The Detroit times., 1914-02-04
Asks Council to Prod Railway
Board to at Once Take Up
Real Grievance of Local
Subscribers
AGAIN OFFERS TO SOLVE
4-PARTY LINE PROBLEM
Suggests That Plan and That of
City's Expert BE Compared
and Better Chosen

The Detroit Times sent communf
alton TO the common council. Tues
ay evening. urging that the Mich
an railway commission be requested
b Immediately take steps TO force the
lichisan Telephone Co. 10 improve
q service, this question having been
fdetracked By the commission 10 give
onsideration to tho company's ap-
lication for permission to install me-
Pred service. The T1mss renews its
ner 10 furnish satisfactory soiu
on for the regulation of four-party
ne service, which both the company
nd the commission allege is largely
esponsible for the present unsatis
actory conditions.
| The Times communic alton follows:
Detroit. Mich. Feb ,. 1914
10 the Honorable Common Connect.
City of Detroit. Michigan
| acntiemen--The Detroit Times. in
ehalf OF hundreds OF petitioners. sug-
ests your honorable body officially
squest the Michigan state railway
ommlssion IN give Immediate recog-
ltion TO the appeal OF these many
slephone subscribers. asking better
fnd improved telephone service In the
ty OF Detroit. and that this appeal
. given preference 90 that or the
slephons company in its application
skiing authority 10 Install measure ed
arvIce. for the following hasic rea
ons,
]. That aftere your honorable
body had officially ordered an III
vestlgation 10 ascertain the cause
OF poor service the railway COM
mission objected Itself into the In
vestigation and Informed tho city
that the commission had the only
legal right 70 investigate and
regulate telephone questions.
.. Thereupon the commission
proceeded promptly 20 carry out
It's prerogative.
7. The railway commission dis
covered. and SO informed tho city
of Detroit and the telephone com
pany, that the cause OF poor ser
vice was one entirely TO abnormal
use OF the service.
That this abnormal use was
largely due to lack of supervision
OF four party line subscribers.
The commission instructed the
telephone company supervise
and regulate this class OF service
which was all tho subscribers had
asked and all that they expected
at the hands OF the commission.
8. The telephone company notl-
fed the commission that there was
no practical method OF applying
regulation and supervision suR-
gested except by means OF gen
arnl measured service.
7. The telephone company. in
compliance with the statute, ep
piled to the railway commission
for authority TO install measured
service on schedule approrl-
mntely the same az that 90 other
cities having this system In effect.
& Apparently. on receipt or this
llflf tn al
company. the railway commission
promptly ignored the nrst and I'm
portnnt request of the telephone
suhsoribers, that II force good SER
vice, and in opposition Insisted on
giving the application of the tele
phone company. which should have
been second In consideration, the
| preference
We therefore Claim that the railway
bmmlssion has been unfair To the city
IN Detroit and. therefore, this action
rs inconvenienced the telephone pub
Ic. as we claim service should be the
Irpt thing considered
This claim is based upon the fact
hat The Detroit Times knows posi-
veiy that measured service is not
scessity 10 secure good service
| The Detroit Times has ana does now
and ready and prepared 10 prove it's
Iontention We. therefore. respectfully
AXE the following suggestions;
The corporation counsel IN the pub
MC nearing DclOIt tliN tVn~
,issson, stated that he would submit
plan for the regulation OF the alb
orrnal traffic. We urge that the cor
|Dration counsel. through the city ex-
Iert. submit that plan 20 your hon
abie body for immediate corsidera-
on. The Detroit Timeg VIII also sub
Iit its plan for immediate considera-
lon.
II the two plans are practical and
lmilar. the commission shoutd be
|rged 20 force application II ~ Is
bund that the city experts plan I'm
pees additional burdens upon the
Xbrvfce and 10 not applicable ana that
he Times plan Us aud tannot be
assfioned or disputed from any prac-
cal standpoint its adoption should
The titne for submitting this plan
Ina Che manner OF submitting ana
kher details can be determined be-
Drehand and agreed upon through
bur committee
The Detroit Times. In behalf Ola
rtitionsrs. asks this immediate con
Iteration as means OF securing
This would also enable the city TO
Eye-r more rnatared confederation to
seeured service. which The Detroit
lines knows cannot be Justly >consid-
red without many months, OF delay
All OF which Is most respectfully
,lnaitted 70 your honorable boy
Very truly yours
THE DETROIT TINES,
~ Per Managing Editor.
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