The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-14
TELEPHONE CASE
IS FULLY HEARD.
Application OF Company to Re
store Higher Night Rates Now
With Commission.
LIQUOR MATTER UP TODAY
Question OF Right OF Express
Companies TO Deliver Pack.
ages in Dry Towns.
LIQUOR MATTER UP TODAY

The application OF the Southern Ben
Telephone Company for permission 20
charge uniform rates for night ana DAY
service engaged the attention OF the
State Corporation Commission for sew
eral hours yesterday. After three VIII
nesses had been examined for the COM
Epany, the case was taken under ad-
visement, with the understanding that
If the attorney general decides TO Of
fer any testimony later on the part of
the State he will be allowed to do so.
Assistant Attorney General Robert
CatIett appeared for the Common
wealth, and cross-eNamined the COM
pany's witnesses. but did not intro
duce any himself. The company was
represented by Colonel Hunt Chipley
and Mr.. II. E. w. Palmer, Of New
York. and their witnesses were Messrs
Fairfax E. Montague superintendent
of exchange traffic; w. T. Gentry, vice.
president OF the company, and j. NJ.
B. Huxley. auditor.
Made Out Strong Case.
Though, of course. it is not known
what the decision of the commission
will be. the impression about the
Capitol Is that the company made out
strong case. and that the evidence
offered in support of the petition was
convincing.
one OF the points brought out by the
company was that it Is the only public
service corporation doing business in
Virginia which charges less for night
than for day service. Telegraph conf
panies take messages to be sent at
night when their lines are idle, but TO
be delivered the next day at reduced
rates. II they are to be delivered at
night the charges are the same as for
the day.
1t was stated that the telephone
company is now earning only 91-6
per cent. net on the money invested
in it's toll lines In Virginia. and that
it is impossible to get money to ex.
tend these lines when the returns are
so small. OF its own volition the COM
pany some time ago reduced its rates
on night messages. believing that this
might distribute the business more
evenly throughout the twenty -four
hours, and prevent congestion of the
lines at some periods and idleness at
others. But the practical operation OF
the change is said to be exactly the
opposite causing congestion, confu-
sion and the loss Of time.
Some Figures.
The average toll line investment in
the State of Virginia, for the three
months ending with March, 1905 was
| ANU, u.lSi Ill eHtlTe Toll business OF
fered from points within the State or
| Virginia during this time, was 9s937
messages. OF this number 79,oa7 was
day business. $4,000 was night husi-
ness and the entire revenue from the
business was $25,214.23.
The witnesses testified that OF all
the business offered for the quarter,
12 per cent. was lost; of all the day
business offered for the quarter,
l1o4-1o per cent. was lost, and Of all
the night business offered for the
quarter, 1920 per cent. was lost.
Rush Comes Mt Night.
The large percentage of night bust
moss lost was due to the fact that many
people throughout the State, in or
der to take advantage of the cheaper
might rate undertook to hold their toll
lime conversations between 6 and $40
p. NJ, causing a congestion.
The witnesses also commended that
the probability of finding n person at
night was very much less than during
the day hours, and for this reason the
l lines, between the calling and the