The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-23
No Increases to Be Made in Residences for Period
 of Two Years
CONTRACT IS SIGNED
 BY BOTH INTERESTS
The Contract Runs for Five Years By Which Time It Is Hoped to Have Utilities Commission
 Created

interests somewhat disturbed since last
 June ended amicably yesterday at the
 II o'clock commission meeting.
 A contract was entered into between
 the city, by Culpepper Exum, presi-
 dent of the board of commissioners, and the Southern Bell Telephone com
 pany, by D. F. Turnbull, district man. ager, whereby the rate increases re- quested by the Bell company go into effect January 1, excepting the duplex
 residence rate, which was scheduled to
 be increased from $2 to $2.5O per
 month. The present rate remains un-
 changed for two years.
 The company, through D. F. Turn
 bull, district manager, for the com
 pany, set forth it's position and good
 feeling that the litigation was ended
 in the following issued last night: T am, of course, gratified that this
 controversy has been amicably settled. | We were loath to bring up this ques- l tion of an increase in rates, as we were
 well aware from past experiences of
 the feeling it would inevitably engen-
 der, but force of circumstances com | pelled us to do so. In the interest of harmony and good will between
 the city, the telephone company and it's subscribers, we made concessions which
 will materially affect our revenue. Tt has been and always will be the purpose and aim of my company to cultivate the good will of it's sub- scribers. Necessarily such agitation as we have experienced for the past six months has been productive of more or less confusion in the general conduct | of our business, but now, since this disturbing cause has been amicably ad- | justed, we pledge ourselves to devote our best energies to serving our pat rons to their satisfaction. I take this opportunity to thank our ubscribers for their past patronage, and will ask continuation of the same, as it will be our duty and pleasure to give them that efficient service to which they are justly entitled"
 Business Phones Increased | According to the terms of the con- | tract entered into the rate for bus
 mess phones will be increased from
 $4 per month to s6 per month. That
 is for unlimited straight line service.
 For unlimited duplex business service
 the increaes will be from $4 per month
 to $5 per month. Private branch ex- changes are increased slightly over the old charges, but not materially.
 | The company agreed to make conces- | sions after prolonged conferences had | been held as to the situation between | Commissioner Lane, Attorney Ed Camp bell, Attorney Dryer and others for the | city, J. T. Stol<ely for the Bell company, Manager Turnbull, Governor Neal and Attorney General Brickell. The conferees agreed that the city would have a great
 amount of money to pay out if the case
 were pushed, and that the company would | likewise bear a financial burden. The company, in addition to sacrificing the
 income from residential rates, which Is
 large item, agrees to spend $233,COO on | the plant here to further increase the efficiency of the Bell telephone service
 Mr. Turnbull assured the commissioners
 yesterday that the work would start soon
 and be pushed to completion.
 1 The contract executed will run for
 five years. It was placed at five years | because of the fact that no commission
 now has the right to fix telephone rates,
 and the officials of the state desire at
 the next legislature to create a commis-
 sion to have charge of that work. Five | years is considered plenty of time in which to get such an act through the
 legislature. as it meets four years hence.
 The contract agreed to yesterday and |
 and Judge Lane for the city and Manager
 Turnbull for the company, without Com
 missioner James Weatherly voting, is as | follows:
 Wording of Contract
 ''State of Alabama, Jefferson county:
 This agreement. made and entered into, | on this the 22d day of December 1911, by 1 .c Ili.