The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1910-07-14
COMPLAIN OF RATE
AND SERVICE
RANCHERS TALK PHONE QUESTION
+. H. Stow in Letter to Phone Users
Proposes Mutual System
As Remedy.

clAl OIuD FUOmS FTludy evening ny Tic
Merchants Association with represen-
tatives of the valley communities, at
the request of the later, to discuss
the telephone situation in view of the
raise in the rates of the Home Tele-
phone company which took effect July
|. There was a good representation
from the valley and number Of busi-
ness men were present. Manager
Charles Hall, of the telpehone COM
pany, was present and w. Hardinger
attended the meeting as the represen-
tative of F. H. Stow, who is asking
for franchise to operate mutual tel
ephone company in Hood River. Carl
II. Vaughan, president of the Mer-
chants Association, presided at the
meeting and most of the talking was
done by the rural delegates. The
main complaint seemed to be against
increased rates for poorer service.
c. l.. Morse, of the west side, told
an interesting and pitiful tale of the
sufferings of the pioneers not only at
the hands of the phone companies, but
in other ways and he concluded by ex-
planning that the residents of his sec
ton who were on the old farmers line
had the laugh on the rest of the valley
because the agreement made when the
Home company took over the farmers
lines does not allow a raise in rates for
period of years which has not yet ex-
| pired.
Mr.. Hardinger speaking for Mr..
| Stow said that the latter had been
prompted to start the mutual movement
| because of potr service afforded bv the
present company. He gave brief
outline of the plan for the mutual COM
pany and answered few questions
which were put to him by the meeting.
The data which has been gathered by
the Merchants Association as to the
charges for telephone service in SINH
lar communities in the Northwest was
read to the meeting showing that most
of the rates were lower than those
which have been put into effect by the
local company.
A. |. Mason spoke at length alleging
that there was discrimination between
the town and country, against the lat
ter. He also outlined the history OF
the troubles which have resulted in
the mutual ownership and operation of
the irrigation sytems in the Hood Riv-
er valley and alluded to the telephone
troubles with the bell company few
wears ago which resulted in the organ
ization of the present local company.
: He also mentioned the water fight
which has been on in the city for sew
: eral wears and emphasized the propo-
: sition that the Hood River people were
: not disposed to stand for public service
corporations the rates and service or
= which were not satisfactory.
In defense of the company Mr.. Hall
:. stated that there was no other place IN
. the country where the free switching
was given over such great extent OF
T territory for the rates charged as In
the case in Hood River, where the sys-
> TEN covers an area approximately six
= by 25 miles and makes no toll charges
:, within the valley. John Mohr spoke
3 of the troubles of the east siders and
was followed by Mr.. Hardinger who
:, told of a number of rural lines in
" Oregon which were owned by the far.
> mers to the city limits, and operated
mutually, over which the companies
gave service at rates running from p
!. to So year.
&c In discussing the mutual system
'r plan, Mr.. Mason suggested that II ]
70 was necessary to have mutual com
re pany in order to obtain satisfactor!
service at reasonable rates that thu
mutual company should buy the pres
ent plant of the Home company II |
t. could be secured at reasonable ng
NJ ure. The general sentiment of tn
err meeting was that the installation o
te new system TO compete with tn
| present plant would be bad and that
in would be better to try and get salts
ne faction from the present plant eithe
he from the Hall ownership or from othe
IL ownership. In answer to this matte
nd Mr.. Hall stated that number OF year
fl ago proposition had been made
in sell the local plant to the farmers an
'e- that the proposition was still open o
od the books of the company.
nd As a result If the meeting con
We mittee Of five was appointed by MI
in Vaughan to confer with the HON
all company and with promoters OF tn
re mutual system and report back
he the citizens. The meeting adjourned
nd be at the call of the chairman. III
he members of the committee are Jof
,ut Mohr, J. M. Schmeltzer, William Ia
W. II. Walton and DIR. X. A. Jayne.
M The committee has thus far take
Sc no action and has noe met togethe
lrd Individual members have made {
NIL effort to gain ideas for their guldanc
md but so far no action has been taken.
me During the first part of the wee
re- all the phone users of the Hood XIV
IN valley received circular letter fro
F. H. Stow outlining his plan for m
lit tual telephone company to be owns
nat by the users of the system and enclo
md ing blank stock subscriptions to q
ins new company. In the letter the Pill
old of the company is outlined in bri
fy- form as it has already been made pu
)lic lie. He explains that he has retain
the services of w. Hardinger, form
ldi- manager of the Home Telephone COZ
ub- pany to have charge of the prelimina
can work in starting the new company a
my for building and acquiring telepho
her plant. He also says that he has a
am plied to the council for a franchl
an which will be signed free of charge
the new company. The plan is to 81
ong stock at the par value of SIS and al lt
am no person or corporation to hold mo
than 10 shares and no telephone col
pany to hold any shares. The obJe
;. Twill be to furnish service to stoc
.on- holders at actual cost and to outside
nty at slightly increased pric, the pro
ave being taken to pay dividends on I
the stock. The users will control the co
was pany in which there will be no cliqt
in and high salaried Offices are to be eli
e. " mated.
ntv The proposed mutual company
nd;, d; cording to Mr.. Stow should have
,nar subscribers to start with and none
Ian the stock subscriptions are to be bll
ate. ing unless ooo si'are7 "ie 'u"'|'' ''A ~N'
for = " = - g. ror+