The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-12-11
Complaint Against South
ern Bell Dismissed.
MAKES LITTLE MONEY
state Crimes ON Toll Messages
Not Considered just or ItCa-
S0nablc by the Corpora
ton commission
tion Commission.

IlpIl Solii'lli~~lpiis
Unless there are changes male in
individual cases the telephone rates
now prevailing in North Carolina ar
10 be maintained, such being the state
ment made by the North Caroline
Corporation Commission in the deci--
ion handed down by II yesterday when
III dismissed the case Of Col. j. bfS1.a
Crimes. secretary of state. who alleS-
ed that unjust and cXorbitaut rates
an outrage upon the people 90 tine
State, are made by the southern Sci.
and Telegraph Company. 1t did not
make 4 rental Of $50 a month fo'
residence and 500 4 month Tor bu~l-
ness telephones. as asked - do. ANA
it says The toll rate of FIVE cents q
minute for the first five minutes and
two and one-half cents per minute
thereafter for long distance messages,
regardless Of distance. sought by Col.
Grimes, IS not reasonable or just.
The Commission arrives III It's decis-
ion By calculating the GO If the tel
ephOne COInpaay's plant, its assessed
valuation, its earnings, the rate Of IN
terest it is earning. the few dividends
it has paid, ana because the rate.
complained OF by col. Grimes are
made as the messages go over more
thar n distinct line. 1t says il is In
ye~stigating and comparing the rates
of all companies in the State with a
view of changing such OF them as may
be found unreasonable and unjust.
Col. Grimes filed his complaint on
April &c of this year, the first hearing
having been in july by agreement. In
this it was alleged that the Southern
Bell Company charged twenty-five
cents per minute for conversation
from Raleigh to Washington and from
Raleigh to Grimesland, n. G, and es-
pecially for n seyen-minute CONVEX
SatiOn to Washington on March 18th,
1906. $1.75, and for II eight-minute
conversation TO Grimesland on the
18th of March, 1906, $500; and thai
upon complaint OF poor service. inter
ruptions, and necessity Of continued.
repeating OF conversation, forty cents
was RENTED on the charge for con-
versation to Grimesland. 1t was fur
Their alleged that these rates are I'M
Just. unreasonable ard exorbitant. anu
the prayer of complaint was that toll
rates be reduced to five cents per min
ute for the first five minutes and two
and one half cent per minute aftet
the first five minutes; and further.
that q maximum rental Of $3.50 per
month for residence and $500 pei
liShed.
The answer alleged that defendant
is a corporation, incorporated under
the laws OF the State of Mex York,
and that it is doing & telephone bust
ness in North Carolina, & portion OF
which IS conducted under a system
known as the Toll Line System. under
which q special charge is made Tor
each telephone communication had lY
& patron over q line owned or contrOll-
ed in whole or in part by defendant.
and partly under a system known as
ne exchange system. under which the
patron is furn shed With q special lelc-
none i~nstruInel,- and connections for
his nG'sonal use with exchange ser
vice therefor 1t an agreed chGrge per
year OF ger quarter or Ter mCn-n for
Slch service, AMI partly under both OF
these systems combined. The answer
further alleged that the toll rat" to
Washington and GrimeSland referred
to in Complaint was for supplying the
means ct telephonic co}nnlulHratin1
.Vcr q line. of which only q pI~t WIs
q j. owned by defendant. and shat de
eHdan l. only responsible for the
part Of said toll rate. which is a pro-
rortionate ShareaEereOf, and that the
,tal rate to Washington and Crimes
and and the portion thereof fOr Which
dcfCl liant is re~SDpnSiDle is not moro
thar q Iair, just and reasonable charge
Tor the service rendered by Defendant.
It WAS further alleged that tn t,rt>-
ent exchange service rates and charges
by defendant for its exchange service
II the state OF North Carolina Is not
more !han q jusr. 1dir and reasonable
charge i'll eacn L every instance, AM
that complainant is not now AMI ncy"I
has been = subscriber +, or patron OF
~, rvch7noe sar,ica of defendant III
North Carolina ANA has never annlfed
10 defendant for such service either
mon tho nrasan+ rates of defendant or
Ippon anv otbar ra+os
A. he earino col R,,-an Crimes
nnoorad ~ ~ 80 80 IobaIf and ~
Southern Bell company was represent
-: Diev C1arnent RanIv and = An-
draT-s Jr aItnrpays Ernrn tha avi-
Glrra ~ fo1Ieuirr foats orc fo,,nd ~,
81 90, :; rcfon
- - NtdIdn..
IhNS9lS1 - In ~ -
! " ~ paITIGS;,oS = - 80 1one :
- 3ee al To- oroal ret-anna fror,
anaration Min S2a,fb rorolina efncr
= tnoan business 49, Raj 4s5 as. its
-9-ar,,e 60 80 ror5a3 10 SO
go "a n~afanIaIr. mar IN &rrrb
ga@aIr, 1yas a"slssad f - +s~3+ian - -