The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-12-24
Company Should Provide Skill
full Supervision Before Talk
ing About Installing Met
ers, Declares Expert
SAYS MANY ILLS CAN BE
CURED FROM WITHIN
Hints Poor Service May be Pre-
meditated to Pave Way For
New Rate-BOOsung Plan

company, and identified with local tel
ephone interests 70. years made the
following statement. Tuesday. regard
ing the Detroit situation:
"Detroit's telephone trouble, today,
Is inefficient service
The report D. the state railroad
commission shows that the company
traffic Is IA excess Of its facilities due
TO lack OF supervision and improper
handling OF the service, the excess
service originating largely from the
over-use OF four-party lines.
II may state, without fear OF contra
diction, that the commission, with a
thousand more and better experts,
could not have arrived at any other
conclusion and, further, that the com
pany might have written the report
for the commission before the investi-
cation, II II had been 10 its advantage.
meaning by this. that the way was
paved FOR these conclusions.
Whether or not this came about
by wilfui neglect. unforeseen contin-
sencies, or allowing OF the service to
run wild. or a preneditated plan TO
cause inferior service. is a matter for
ehe subscriber TO determine However,
in face OF these facts, the company
has in It's employ men OF the highest
expert knowledge. fully capable, with
known means and methods that can
be- employed 10 remedy these defects
However, the company has practi-
cally ignored this and in replying to
the railroad commission asks the
arfhnrittoa 70 10 tv,t
measured seryice, as the only means
Of overcoming this inferior service
Now, lot me say positively that
there are other ways, and these ways
e4re we'll known to the Bell experts
nad they been previously considered
at the installation OF the foHr-party
Inc service. They are neither unfair
to the company nor TO the user. and
can be employed aud applied without
great delay, and the defects now exist
ng on account OF excess traffic
promptly eliminated.
Now. does II not appear that it
would be the first duty OF the tele-
phone company TO its subscribers to
introduce these regulations and prop
"rly supervise the service? When
his Is accomplished, II would appear
as though the Michigan State Tele-
phone company would be In position
o take before the railroad commission
its application for authority 70 apply
the so-called metered service wit HESS
bias from the users in the city OF De-
troit When this is accomplished, the
other questions referred to can no
doubt receive the prompt attention OF
the city council and the railroad com
mission and the necessity OF introduce
klg metered service for increasing the
revenue b. thoroughly considered
II am not stating that Increased
revenue Is not necessity That Is
mother question ! fully realize that
measured service is a great regulator
and a great Garner. ! also know quite
well that the telephone company is
fully acquainted with ways and means
for rendering good service. and when
t is not doing so, you can be assured
hat there Is an Interior purpose back
pf t."
Il have no objection 10 the state
railroad commission paying part of the
expense Of the citys experts in the
telephone Investigation II II wants 10,
but the CRY viii name the experts"
said Mayor Marx. Tuesday, comment
ng on the letter OF Lawton T. He
mans, chairman OF the commission, In
which Mr.. Hemans SAYS:
at II is thought advisable that ex-
5erts be employed for the ascertain
nent OF the facts and a complete pre-
sentation OF the public side Of the
questions involved this commission
would BE- very clad to join with the
lily In the employment OF such ex-
perts. and any and all other means
hat will serve to- protect or further
be public interest
Knocks against the telephone ser.
Ice are still coming into the MAYORS
pfice Letters were received. Tues
Law. from Drs. G. G and J. VI Bur
ress and from Clyde II Burroughs d.
rector or the Detroit Museum Of Art.
eling their experiences In unsuccess-
al attempts TO reach people whose
phones. declared "busy" by central.
we're not in use.
William ]. Hagenah Wisconsin's
bubble utilities expert. who invesi-
lated the Chicago Telephone Co. In
$40. found that the Z y per cent of
he gross earnings which the com
Any paid 10 the American Bell
Telephone u-. now The american
Telephone e. Telegraph Co, was ex-
essive
The property covered by the
entail charges consists OF an Undue
ion coil transmitter and re-
eiver. which are reasonably worth
F301 at current prices per set,
wrote Mr. Hagenah.
He figured that. allowing for d.
recitation Insurance. taxes and In
crest. there should be rental
arge Of 90 cents an instrument..or
lSS, 400 for AZ those in use in Chi
ago. The company was paying
|355.7l1
"tn Justification for the payment
n the difference between those
mounts. or s222.411." Mr. HaR-
nah continued "the Chicago Tele-
hone Co. receives certain services
rev. the parent company which u
7laImed are worth the amount
laid These services consist OF tech-
cal advice and counsel and the uye
apparatus patented by the, parent
rmpany. The American Hell Co.
nd the associated American Tele-
hone & Telegraph Co. maintain ex-