Evening star., 1911-08-13
w. D. Shoemaker Asks Inquiry
by the |. C. Commission.
ASSERTS ORDER is EVADED
Objects to Arbitrary Mile Radius
From Chevy Chase.
HAS NO EXCHANGE THERE
If Semi-Circle Is to Be Drawn, he
Saws, Cleveland Exchange
Should Be Radial Point.

That the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company has no right to arbi-
trarily draw a semi-circle from the Dis
trict line with Chevy Chase Circle as its
radial point. extending mile in each di-
rection, and to compel it's patrons within
that radius to pay city rates for service
and making a cheaper rate to subscribers
beyond. is one of the claims set forth by
William D. Shoemaker OF Drummond,
Md, in a communication which has just
been received by the interstate commerce
commission.
He also claims that the telephone COM
pany is not living up to the recent de-
cision of the commission declaring there
shall be no discrimination against patrons.
and asks that the commission go into the
matter more deeply. This decision was
the result of complaint filed by Mr..
Shoemaker last year. He declares that
there Is no good reason for the telephone
company drawing the semi-circle. around
Chevy Chase. where no exchange is To-
Gated, but rather that the semi-circle, II
any is drawn, should be drawn from the
Cleveland exchange at Tenleytown.
Asks an Investigation.
He opens his petition by saying: THE
complainant in the above entitled cause
desires to: state first. that the telephone
company has not complied with the order
issued to 1t by the commission. and, sec
ondly, to move before the commission the
advisability Of ordering an Investigation
and hearing on its own initiative or In
extension of the present complaint. under
authority of section Is Of the act to reg
ulate commerce, etc, into the reasonable
ness. ETC., of rates and services of an in
terstate CARRIER charged and furnished
by the defendant to its subscribers in the
state Of Maryland from its Cleveland ex-
change in the District of Columbia
The complainant then goes on to say.
THE defendant has selected point.
namely, Chevy Chase Circle. from which
II draws q semi-circle, with radius OF
one mile. This semi-circle is drawn with
the dividing or District line as base
and the land included therein is a part
Of Maryland. Within this Semi-circle
subscribers to the Cleveland exchange
can secure city service at city rates,
which are we'll known to the commission.
They can secure no other service.
Outside Of this semi-circle, Maryland
subscribers. Of the defendant, company,
receiving service from the same exchange
as those within, are not entitled TO re-
ceive city service. whether they desire Il
or not, but must accept different serv-
ice, namely, the one for which the COM
plainant asked, and which has been fully
explained in the record of this case
Some Of these subscribers are obliged to
pay a mileage charge in addition to the
regular service charge. Others are not.
Exchange at Bethesda.
TT is the purpose OF the defendant.
as will no doubt be fully explained. to
erect an exchange at Bethesda, Md. from
which those subscribers outside OF the
mile radius will be supplied. with service.
But the fact remains that there Is now
no exchange at Bethesda, but all SUBJ
scribers of that district are attached to
the Cleveland exchange in the District OF
Columbia. and the fact that an exchange
| Is contemplated in the future whether
near or distant) ought not to vary the
rights Of the parties hereto as they exist
today under the law. 1t may be many