The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-07-24
MAXIMUM RATE
SPECIFIED IN ORDINANCE
Vigorous Fight Against Proposed
Raise viii Be Made Before
Corporation Board

In his complaint filed with the ok.
lahoma corporation commission yes.
terday, James A. Hepburne. county
attorney for Logan county alleges
That the Pioneer Telephone and
Telegraph company is corporation
organized and existing under the
laws Of the Territory OF Oklahoma
(nov' state) ana operating and main
tanning q public telephone exchange
IL the city of Guthrie, Logan county.
Oklahoma and that said company is
the only company operating or pre-
tending to operate public telephone
system in the city of Gutnrle. AMI
your complaint and the other citizens
of Guthrie. Oklshoma, are Obliged to
rely on said company for any service
BY telephone which they desire.
That heretofore. on the 18th day
Of July. 1900. the mayor ard city
council, acting Tor and on behalf OF
the citizens of the city of Guthrie
Oklahoma. passed an ordinance to-
sit: Ordinance No. f4T, granting
q flancaise to the Guthrie Telephone
Company, its successors and assigns.
the right to erect, operate and main,
tain telephone lines In the city Of
Guthrie. Logan county Oklahoma
Territory" that as part of said con
tract and as a consideration for the
rights granted by said city by virtue
OF said franchise. the said Guthrie
Telephone company agreed that they
their successors and assigns. should
not charge for the use Of its tele-
phone Instruments and service with.d
the city OF Guthrie TO ex%sed tke ~
lowing rates Two and oyAshslf
(250) dollars per n st-th fnrl lbusjifsss
telephones ard not TO exceed zsas==.sss,ss
of one ana one-half q o. dollars iSi
residence telephone used in SAID CITY;
and the said company further agreed
that IN the event that a subscriber u.s.
ed a telephone for business purposes
and also at the game time used the
teleonone for residence purposes, the
cost Of said residence telephone
ghOuld not exceed one (l.00) dollar
per month for each and every month
said residence telephone was In use
by such subscriber.
That heretofore and after the pas
sage of said ordinance said franchise
was transferred by the Guthrie Tsle-
phcne company 10 this defendant
apl the complainant alleges that this
defendant is now the successor and
aasignee of the said Guthrie Tele-
phono COMPANY
That on or about the 2lst day of
July, 1908, the said telephone company
arbitrarily and unreasonably notified
the complainant and other citizens OF
tie city Of Guthrie, who are subscrib.
ers to said Pioneer Telephone and
Telegraph company's exchange. thas
on the LIST dag Of October, 1905 the
rates for said telephone services
would be raise as follows:
Special line business. ..,...... $500
Two-pa-ty line business. 2.50
Special line residence. NAM. 2.Uo
TWo-party line residence. 1.50
Four-party line resid snce. .... l.2s
aud notifying the complainant and
others equally situated that beginning
on said lst day Of October, 1908, al
telephones already Installed and al
telephones to be instslled must be
paid fos az tha above mentioned rate
The complainant for himself and
other citizens OF Guthrie subscribers
to said pioneer Telephone aud Tele
graph company's exchange allege.
that said advance rates are arbitrary
dnreasenable and unjust That tbs
rates prevailing at this timc have
( been and are sufficiently rnnumera
/ tive TO said company. that the rates
4 SO advanced and demanded by sale
company beginning on the lst day D
/ October, 1908. are extortionate. un
reasonable and unjust 20 the com
plainant and 70 the citizens Of III
city n Guthrie; that no improvement
Of service or facilities has beel
male by said company 10 Justify sucl
an advance IN rates.
TIE complainant alleges that h
and other citizens OF the City o
Guthrie viii BE- compelled to pay sal
unjust unreasonable and arbitrar
rates on threats OF having their tell
phone service discontinued on and Al
lteF saN lst day Of October. 1908 an
thff the telephoue service Is nece.
aaTg % him and other citizens Z
Guthrie. Ia the conducting ~ thai
busia ss and Ia iileir public relation,
wherefore hH prays tlat the defer
dart company rs commanded 10 sko'
aauee way sah Telephone rate
shcuid pe rSiseo py said company an
that after hearing and illVe8iies
don that the cornorafInd fnn.rlIrs 4.