The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-12-31
BELL MANAGER
VISITS CITY
Commercial Club Gives Telephone
Company a Hearing.
MEETING HELD TUESDAY NIGHT
FAILS TO CHANGE OPINION.
Manager Mckenzie Of Salt Lake Gives
Bell Telerhone Conlpany's Side Of
Rate Controversy Before Club.

&day evening owing to the fact that the
Nj Alephone rate committee was expect
Ned to report and that the representa-
4 tive of the Bell company was to be
#present and give his side of the case.
VI President Booth called the meeting
to order and George Aiken, chairman
N of the committee. in a brief speech
told of the efforts of the committee to
get the reduction from the company
and of the lack Of success In a brief
manner he told Mr.. Mckenzie of the
conditions in the city which made it
impossible for the business men to
pay a high rate and handed to him
the orders signed by about S5 business
men requesting the company to re-
] move the phones. The ousting orders
would embrace about 10S telephones
and were to take effect in 80 days.
A. G. Mackenzie of Salt Lake, one Of
the general office staff of the COM
pahy, was invited to take the floor
after Mr.. Aiken had presented the re-
port of the telephone committee, and
spoke few minutes. He referred in
general way to the business of the
telephone company, it's problems anG
difficulties and said the company did
not conduct it's affairs with any Sec
the most complete inquiry into its
rates, expenses and other matters. Mr..
Mackenzie said the Twin Falls plant
was one OF the best in the company's
entire territory and expressed con-
victim that If the service was not
good the cause could not be hard to
find and the condition must be easy to
correct.
He said the company was practicing
the best economy it knew in the ad-
ministration of it's business at Twin
Falls and elsewhere, but that despite
its efforts in this line the Twin Falls
exchange had been operated at loss
under the old rates. In support of his
statement he offered figures to show
that the exchange had been run at a
loss of about $4,000 in the ten months
ending Oct 81. He expressed hope
that the citizens of Twin Falls would
admit the justice of the companys
position in the matter, asserting that
the company had never paid more
than a very reasonable return on the
money invested and that it, like other
business institutions established as
permanencies, must earn something
on its investment or 60 out of busi-
ness. In closing he suggested that the
ton solely as a business proposition
and after satisfying themselves that
the company's rates were justified by
existing conditions, determine wheth-
er the amount asked for the service
were not good business investment.
No reply to MIR. Mackenizie's re-
marks was offered and the club drop
ped the telephone subject to consider
the bridge matter but the telephone
question came up later in the evening,
when the telephone committee was in
structed to continue its canvass for
removal orders. 1t was explained by
Mr.. Aiken that as the telephone con-
tracts require 30 days written notice
OF cancellation from either party, ac-
tion on the orders would probably be
deferred that length of time
After the telephone matter had been
finished up the question of completing
viaduct across Rock Greek on the
township line between sections nine
and ten was brought up and the COM
mittee in charge of the soliciting of
funds reported that great deal of
XCrey was still unpaid and that the
Aty appropriation had been cut
d<Mn frOlh two to one thousand, MAX
ing It imperative that more funds be
raised to complete TIE structure
About sixteen hundred dollars will
be required to finish the bridge out
side OF the money promised by the
county. In order TO facilitate the work
Of the bridge committee, the president
appointed L. Petit o. A. Stalker and
L. e. Salladay as committee to gath
or In the necessary funds.