The Detroit times., 1913-12-30
Mayor Marx Receives Replies
From Several Cities Regard
ing the General COndi-
tons
COMPETITION CUTS
RATES IN ST. PAUL
Poor Old Philadelphia, Used to
Corporate ExtOrtiOn, Perfect
" Satisfied With Meters

ST Paul, with competition, has eN'
cSptionally low telephone rates
Now York's public service commits
sion is noncommittal on the subject
OF s4rvice, but 4, Is we'll known that
citizens are hghting the company
and HEARINGS are In progress.
Bostbn says that metered service
has Increased the cost of telephones
Philadelphia, used 10 corporate ex'
tortion, \ confesses great satistac'
tion
Seattle Minds little il any complaint
against thS metered system.
Such are\ the replies received, Mon
day, by MAYOR Marx TO hts inquiries
regarding telephone conditions in
other cities
Corporation Counsel Lawson has
returned from his holiday vacation
In consequence. meeting OF the
special telepAo zone committee viii be
held in the mayors Office, Tuesday
morning at lll o'clock. st which there
: VIII be a gcheral discussion oil the
problem.
Secretary Fitzgerald received a let.
Ter from LawtSn T. Hemans, chair
man OF the state railroad commits
sion. Monday saying that the com
mission Is agreeable 10 wait for
definite answer ITO it's proposal to
stand part OF the\ expense OF the pro-
posed Investigation of the telephone
company until the mayor has pre-
scented the offer TO lthe telephone com
mittee.
Mr.. Law son S study OF inc INV ras
led him 10 believe that the city oil
Detroit has no power over the tele-
phone company AZ the present time
THE city mas no power under the
home rule act he said. The legIs'
lature of 1913 passed volnmlnouS
statute giving the state railroad com
mission complete power over IN" tele-
phone companies. II Detroit adopts
The new charter. II will probably have
power over the telephone company
but believe that this question ~ SUD
jeet 10 legal argument
Reports EeGsiYed- from various
cities show wide range OF telephone
charges.
81. Paul has two companies-the
Northwestern and the TrlState'
There IS no metered service OUTSIDE
OF the nickel-inthe-slot machines. Inc
residence rate is ! Yer than that-o'
Detroit--$3 u month. and s25O Tor
twoparty lines. Business rates are
81. 80 a month, or 81 80 for twoparty
lines 4 discount OF 90 cents rs al
lowed il bills are paid before me MI
teenth OF the month.
Boston's service is metered ana
Edward Z. Moore. assistant secretary
10 the mayor. says that metering has
increased the cost In the "meuopoll-
tan district" the rate is 600 calls
year for $50 whereas the business
tariff proposed III Detroit Is SSS TOT
the same service. The next 800 add
tional calls are charged for at i've
cents. and calls over 900 al three
cents.
I'm the central district" there is an
unlimited service business rate of SlZ5
year There Is another rate which
allows 900 calls "a year for SlS. Inc
Detroit schedule proposes 500 calls
for the same rate. a two-party bnsl'
ness phone. limited to $40 calls a
wear. costs S42, with three cents FOR
each additional call Four-party lines
are given only with coinboXes, at
guarantee OF $50 q year
residence Dnone. with unlimited
service. costs S75 Measured service
900 calls a year, costs $40. whereas IN
der the proposed Detroit rate l,29u
calls can be obtained Tor that figure
A two-party line. unlimited service,
costs $50 measured service costs $50
for 900 calls. four-party slot-ma'
chine phone can be obtained for S2i.
At the Boston unlimited service res
idence rate. SIS year. Detroit resi-
dence could have $3.50 calls a year
under the proposed Michigan State
company's tariff, ar 10 calls day.
Philadelphia, with two telephone