Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-15
PHONE RATE UNFA AIR
Case First Decided by !. c. c.
Under Amended Law.
WILL HAVE TO PAY MORE
Old Subscribers, Who Were Favored,
Suffer by Ruling.
ONLY COMPANY BENEFITS
As Prevailing Rate In Suburbs Was
Not Attacked, All May Be
Brought to Maximum.
WILL HAVE TO PAY MORE

In its first decision Involving the extern
sion of the interstate commerce law to
include telephone and telegraph COM
panies as common carriers, the inter-
state commerce commission directs the
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Com
pany to readjust its rates for the Cleve-
land exchange.
Tho result will be. 1t Is said, that when
the telephone company complies with the
order Of the commission. which sets July
Is az the nnal date for compliance,
the thirty-ssven individuals with tele-
phones formerly connected with tho
old Somerset, Nd. exchange will be pay
ing $4S annually for unlimited service
and $50 for a service Of 600 calls yearly.
instead Of $A per annum for unlimited
service and $1s for tho limited service.
The contracts were made over ten years
ago. and the telephone company has al
lowed them to continue in order that it
might favor old subscribers.
May Affect Takoma Park.
William D. Shoemaker Of Drummond
Md, was the complainant in the case, and
today he said that the order Of the COM
mission is broad enough to compel the
telephone. company to discontinue con-
tracts Of parties connected with the Ia
koma Park as well as Cleveland ex-
change. He also says that the company
Is furnishing unlimited service to busi-
ness houses Of the District and is refus-
ing 1t to others. He also contends the in
terstate commerce commission has juris-
diotion over tho service here the same a.
over interstate lines
Omcials of the telephone company are
to comply with the ruling of the commits
sion In as short a time as possible, they
thoroughly. and it Is admitted that there
may be an increase In suburban rates.
Contemplate New Exchanges.
The company for some time past has
had under consideration the establishing
Of outlying exchanges in Maryland, and
particularly In Bethesda, and II this pol
icy is carried out In thte readjustment It
Is expected that the subscribers will not
only be paying regular city rates for the
service, but also a mileage rate.
It is admitted by the telephone company
officials that certain old subscribers who
have long standing contracts In suburban
sections are still allowed to hold these
contracts. even though they have a much
lower rate than those being given to new
subscribers. These telephones are to q
great extent. they point out. connected
with the Takoma Park and Cleveland
exchanges.
Although he may find that he has not
endeared himself to his neighbors by
presenting this matter to our attention,
says Commtssioner Harlan. in comment
the decision. 1.-The compliments attitude
is entirely sound"
Goes Deeply Into Question.
Commissioner Harlan goes deeply into
the question at Issue and rehearses at
length the history of the case. He points
out that about August 1. 1902, the tele-
phone company established a small Office
in Montgomery county at point about
one mile north Of the boundary line. The
exchange was intended to serve the ad-
jacent localities in Maryland and persons
residing just across the line in the Dis
trict of Columbia. The charges were ~.
year for a direct or private line with
an unlimited service and $1S a year for
a so-called four-party line with similar
service.
1T was called the Somerset Heights ex-
change" runs the decision, land was. of
course, connected with the other ex-
changes operated by the defendant, thus
enabling the subscribers to reach all per-
sons in the District of Columbia served
by telephone.
1.-The subscribers. whether residing in
Maryland or across the line in the Dis
trtct Of Columbia, were required, how
ever in addition to the annual charges |
above mentioned. to pay a toll charge of
10 cents on each call to q subscriber to
the defendants service residing in the
District Of Columbia and not directly |
connected with the Somerset exchange: a |
similar toll charge was made for each |
call through an exchange in the District |
Of Columbia to q subscriber to the Som |
erset exchange.
Removed Its Exchange.