Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-06
ASKS CHANGES IN
PHONE ORDINANCE
Mayor Wants Rates Reduced on
Extension instruments
in the Hotels
SAN PEDRO RATES UNJUST
Alexander Wishes Harbor Section
to Have Better Treatment
in Charges
SAN PEDRO RATES UNJUST

Asking that the ordinance concerning
telephone rates be so amended that
the rate be reduced on extension
phones, Mayor Alexander sent a mes
sage to this effect to the council yes
terday morning. The mayor considers
that inasmuch as the hotels are COM
pc.ied to pay 81 for each extension
phone, and as many of these extension
Instruments are used but seldom, the
council should fix a more equitable
figure for the hotel people.
1t is also recommended that a reason
ably higher rate than the ordinance
gives be allowed the company FOR the
Installation of wall phones, and that
TIE rates in the ordinance be fixed to
apply to San Pedro and Wilmington,
which under the ordinnce are excluded,
and residents of the district are COM
PEELED to pay long distance tolls.
The mayors message, which was re-
ferred to the legislation committee,
says:
LETTER TO COUNCIL
To the Honorable, the City Council.
Gentlemen: Section 1, subdivision
of ordinance No. 20,331 (new series),
fixes the telephone rates for each
exi tension telephone at 81 per month.
Seotion 8 of that ordinance makes
1t unlawful to charge less than the
rates fixed in the ordinance. Many
Of our hotels have an extension
telephone in each room. Most OF
these extensions are used but sell
dom, 1t is unjust to compel the
hotels to pay 81 for each extension.
7 understand that the companies
are willing to establish lower rate
for private exchanges where there
are many extensions. l would re-
specttully recommend that your
hcLcrable body amend said ord1-
nance and fix a reasonable rate IN
cases of the kind above mentioned.
Subdivision 12, section l Of said
ordinance, provides, "That the rates
bel Elm fixed shalIapply to both wall
ar i portable telephones, and no ad-
dltional charge shall be made for
portable telephone" Unquest1on-
ebly there is more breakage OF
6esk than of wall telephones, and
the cost of maintenance Is greater.
I understand, also, that the cost OF
the desk telephone is greater than
of the wall telephone. 1 would,
therefore, respectfully recommend
IL at said ordinance be amended so
as to permit reasonably h1gher
rate for desk than for wall tele-
phones.
The rates fixed in the ordinance
apply to all portions of the city
Wilmington and San Pedro are iso-
lated. In order to connect with the
telephcn mes in the balance OF the
city they must use long distance and
pay toll therefor. 1t Is unfair that
the citizens of Wilmington and San
Pedro should be charged the same
rates as the residents of the main
part of the city, who have direct
come ction with so many more tele-
phones, I would respectfully recon-
mend that the ordinance be so
amended as to remedy this IN
Jus tice. Respectfully,
GEORGE ALEXANDER,
Mayor.
Immediately after the council meet
ing sdjourned at noon the mayor, city
attorney and the councilmen held an
executive session in the mayors Of
hce.
It is understood that at yesterdays s
session the phone rates ordinance was
a part Of the matters under discussion,
and it is known that H. w. O'Mel-
Vany. who is attorney for the Home
i elephone company in its fight against
the ordinance, spent several hours in
conference with City Attorney Leslie
r. Hewitt, with view, it is reported,
to settling the phone rates out OF
court.