Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-07-17
SUGGESTS THAT NATIONAL,
INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED
Finds Business throughout State vitality Affect
ed-Twenty per Cent. Reduction of Toll
Rates Recommended with Substantial
Reduction of Subscribers Rentals.

Montpelier, July Representative i
y. Cook of Lyndon and w. a. Graham O
bellows Falls. appointed by Govcrno
Fletcher to investigate the telephone husi
ness. nud that the New England Tele
puone ANA Telegraph company owns o
dominates the entire telephone situatio,
81 Vermont, partially 10y ownership O
stock and partially by certain vicious ant
unlawful traffic and purchasing contracts
These contracts give the New Englan,
company control over the rates supple
used, tranSmittrrs and receivers furnish
ed and territory occupied to such a de
er'o as to- be unlawful and monopolistic.
They find that all information that
would Doe of any great value, so far l'
figures are concerned. Is confined to 'hc
1foston office of the New England com.
lHnv They dud unfairness in the dyi
sion Of tolls, unfairness in the method
and manner Of bookkeeping. ana q cover
ing M of gain for the purpose OF shoWinp
lack of profit in the business They say
'hat the New England company advised
fh"m to hire "A corps OF accountants to
audit these companies books md have
refused and neglected 20 furnish them
with important Information. facts and
figures. and copies of contrar,- ANA docu-
nonts requested by them
h'F ma that the Amer Telephone
bh" l'ioEraph company controls the New
'-HNIann company IN" Western Electric
company ana "tn'r co'nMnI"s with which
,I' ~" HhE'ahd deals. ana through the
NV i'iE''n" 'he SnhS'.AlN ana connect
- i"'',S III VERMONT ana 'nat Su'h
'"' -'"''r''"h I'-'PI'h' ana
7''''' "I'i"N NI'''H ""''t9 the
INT. i,, 81;
" ''''7 STAT anu UT 'lS '"hheC-
" i'"''''''' "'N''u~a'Ioh j.
,.
>.,,, r,, '"'''I' ~ th'
. -. 'IS''''IH '""'I'"'"eS'
,,.nt,t, -. -, OF St .i'o""S' az
,,,.ot 80 -, - "i' 3'ii' ''
.,,,5f,r,. co,,,,.a.,-., '''i'u anu sun
,, ~ ""t IL"
49," "t.' "'''' ''''l"'
l '"'''''"7, ''"'PP'hs
" 'p'''''e
il''f ~ IN LOWER RATES.
Their Investigation discloses that All
of the substantial independent companles
as well AS connecting companics, have
Kept their lines I'm good repair and made
q very satisfactory profit upon much
lower rates than those charges by the
New England and subsidiary companies
This is all the more surprising when il is
considered that tho independent and con-
meeting companics receive sibstontiallv
no benefit from ROLL business They find
silva, IL tay Of - mon c,r, ,,r.,, tho
cross earnings Of tba Now England COM
1,any is cxacted by the American Bell
in PAYMENT for so far as they are able
+" discover nothing substantial except
nahSmittefS ana receivers renter 10 me
Ne" EHL'ai'd co"lpaII!' "a l"e ''''''
gross revenue OF the Ne" h-hslanu com
lailN LOT the year I'I- was s'o'l'o'-'o''@
ana Tor Nermoht Tor 'n' same year Fo>o'-
1'N.''
Ih"N hnally recommended Inat lhe pur
ron In the first instance ought ana shoulu
T'St upon these public u'lhues 10 sausly
the commission that their rates charges
nd business methods are lhlr' JUST ana
'Iul'ahl"i sald commission having peen
established by law to protect the puhhc
n@alnst UNJUST unlair ana unreasonaoie
practices, charges ana rates
They recommend a ~ per cent. reduc-
7ion Of toll rates ana "A substantial lower
GG OF rates Tor subscribers rentals that
ought to b" put in force, and also recon-
,,ncnd such orders by the commission as
Twill prevent any Increase OF rates VOLS
lrr charges ana any limitation OF ii'' N''''
territory In the future without 'he co"
sent OF the puhlc seiN1c" commission
me whole report OF the SPe'i'l o'''''i"'
Bion ana the 'oVerh"r e"p'a ""'''S io'
ter follows
RELIEF IS IMPERATIVE.
No the Public Service Commission Of the
Stat. of Vermont:
<., t,.,,.,,,,i,b ,rarsmit for
,i.,, and ac,Ior IN. r.no,t
-. /, cool and w ara.
q, IT,, -. 49,, g. tn,.o,ti,,a,o tho
.,11,.,l,, ,,o,,. ovi,tirc +, this
,,s, ,,.,,,' ,,,,,, o,t,.o,, o,,tbo,itv nv
" - ~. .,,,,,,,,i..,,,, 20 r,,l,o .,,cb
{ ,1,.,,1at,'r -, ,.n',. ar1,. lated Iune 4
sa,,
~, .,... 60 ,...,.,c .,,,, ,.o,,,,i,as
~ ~ , -. NJ,
4 a sug,est that In view of all the circum-
stances, particularly the refusal and neg
'e't OF the telephoHe t"'"P"Hy W EiN'
certain information, that the burden
should properly rest upon the telephone
to show that the present rates