The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-12-19
University of Michigan Engi-
neering Dean tells Mayor He'll
be Glad to Represent De-
trOit Before Board
COMPANY NEEDS CASH
FOR PARENT CONCERN
MIXED Into Deficit Last Year by
A. T. & T., Which Owns Bulk
of Stock


s!ty OF Michigan. informed Mayor
Marx. Thursday morning. over the
long-distance telephone that he would
be pleased to assist the special com
mittee OF the council which will in.
vestigate the telephone situation and
attempt to devise ways and means to
combat the proposal Of the Michigan
State Telephone Co. to install me-
tered service.
Aid. John c. Lodge, chairman OF
the special committee, conferred with
Mayor Marx. Wednesday afternoon
and It was decided to ask Dean Coo.
ley to act as the city's expert. Prof
Cooley informed the mayor that he
Is at the present time conducting tele-
phone Investigations in three other
cities. He Is regarded as one of the
most competent engineering experts
In the country.
The irst meeting of the special
council committee will be held In the
mayors ONCE at 2 o'clock, Friday af.
ternoon. AT that time 1t is likely that
formal invitation will be extended
Dean Cooley to assist In the local In.
vestigation. Should other work pre-
vent him from devoting his time to
the Detroit investigation, ne has prom
ised Mayor Marx that he will send
one OF his best assistants. The mayor
the corporation counsel and other city
officials Will assist the special com.
mittee In every way possible to make
the investigation thorough one. and
to collect data to meet the arguments
OF the telephone company before the
state railroad commission for permits
sion to put In measured service.
Arthur Won Schlegell, general man
ager OF the Michigan State Telephone
Co.. held conference with Mayor
Marx. Wednesday afternoon. He de-
tended the company's plan for me
tered service and asked for an i'm.
partial investigation by compN ent ex.
perts. The mayor assured him that
this was the plan of the committee
and that he did not think It would be
fair to allow various civic orgapiza
tons to make independent investlga
lions. employing former employees OF
the telephone company or job-hunt
Ing politicians. Mr.. Won Schlegell told
the mayor that the telephone com
pany would willingly allow the spe
cial committee the freedom OF the
plant, and also access TO the com
pany's books.
He invited the mayor the members
OF the special committee and othei
city oficiRls interested in the pro
posed investigation to inspect the
main Office Of the telephone company
Thursday afternoon, and the invita-
ton was accepted
Mayor Marx Is receiving scores OF
letters In every mail from telephone
Subscribers, Directing to the com
pany's plan for metered service.
The mayor suggests that subscrib
ers keep an accurate account Of the
number of outgoing calls per day and
to submit these reports to the special
committee when the public sessions
are held.
The cost of these calls can be ng
ured from the proposed schedules fur
nishcd by the company, and 1t viii
show whether metered service will
increase or decrease the charge tC
the subscriber" said the mayor.
II the verdier bill IL sustained and
the charter amended by the people tC
permit the installation OF a municipa
telephone system, Mayor Marx says
he has been informed that the stree,
railway commission would have pow
er to compel the Michigan State Tele
phone Co. to give direct connections
to municipal telephone subscribers
and that the commission would have
the I. wer to Ak the rates for such
service.
Mayor Marx asked General Man
ager Won Schlegell what the profit oi
the telephone company was on its De
troit investment. Mr. Won Schlegell
replied that he could not answer that
question az the profit was figured or
the entire state system.
The directors Of the Board Of Com
merce will meet at noon, Friday. tC
consider the telephone situation. They
will discuss the advisability Of EN-
ploying legal counsel and an exper,
to represent the board In the investi
cation of the Michigan State Tele
phone Co.
"The attitude of the board IL not
to take sides, but to aid as much al
possible In bringing to light the true
situation regarding the company's
property, service and the rates that
|. should be charged" said Assistan,
Secretary Wreford.
business men with whom I have
talked are, keeping track Of their tele
phone calls, to md out what they
would have to pay under the new
rate. All are dissatisfied with the
tariffs posted by the company"
General Manager Won Schlegell
asked where experts can be founc
who are not connected with the Amer
lean Telephone 4 Telegraph Co., sug
gested the names OF william J. Hag
suah. public utilities rate expert o
Chicago In 191O-l9l1, and chief stat
istician Of the Wisconsin railroad com
mAssion: Dugald C.. Jackson. profes
sor Of electrical engineering In thu
Massachusetts, Institute OF Technol
ogy, and Edward w. Bemis.
Then there is Bion j. Arnold" HI
added.
Mr.. Won Schlegell was informed tina
the people Of Detroit would hardl,
stand for Mr.. Arnold. after his ap
praisai Of the d. u. n. ut $4,000, 900
mo, he would scarcely do" Mr.. Vol
echlegell concluded. We don't wan
/ anyone that the newspapers and thu
people can't agree on. We want thu
investisation to be final"
Mr.. Won Schlegen denied the con
IGNITION Of The Postal TsleGrspA o.
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