Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1914 — Telephone Meeting Opposing Increased Rates. [ARTICLE]

Telephone Meeting Opposing Increased Rates.

A public meeting was held at the court house Saturday evening to protest against the proposed IncreasS in telephone rates by the Jasper County Telephone Company. Several of those present publicly expressed themselves as against any increase in rates, and the public service oommiaeion will be asked to base its findings on the actual physical valuation of the plant, which the telephone people state is precisely whgt they ask for and, what the commission win do anyway. Some wanted the city to buy the present plant, if it could be bought right, and operate it as a municipal owned plant. But there are objections to this by the better informed citizens who realize that the city is not in financial condition to take over the plant and put it in good shape, and the fact that it cannot operate the country lines, which are a part of the system. W. W. Sage, of southeast of town, who is one of the original stockholders in the Brook Mutual telephone company, gave an interesting talk on what this company had done there, along the lines that has heretofore been published in The Democrat When the hearing is held here on Friday of this week, by a member of the public service commission, the opponents of the proposed Increase in rates will present their claims and grievances.