The morning call., 1895-02-18
DIRECTORS MAY BE CALLED UPON
TO TESTIFY AS TO THEIR
TAXES.
A STRONG LOBBY AT WORK.
FRIENDS OF THE SUNSET TELE
PHONE COMPANY ARE
VERY Busy.

SACRAMENTO, Feb. 1.-THE bill to regu-
late and lower the rates of the Sunset Tel
ephone Company, introduced by Brusie of
Sacramento, was rather a surprise to many
of the legislators. To others it was long
expected. The telephone company also
must have surmised the probable introduc-
tion of such bill, for some quiet and
effective "work'' is known to have been
done since the election, but before the con-
vening of the Legislature. The result will
be that Mr. Brusie Will find considerable
opposition to his bill where it is least ex-
pected.
If his resolution that the directors of the
company be ordered to testify before the
Ways and Means Committee carries, some
startling revelations will be made. These
are in regard to certain dummy ICON
tracts" entered into by the Sunset Tele-
phone Company with members of the
Legislature. By their provisions these
gentlemen receive their telephone service
without giving any return at least, not in
money. How generally these peculiar
contracts have been distributed is not vet
thoroughly known.
The necessity for a measure such as the
telephone bill is evinced by the variance in
the rate of taxation placed on the telephone
company's property and in the charges
that the telephone company makes for it's
service. Soon after the matter was
brought before the House Mr. Brusie wrote
to the Assessors of all the counties of the
State for information in regard to the con-
ditionr of affairs. The questions asked
were as to the rates charged for the rental
of long-Gistance and of short distance tele-
phones, the rates for switching and the
amount paid in taxes and the rate at which
the property was assessed.
In San Francisco, though the telephone
company has over 1000 boxes, the rental of
which alone exceeds $21O, 600, yet the State,
city and county taxes are only $1,000. Of
course the amount charged for switching
| will add great deal to the income
In Alameda, the taxes paid by the tele-
phone company amounts to 1919, although
the income from the rental of the boxes,
exclusive of switching. is $4,000. The
rental of telephones varies from So so in
Monterey and Glenn counties to SO, S4 and
So in other counties. In some places, this
rental includes all switching In others
the rate varies, cents being the maxi
mum. Switches from town to town vary
III cost according to distance.
The manner of assessing the property of
the telephone company also varies In
some counties it is put at a lump sum. In
Others the boxes are assessed at sums that
vary from $25 to $50 for each box. The
local officials of the Sunset Company are
hard at work in quiet way, and several
outside lobbyists are attending to the
quieting of the measure. The company
also has number of men in each house
upon whom it can depend. For this
reason the ultimate result will, it is
claimed, be nothing. Although bold
front is being made by those pushing the
bill, it is intimated that some of them have
been half persuaded that the rates of the
telephone company are not crying for a re-
form Just at present.