Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1914 — TELEPHONE CO. WANTS A RAISE [ARTICLE]

TELEPHONE CO. WANTS A RAISE

In Rates, And Subscribers Are Notified of Fact. HEARING SET FOR FEB. 27, At Court House in Rensselaer By Public Service ConmUsion—Raise of About 50 Per Cent. Wanted.

As The Democrat predicted long ago, that such increase would be asked for, the Jasper County Telephone, Co., has filed a petition with the Public Service Commission of Indiana for an increase in rates, and the Commission, at an expense of no doubt, nearly one hundred dollars, has notified every patron of the company of this fact by sending a personal letter to each, with notice that a hearing on said petition will he held at the court house in Rensselaer on Friday, Feb. 27. The .notice gives no intimation of the amount of increase in rates asked for, and the secretary of the telephone company tells The Democrat that he does not know what the proposed rates are. The president and general manager of the telephone company, Delos Thompson, prepared the papers to the state board and the secretary is in ignorance of their contents, hut thinks the increase is about 50 cents per phone per month. In the event the increased rates are granted, it is the intention of the company, we are told, to rebuild their entire system, putting in underground conduits in the business part of town, cableing in the residence part wherever practicable, and putting in new switchboards, phones, etc. This will cost, all told, it is said, in the neighborhood of >'20,000. The Public Service Oonfmission, as. The Democrat understands the matter, takes an inventory of the entire plant or system and soys what -ort of service shall be given and improvements made. Then takes the

operating expenses from the earnings. allows 10 per cent per yenrffor depreciation and 8 per cent interest on the investment, and on the result of all this fixes the rate per month or year; ihe company nieiy charge its subscribers. That we need better telephone, service here all will admit, but that in order to give better service it is necessary to increase the rates is questioned. If properly managed and conducted, with a]] the stockholders paying for their service the same as non-stockholders, the plant would be one of the best paying lines of business in Jasper county, in our humble opinion. Tt is natural. oi course, for corporations to vant to get all they can, and no doubt an awful tale of woe will be told the commission by the company’s officers and stockholders when the hearing is held here. This hearing, we understand, is onen to all patrons and they should come out and “speak their piece.” Whether or not any other company can come before his commis-

sion and stand any show n, offering to furnish the service at the present rates of $1 and $2 pc" month, we know not; But the mutual company organized here some :iy 2 years ago is still in existence and its charter has nearly 4 7 years yet to run. If any one cares to interest themselves in the. matter they can. take it up with Frank Welsh of Jordan 'tip., who is the president of the mutual company. The mere organization of this mutual company has saved all telephone subscribers 50 cents per month per phone for oyer •* J /£ years, but the company was refused a franchise in Rensselaer, and since that time-—interest having died down because of ( the old company having gone back to its former rates—nothing has been done except keep up the organization.