Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-05
RATES INCREASE
State Board Splits Difference Between
Company and the Citizens.
CONSOLIDATION NOT PASSED on
State Beard Of Assessment Meets and
Adtourns for Lack Of Quorum
Correction In BuEaIo
COunty Returns.
frrnm a 500 corrcspondent. }

d
LINCOLN. Neb.. May tspccial)-The
Etate Railway commission today decided
In part the telephone coutroyersy at Kear-
ney anil will in all probability hand down
lts decision on the remaining question to-
morrow The company asked to raise its
Rates 20 subscribers and % this the citi-
kens OBJECTED The commission however,
decided the company could advance its
rates on business telephones 20 cents per
month and be permitted to put in party
lime telephones al SIS per month. Single
line residence telephones remain as before.
lThis is not as much of an increase as the
company asked for. but the citizens OBJ
nected to any Increase. giving as a reason
that the present rates were remunerative
nm a fair capitalization. but that the COM
pany was over-capitalized and the pub
bic should not be required to pay divi-
bends on the Ver-capitalzation.
The question of the purchase Of the in
dependent company by the Bell and its
consolidation with the latter was not de-
rided but it is understood this will be
given out sonie time tomorrow. as the opin-
Son OF the commission is already written.
who Operated Telegraph once.
The answer Of the Missouri Pacific rail-
Saod to the complaint filed with the rail-
way commission that 1t closed its tele-
graph office at Wabash to the detriment
of the the business world there, has raised
the question Of ownership Of the telegraph
office atsthat place. The Missouri Pacific
said 1t had never operated commercial
telegraph office at Wabash nor at any
other town in the state and therefore 1t
could not have discontinued it. The West
ern Union recently filed answer that
81 did not operate the telegraph office at
Wabash and there the matter will rest
until the hearing, which the commission
may get around to some time during the
coming thousand years.
stSck Issue May he Prohibited.
John NJ. Stewart, city attorney of Lin
coin. who recently filed a complaint with
the State Railway commission to prevent
the Citizens Street Railway company from
issuing any more stock on its present in
Nestment is liable to score at least a par
tial victory in the case. The. commission
has had the case under advisement for
several weeks and at last is about ready
10 hand down a decision. While the COM
mission wants it's decision kept quiet until
81 Is ready TO have IT published, it is safe
10 guess that until the street car company
Invests some more money, the commission
will not permit it to issue more stock.
Beard OF Assessment AdJOurns.
The State Board of Assessment met this
morning with Acting Governor Saunders
in the chair. Acting Governor Saunders
also held tho proxies of Governor Sheldon,
Land Commissioner Eaton, Auditor searle.
Secretary of State Junkin and Treasurer
Brian. After calling the meeting to order
and announcing that the law prescribed
that on this day the board should meet to
begin the assessment of railroad property,
Chairman Saunders entertained a motion
10 adjourn. TO meet May IS, which was
unanimously carried, the records showing
no quorum present.
/ The following is the value of the Union
.tpaoiffe rahroAd, As fixed by che fassc ssots