The evening world., 1913-01-17
Reductions Go Into Effect
Within Year, Company's
Head Tells Evening World.
TO AFFECT WIDE ZONE.
Toll Rates 10 New Jersey,
Long Island and WeStchester
County Will Be Lowered.


politan district OF New York am
coming down. This much was harmed
to-day from an interview with Vice
President Frank II. Bethel Of the
New York Telephone Company. The
cuts will ranp' from 10 to 80 per
&C mt. Of the present toll rates TO the
affected centres. and the total gain
to the public will approximate $780,
900 year.
Tho announcement came out in the
course Of n general interview for The
Evening World upon the telephone sit
uatton. sought In connection with the
bill recently introduced In tho l-egisla-
ture by Assemblyman IAlrrimer. which
provides for N universal dve-cent teie-
phone rate In the greater city.
''Toiephone ats-making In most com
pick" said Mr. Bethel. '.rhe Public
Service Commission Of the Second DIS
trict has supervision over our rates and
our service. 1t has dxed rates and Is
fixing rates constantly in all parts OF
the State. These changes have practi-
oaliy all been downward. and sven at
the present time a cut In toll rates has
been agreed upon which reduces our
company's annual revenue by approx
mately es0o.00O. This last cut will go
Into effect within the year. and Affects
rates in and around New YORK City.
WILL CUT THE TOLL RATES TO
NEW JERoGv.
these reductions Gin affect tho toll
ratas to the important towns and ckics
IN New Jersey and pSdnts ON Long
Island and In Wsstchcater County The
reductions vary from 10 to 60 per cent.
"rhe Public Service Commission Of
Maryland has full authority over tele.
phone rates In that state. Eotwith-
standing this tho Legislature. hast win
ter. passed laws fixing rates In certain
localities. Tho 0overor saw 1T to
veto the bill on tho ground that Il
would have tied the hands OF the COM
mission. II might seem that such leg
| islAtiou would have the aams effect here.
There are two prime facts to be con-
sidered by telephone managers In liking
rates. the first being that the total
revenue must exceed the total expendi-
ture-<his TO keep the company In bust
ness: and the second being to secure
the widest possible develounent-this to
increase the value OF the service to all
users"
Has the company In mind the maxi
Ing Of reductions OF rates within the
greater cityr' was asked.
Il can answer your question In this
way" replied Mr.. Bethel. 1T has
been and always will be. the policy of
the telephone company TO install lower
rates Just as rapidly as conditions win
permit BY conditions, ! mean the
earnings, expenses. plant capacity and
the ordinary developments IN the ait
ferent sections Of the city"
I'm other cities. do not the people get
u limited residence service at u lower
rate than In New York;" was ques-
toned.
"our telephone company. Cor As a
year. sells to each subscriber oppor-
tunity to communicate with nearly hall
million stations within the greater
city," he said. and the cost Of this SER
Vice and Its value to the users depends
necessarily upon the extent to which
II is used
Unfair comparisons OF rates ar,
sometimes made with companies whicl
supply communications with LESSEE
number OF stations. As for instance. II
, small cities all of the telephone tram
In handled through ono central once
whereas In New York WI have slxty
, seven central offices. and 10 per cent. O
traffic IL trunked-that Is. II goes a
. least through two central offices. whlcl
J involves labor In each Once. and tn
: employment Of tremendous trunkin
system OF lines connecting every cen
: trail Office with every other cenla al OF
fice."
. The Evening World learned from re
O liahle source that the telephone com
n pany contemplates an extension of tn
4 ive-cent zone area. AID has experts a
Il work figuring out the problem. MI
Bethel would not confirm this report
A and cmphatically denied the compan
had the slightest intention OF reducln
a the cost OF Its residential service 1
9 | Manhattan.
q 1--WE arrived at the present rate G
4 sis year after a most careful study q
b the subject" he said. and by study
q mean consulting with our patrons an
q by examining complaints that hav
! been made from time TO time and cor
= sidering the matter In every other wa
opened to US An allowance OF abol
r CO.. messages. including that In II
Is ready 10 serve charge. Ii as nearly II
Il proper thing to avoid complaints AZ
dissatisfactio on the part Of our sui
scribers as We can arrive at.
The rate per message descends as n
saE
q cents per message 800 for SIS, or
cents a message. the Idea being that Il
ready-to-serve chsrge-cost OF equll
n ment plus the skeleton organiza ion
). will spread Itself out and dlsappe.
= when you reach the maximum eapaci
/" OF line"