The Washington herald., 1912-08-23
PLANS TO PROBE
PHONE SERVICE
Subcommittee Of Chamber Of Com
merce Started On Work
Yesterday.
INVESTIGATION IS VOLUNTARY

A preliminary research Of statistics
upon which may be based thorough
Investigation of the telephone service OF
the District of Columbia. compared with
telephone services In other municipal
ities, was commenced yesterday BY q
subcommittee, headed by Henry H.
Classic. from the Chamber Of Commerce
law and legislation committee. Inquiry
into the workings Of Independent COM
panies'' In other cities will be an I'M
portant part Of the investigation
The frst step In the research VIII be
an assembling Of all available informa-
ton on the subject Of telephones that
win illuminate the subject OF the servies
here
Thomas Grant. secretary Of the
Chamber Of Commerce, who acted as
secretary for Mr.. Classics committee.
was intrusted with the task-and 1t
was not q small onc-of getting and
compiling the statistics and data and
opinions Of telephones and telephone
men. He will be on this work for the
three weeks between now and the
middle Of September, when MT. Classic
and his associates will meet again
How far the Chamber of Commerce
would extend its Investigation Mr.
"we appreciate the difficulty we
should have in making an investigation
OF the telephone company here" Mr..
Classic said. 'Our investigation would
be strictly q voluntary one. We have
no power to get at facts. But We shall
get all the facts we can under the con-
ditions under which we must work.
There are two ways IN which TO form
an opinion upon a telephone service: first.
by learning what Is the value Of the tele-
phone plant and equipment, the operating
expenses, percentage Of depreciation. op-
Grating revenues. and a fair proht; and,
second. by comparison Of our service
with the services OF other cities.
I'VE have no power. as I said. to re-
Quire any one to give us information
So to-day We have only mapped out our
field Of action. We are going to get all
the information we can about telephone
operation and expenses and charges and
efficiency. We expect to ask the tele-
phone company here to give us some in
formation, and also We are going to get
what light We can on the independent
companies operated In other cities"
Complete Probe Wanted.
Mr.. Classic expressed q belief that the
Chamber Of Commerce would not wish
10 make an investigation Of the service
In the District unless 1t could make a
complete and thorough investigation.
In this respect 1t was recalled that the
Chamber of Commerce carried into the
courts its campaign for lower telephone
rates a few years ago, and was put TO
considerable expense. and In 1911 voted
down a resolution to investigate the tele-
phone system. At the same time the
Chamber voted an Endorsement of bill
then pending to create a public utilities
commission for the District which would
include in its jurisdiction the regulation
of the telephone rates.
But the preliminary, Investigation in
stituted yesterday will accomplish. II Is
planned. compilation of information
which will make the members OF the
Chamber of Commerce quite competent
to decide whether the investigation shall
continue to extreme lengths.
Meeting with Mr.. Classic as associates
on the subcommittee were A. Leftwich
Sinclair chairman OF the law and legfs-
lative committee; William NJ. levin.
Secretary Grant, Levi Cooke, Albert
Thomas II. Melton, and Fred
erick c. Handy.