Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-07-23

| 1908, but the New England company
did not care to enter into formal con-
| tract until it had thoroughly demon
strated the desirability of the ar
ran cement thus created.
| Yours very truly,
IN. B. Jones, Counsel.
'Messrs. Cook and Graham in their
report deal largely with the New Eng
land company and apparently wish to
convey the idea that the New England
| company had been given an opportun-
ity to be heard upon the subject mat
ter Of their report. In fact they asked
the public service commission to make
certain orders on the basis of the spe-
cial commissions hearing The
facts about this alleged hearing are
as follows:
LAS the special commission had
| investigated the affairs of the Pas
sumpsic Telephone company at great
length, propounding a list of over
eighty 1nterrogations which were an
swered by General Manager Brown of
that company in writing, Mr.. Brown
suggested that the officers should have
opportunity to confer with the special
commission as to information OBJ
tanned by it from other sources before
1t was made the basis of report
| On July Mr.. Brown was verbally
Informed that Messrs. Graham and
Cook were to be in st. Adams on July
3 and would hear officers of the COM
pany If they desired to be present on
the day named. Messrs. F. w.
Story, president, and c. A. Brown,
general manager, Of the Passumpsic
company and myself appeared before
Messrs. Graham and Cook. 1t re-
Spouse to their suggestion spoke gen.
orally concerning the affairs of the
Passumpsic company and then fer
several hours they piled me with
questions not only about that company
tut especially about the New England
company and it's affairs. To each and
all of these questions gave a full and
frank answer so far as my knowledge,
without any opportunity for prepara-
ton, permitted. 1 am not, however
omniscient even as to the telephone
puo1IlOoo VI Sl Hull duu III SOulO Ill
stances had to admit my inability to
answer. Sometimes the other ger =
tlemen could supply my lack and when
meme of Us could answer the special
commissioners were told that we
would furnish the information later II
desired.
"A stenographer was present at this
meeting, who stated after it's close
that her notes were not verbatim but
she thought they covered the sense of
the statements made. Because of this
I subsequently asked Mr.. Graham to
let me have transcript Of those notes
and offered to pay all expenses. To
my surprise I received from Mr..
Cook, on July IL. the following let
ter:
July 10, 1918.
IN. B. Jones, General Counsel. N.
E. T. & T. Co., Boston, Mass.
Brother Jones:
Brother Graham communicated tc
me your desire for a copy Of the
transcript from the reporter at st
Adams.
4 do not see how we have any au-
thority to furnish the same.
"A communication to the governor
would give you what you wish, If he
desires it furnished.
Sincerely yours,
e. A. Cook.
This is the proceeding which
Messrs. Graham and Cook dignity
with the name of hearing and with
reference to which they complain that
we did not produce books and &C
counting officers whose presence had
not been requested
1.-THE New England Telephone anG
Telegraph company recognizes thai
as a public service corporation it il
subject to regulation by the state. Tt
such regulation it has never offered
objection
THE people of Vermont have estab-
lished a public service commission
clothed with power to receive com
, plants and to rectify by order any in
equities or injustice that may exist
An orderly course of procedure fol
ascertaining the facts is provided by
:. law and full and fair opportunity i!
given all parties in interest to presen
all the facts and to be heard upon the
conclusions to be deduced from thu
facts.
"The New England Telephone ant
Telegraph company has promptly com
piled with every suggestion, recon
mendation, requirement and orde>
:, made by this tribunal since it wa:
established by the state of Vermont
1t stands ready at all times to rende
to this or to any other properly con
stituted governmental authority
strict accounting as to it's rates. it.
:, :, service, its relations with the pub
= lie, with it's employees and with athe
companies.