Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1916 — COMPROMISE ASKED BY TELEPHONE CO. [ARTICLE]

COMPROMISE ASKED BY TELEPHONE CO.

Promise All-Metallic Lines, Supervisor In Office and First-Class Service If Accepted. Charles J. Murphy, member of the Public Service Commission of Indiana, who had expected to hear the appliaction for an increase in rates by the Jasper County Telephone Co., is ill with the grip and unable to conduct the hearing, and he sent in his place Miller Kent, of Brookston, who is employed on the commission and who has heard a number of cases before. Mr. Kent was accompanied here by Miss Moore, a stenographer, and C. Arthur Tuteur, of this city, also employed on the commission. There were quite a number of persons, largely patrons of the telephone company, at the court house when the members of the commission arrived on a belated train. Mr. Kent stated at the opening that the commission had suggested that a compromise might be effected and embodied in his statement a mention of the fact that the commission had been advised that service in the past had not been satisfactory. As soon as Mr. Kent had made his statetnent W. H. Parkinson, who is being aided in a legal way by Edward P. Honan, made a proposition of a compromise. It was substantially as follows: The company has spent from $lO,000 to $15,000 in rebuilding its‘plant in Rensselaer and now has substantially 200 of the telephones on full metallic circuit. The company will be willing if permitted to charge $1.25 per month to all who have had the metall’c service installed. They will also establish a 4-party service on all metallic lines and for the party line phones charge $1 per month. If permitted to do this they will employ a supervisor for the girls in the central office and guarantee good service. Attorney Halleck, who appeared with George H. Healey, of The Republican, for the telephone patrons, stated that he was not clothed with authority to compromise and that he would like a little time to discuss the matter with patrons. It was suggested that the hearing be continued until 1:30 o’clock and that the patrons present and those who represent the patrons, generally discuss the matter ondthis was done, the telephone menand their counsel and J. K. Johnson, an Indianapolis engineer, withdrawing. The matter was discussed at some length and it was decided to make an offer of a continuance until the proposition of compromise be discussed at a mass. meeting with the subscribers and if the postponement was not granted then to proceed with the case. This proposition was made to Mr. Kent when the hearing was reconvened at 1:30 o’clock.