Jackson to Manchester with exchanges in both places and have a projected line from Jackson to Saginaw. It is said that a part of the agreement when the franchise was given in Manchester was that service should be given to Ann Arbor. There is also a line running through the best sections of Monroe county, with exchanges at Monroe, Petersburg, Dundee and other towns which is said to have close relations with this same syndicate, so that already they have a good start toward a plant to cover large portion of the southeastern part of the state.

As further showing that the local plant is undoubtedly only part of a big contemplated system is cited the attempt to secure franchises at Milan and Ypsilanti. At Milan the franchise was asked for by the officers of the Monroe county company and the village council on Wednesday night refused to grant it. At Ypsilanti local parties are the applicants but it is understood that the Ann Arbor company are back of the local men and will be the actual owners of the franchise if it is granted.

Just how much farther the system may be extended--if it is a system--has not developed yet nor what effect the failure to get a franchise in Milan may have on the plans of the projectors, but the recent movement to secure a franchise in Detroit may mean that the metropolis will be in on the deal if the plans are successful.

Of course the Everett & Moore syndicate may not be the backers but everything points that way and future developments will be watched with interest.