The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-02-25
STATEMENT OF FACTS.

On The Sh day Of May d. 1908 the patrons the Blackburn
SEedce telephone Company peond the Corporation Commission
TO require the Acson Topeka Santa lie Railway Commission
install and maintain telephone its station depot Skcdc,
Oklahoma Said railway company hereinafter referred appel
at notified OF the filing OF said petition and the setting Of the
matter for hearing the 23d day OF July, A. d. 1908 on said
date appellant appeared through attorney and petitioners
appeared through the assistant attorney general Of the State The
PROOF at sad hearing showed that there telephone exchange
Skedec Blackburn which inland town six miles
from Skcdc railway station the line appellant;
phone was msaed and maintained IN the railway station al Skee
would be Tor the material convenience the citizens Blackburn
in the way uasacug business with sad railway station
"mg "en uee was gt at sad station in order that they
might send freight wagon conveyance for that there
average OF least wagon load freight hauled said
station e Town OF Blackburn each DAY Oh the year frequently there
being dozen wagon loads day, and hat for the
yennce OF thc people have of asccranng when their
freight reached said station order that they might be advised
when to send conveyance after U that without such telephone
worked serious Inconvenience in having wait until they
notified by mail by the station agent which would occasion DELAY
about twenty hours result paying demuagc
that frequently when they would approximate the time when The
freight would reach c station from the place of CONSIGNMENT and
send conveyance after it, dcy would be disapponed that the
II he business portion II m town Il whom telephone IN he
station would be convenience that the charge per month for
lta M, v,f lr CIl a r Ll, onl, ncc rr d,, ,bat tI
telephone company furnished free for its exchange members
its line from Blackburn Skedcc and 5c that Black
burn has population Of about three hundred that would be
yencnt for the residents OF Sccc in order to be notified to when
the trains time when their freight had arrived etc that
there only railroad running into the Of Skcdee that
has been the OF the railway agent Skede when freight is
received that station billed blackburn to notify the congnee by
mail by of postal card that the exchange operator Skede
and when they are ON time
On the z5h day OF August A. d. 1908 the Commission entered
final order in said the main body of which is in words and
figures follows:
"On the Goth day Of May 1908 the citizens of Skcdcc filed
complaint with the Corporation Commission asking that the defend
ant be required place telephone in its depot the Of Skede
that the public may have the thereof and the convenience
affords in transacting business with the defendant
On the 23rd day Of July 1908 the heard by the Com
mission and evidence having been introduced by the companans
mission finds that telephone the depot Skcdee necessary
convenience to the people of Skedee and vicinity and that the cond
similar all depo the State Of Oklahoma where
there is telephone exchange maintained IN the town.
The Commission further finds from the evidence that at the
Of Sled there operated small telephone exchange also at
Blackburn inland Of about three hundred people, there
small telephone exchange and that the To towns connected
by toll line with free service to the subscribers Of each exchange
and that there also other rural lines the vicinity That tile
depot SkeGee about three four blocks from the business
ton OF the and that in addition to the freight delivered to the
people Skee and vicinity the Blackburn and probably other
inland receive their freight there The evidence further shows
that by the Of the telephone avoids delays those having rural
telephone lines in waiting for mail in much many people living
miles in the who have gone the expense
qppng themselves with rural telephones could not receive any com
munication through the pooce OF the arrival OF freight without
making trip to the pooce lhs great inconvenience and
under the telephone communication
IN the busy season OF the yer ly he use OF the telephone depos
informing the telephone central office Of the time Of the arrival OF
passenger trains the general public in tbe in communication
with the exchange ccrtan the aeness the train and thereby
avoid the annoyance md the exposure Of standing around depo
great crowds W string OF questions the agent thereby
impeding the efficiency Of hs service
"Ihc Commission is Of the opinion that the duty Of the
defendant furnish Of communication with the public
according The modern usage and customs If the defendant should
place deaf and dumb person in charge Of the station Skedee,
could not be conendcd that this adequate service and much
all business, such mQurng to the time Of trains the arrival
Of freight and various other questions be and usually
transmitted the phone why the
should be extended and become part Of the service between the
railroad companies and their patrons and customers
"Our conclusion this point strengthened by the fact that
railroads all competitive points have found it necessary
install telephone in their stations If this service is necessary
competitive points and the railroad lng pay for the
why should not be required to install the
service at other points similarly situated
"1le only objection the defendant makes to the installation Of
this Skedce IS that will entail Of $500 per month
Notwithstanding the fact in notifying all Of its customers Of the
arrival OF freight required the had to be done by mail
would entail greater cost postage than $500 per month While
the contention Of the defendant that this service would be Of
financial benefit and would assist in the transaction of its
business the commission does agree with these contentious and
of the opinion that telephone depos does assist the defendant
the proper transaction Of its business and that this small item Of
$500 per month should be paid by the defendant gladly
charge where has competition and possibly does less business
than at Skedee ard for the further that npraccabe
depend upon community such expenses by contribution