Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-22
Petition Sent Governor by Resi-
dents of Orleans, Caledonia
and Essex Counties.
ASSERT RATES ARE TOO high
Also Claim Service of Passump-
sic Company Has Deterior-
ated since Competition
Was Eliminated.

Montpelier. May 16.-Covernor Flotcbor
has received petitions signed nv rost
dents OF Orleans. Caledonia and Essay
counties, asking him to take stons 60
procure for the people reasonable tclo-
phone rates as well az suitable service
1t seems that the Passunnsic ,rolonboro
company subsidiary OF the New Eng
land, has bought in n nuubor of ,rdo.
pendent telephone lines in succession
ana II Is claimed that that company has
advanced rates in many instances 20
cents month while the service #.
alleged to have deteriorated in various
ways.
Governor Fletcher has taken the roti-
tlons under consideration, and if suffi-
GENTLY impressed with the situation, he
Will probably name commission to in
vestigate the situation and report TO him
its findings
Complaint has reached Governor Flet-
| cher from other parts of the State also.
and it Is not impossible that the IN
vestigation may extend far beyond the
counties named in these particular petit
tons The chief petition received reads
as follows:
ITO His Excelency. Allen NJ. Fletcher,
Governor of Vermont:
We, the undersigned subscribers and
users of telephones of the Passumps!c
| Telephone company, respectfully repre-
sent that on or about 10 years ago sail
company was organized and chartered
| in this State and took over and pur-
chased a property and business in Essex,
Orleans and Caledonia counties of tho
| New England Telephone and Telegraph
company, and al said organization said
| New England Telephone and Telegraph
company received and owned and stiil
owns a controlling interest in said Pas
sumpsic Telephone company.
| That at the time of said organization
and for a long time previous and ever
| since until May l. 1910 there was OPP
Grated in said Orleans and Essex coun-
ties, an Independent telephone company
and that said two companies were in
! active competitions that the rates Oi
said two companies were substantially
the same; and that on or about May l.
1910 the said Passumpsic Telephone COM
| pany purchased said competing indie
pendent company; that at the time OF
1.-The organization of said PassumpsiC
Ioperation in Caledonia county another
lindependcnt company which had been il
operation for some time and which re-
NAMED in operation until May l. 1872
and that said independent company II
Caledonia county and said PassumpsiC
Telephone company during all said time
were in active competition, and that tho
rates of the two companies were SUE
stantially the same
THAT on or about May |, 1912, said
Passumpsic Telephone company pur-
chased said independent telephone com
pany in Caledonia county; that there
has been in operation In the south end
of said Orleans county two other indie
pendent telephone companies which Were
in active opposition to the Passumpsic
Telephone company with substantially
the same rates. until on or about MAY
|. 1913 when said two last-named indie
pendent companies were purchased BY
said Passumpsic Telephone company
that the service of said Passumpsic Tel
ephone company, including its purchased
lines has deteriorated to quite an extent
and is not now a good sufficient or sat
sfactory service; that during all the
time that the Passumpsc Telephone
company has been in operation in salt
counties, it has enlarged its plant ant
lines so as to make 1t a much more val
liable property; that on April l. 1913
after having acquired the two first men
toned companies said Passumpsic Tele
phone company raised its rates tc user:
OF It's telephones to a very large degree
to wit, fit.y cents per month. and at tn,
| Sa i1oe h,a mbi n,
subscribers would have the right to tall
, upon without toll; that we understand
are Informed and believe that there ar,
a large number OF telephone companies
in the State OF Vermont, the majority
OF whose stock Is owned or controlled b,
said New England Telephone ard Tcle
graph company; that by reason OF sale
subsidiary lines OF the New England
company the tariffs for long distanc,
calls are much larger than they used L
be or would be II said subsidiary line
were In the nemo of the New EngianC
Telephone and Telegraph company.
I've would therefore represent tina
, we understand, are Informed and be
lieve and assert and feel very strongl,
that the rates and charges OF tho sub
sldiary lines Of the New England Telc
phone and Telegraph company al
through the State of Vermont, the New
England Telephone and Telegraph com
pany and many other telephone compan
les, 'all within the State of Vermont, ar
very much too high. and that the service
Is very poor and ali the time deterlorat
Ing, and that there should be some sor
of remedy granted to the people of Yer
mont in the premises. and we therefor
pray your excellency to cause such inves
tigation, In behalf OF the signers heret,
and OF all the people of the State. to b
made as will discover the truth with re
lation to these matters, and take sucl
steps as your excelency may deem wise
to procure for the people of this Stat
, reasonable rates and suitable service.
4 "All OF which we respectfully submit.
BURN OPIUM FARMERS.