Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-12-11
TESTIMONY FILLS
OVER 5000 PAGES
Telephone Hearing Likely to EX-
tend into January--Man-
son Still on Stand.

Montpelier, Dec 1o.-Thc 3lst day Of
the telephone hearing before the Normont
public service commission to-day was oc-
cupicd with the cross-examination of
Chief Engineer George W. Manson on
the methods he applied to arrive at the
unit costs, in the course of which Attor-
ney Cook, who conducted the examina-
ton, referred to some Of the exhibits as
picture books" crooked lines and the
like. Mr.. Manson has been on the stand
now about a week and the length of his
cross-eXaminatlon is still a matter of
doubt. since the State has asked him to
produce the memoranda and sheets from
which many of the items are made up.
Even now the auditors force is working
nights and Sundays getting out the 100
or more requests for information made
10y the state which Auditor Longlcy did
not have when he was on the stand.
In the course of his examination Mr..
Manson was asked to state the salary
he was receiving as chief engineer, which
he gave as 5000 Mr. Manson is about
20 years Of age but looks younger and
has proved during the hearing that he IS
It master of the craft Having worked
in all branches Of the telephone business
from the setting Of poles, his testimony
Is given with the confidence of a man
who knows what he is talking about.
The question of adjournment this week
until after Christmas has not yet been
definitely decided by the commission.
Present indications are that the session
will run into January. Early in the
hearing the sporting members of the
telephone fraternity made up pool to
20 to the man naming the date nearest
to final adiournmcnt and every one
guessed a date before December l. 1t
looks as though all bets will have to be
declared off and a new start made.
Up to the present time upwards of 300
typewriter pages of testimony have been
taken, employing two sets Of stenograph-
ers, one engaged by the state and the
other by the telephone company. Two
lightning artists from the public service
commission of the second district Of New
York, at Albany, McssrS. Lynde and
Welsh are taking testimony for the
state. Women steuographers were first
engaged and worked in relays hut az
they We're taken from other departments
they have gone back to their old posi-
tons. The testimony is Immediately
Transcribed SO that the mornings pro-
Cocdings are completed by two o'clock
and the afternoons proceedings in the
carly evening, the entire days testimony
being transcribed the same day This
work for the state is supervised by Mel
Clawson, clerk of the commission, who
is assisted by two clerks The telephone
ga CHI
who repeat the testimony into dictapnones
from which typcists at the Pavilion Hotel.
headquarters for the telephone company.
take off the dctations on their machines
All sides, the commission the attorneys
for the telephone company and the attor-
neys for the state go over the entire
testimony in the evening in their separ-
ate quarters. Every request for inform
alton is noted and the information is
supplied as readily as it can be secured.
Attorney Cook continued his cross
examination Of Chief Engineer Manson
to-day directing his Inquiries to the
methods employed by Mr.. Manson in
arriving at his depreciation percentages
and unit costs Mr. Manson had presented
a chart running from 1905 to 1913, some of
the figures on which were interesting. In
little less than ci.ht years. the New
Enaland company had increased its cen
tral office equipment. consisting Of
switchhoards and auxiliary apparatus by
$3.50" 0ou. During that same period it had
removed 100000 OF central office plant
Mr., Cook asked Mr.. Manson for the de-
tailed figures from which these charts
were prepared and Nh Aiinson promised
to send for them The iu.uirV then turn