Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1914 — TELEPHONE ARGUMENT NOT YET FINISHED [ARTICLE]

TELEPHONE ARGUMENT NOT YET FINISHED

But Few Witnesses Testified So Far Expenses and Receipts for Several Tears Shown.

Pulbiic Service Commissioner Charles J. Murphy, of Broobston, arrived from Indianapolis this Friday morning and at once took up the hearing of the local telephone casa The hearing is on the application of the Jasper County Telephone Co. to raise its rates on business telephones to $3.25 and on residence and farm telephones to $1.75 per month, both on the Rensselaer and Wolcott exchanges, which .the company owns and operates. The hearing is being conducted in the west court room, the Jasper circuit court having adjourned for the hearing. Court Reporter Wagner is taking the evidence in shorthand.

Miss Gertrude Hopkins, bookkeeper for the telephone company, was the first witness. She testified to the sheets of receipts and balances from ithe books of the company for the Rensselaer and Wolcott exchanges and was not crossexamined. Attorney Sellers, of Moniticello, is conducting the -examination for the company. Attorneys Halleck and Dunlap are representing the telephone patrons. Delos Thompson, president and general manager of the company, was second on the stand. He testified concerning the revenue and expenses of the company for the years 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1913. He consulted the sheets which had been testified to by Miss Hopkins. Attorney Dunlap objected, saying that the books should be produced. Commissioner Murphy ruled that the hearing was not of a technical nature and permitted Mr. Thompson to reply by consulting the sheets. The evidence was to the effect that the company had been losing money for the past five years. The following receipts and 'expenses were shown from the Rensselaer exchange during the five years: Receipts Expenses 1909 .$8,065.92 $13,107.33 1910 9,818.23 9,726.44 1911 10,51475 9,602.01 1912 11,461.26 12,120.74 1913 12,043.41 13,201.82 The company, according to Mr. Thompson’s testimony, had expended $5,456.27 more than It had received during the five years. During only two years, 1910 and 1911, had the receipts exceeded the expenses, and then by only $82.29 in 1910 and by $912.74 in 1911. The company had no debts and had declared a dividend of 3 per cent per annum .to stockholders. Where the money came from to pay the dividend had not been explained up to the noon hour when adjournment was taken until 1 o’clock. The evidence relating to the Wolcott exchange was also given along similar lines and was to the effect that during the past five years the company had suffered a net loss of $2,741.93 on the Wolcott exchange, where there are 365 telephones. Mr. Thompson testified that his salary as president and general manager is SSO per month and that he pays the bookkeeper out of his salary. He testified that Superintendent -Montgomery receives SIOO per month salary. Also that there are ten operators at this time,

whose wages run from $lO to $35 per month. In testifying to losses from bad accounts, which ran from $1,113 in 1909 to $1,503.35 In 1913, Commissioner Murphy asked Attorney Sellers if he was trying to prove improvident management. Mr. Sellers said that he was not but wanted to show the justice of the additional 25 cents asked as an inducement to enforce payment. Apparently the hearing will take all day or even longer unless Mr. Murphy decides to bring it to a close Mr. Thompson resumed the stand at 1 o’clock.