The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-01-28
Hemans Calmly Declares That
Only Question Before State
Commission is Permission
TO Install Meters
PETITIONS BY TINES
READERS SUBMITTED
Company to Furnish Plant In
ventOry in Two Weeks and
Appraisal in Month

Holding that the question OF ser
Nice is merely incidental, and that
Ehe only matter before it is the
Michigan State Telephone Co. ap-
Plication for a change in rates IN
Detroit. the state railroad commits
eion adjourned. after half-hour's )
ession in the council chamber in
! he city hall, Wednesday morning,
. meet again Wednesday Feb. %.
Meanwhile. the company has
bgreed 10 submit to the city. within
! wo weeks. an inventory OF it's De
| roit properties. and within a month.
"A appraisal based on that inven-
Tory.
And the city. during those four
weeks. will go on enjoying" what
|.rer service the company chooses to
Iive, although the state railroad
commission has the power, by law,
10 enforce better service, and ex-
|berts are ready to suggest 10 the
ON mission the manner in which
his service can be secured. without
Iny change in the telephone rates.
About 80 citizens, besides a num-
Der OF aldermen. were on hand to
&c what the commission would do.
lhey were considerably amazed
when Chairman Hemans held that
I he only question before the COM
mission is the company's application
Tor a change OF rates. Charles ).
hampton made a protest.
Ibid / understand you TO say.
he asked Chairman Hemans that
I he service given by the company
: not 10 be Included In your hear
ngs? / supposed that was the ques-
lion. would like TO be Informed
| ( the question OF service is 10 be
Ilisregarded utterly by your body.
''The only question before US Mr.
|iemans replied, is the right OF the
ompany to inaugurate certain rates
I've start with the assumption that
5ny schedule proposed Is for better
Service"
Mr.. Hemans thus admitted that the
bnly way OF bettering the telephone
fervice which the commission will
fonsider is through increased rates.
5ir. Hemans did not explain by what
hight the commission assumes that the
.ompany's proposed schedule will bet
er the service. Ills audience had a
bottom that this was a point to be
proved by the company, not to be as
+umed by the commission.
Two bundles OF petitions 10 the
+tate railroad commission. signed by
readers OF Tne Times. protesting
.gainst the proposed changes and de-
handing better service. were given
he commission. They contained be
ween 400 and 500 signatures. The
kxact number cannot be given be
ause those petitions addressed 70 the
COMMISSION. In care Of The Times
we're not opened In addition to these
petitions, a number were sent by sub
cribers directly to the commission.
Ia Lansing.
There were present at the hearing
Mayor Marx. Corporation Counsel
.awson. Secretary Fitzgerald, Charles
:. Zahrn. the city's expert. and Aid
.cdge, Heating, Freiwald and O'Brien,
bf the public utilities committee of
he common council: for the company,
General Manager Won Schlegell Com
nercial superintendent @. Nj. Welch
and Attorney Leo NJ. Butzel; Lawton
h Hemans, Cassius l.. Glasgow and
=. 8, Cunningham. OF the state rail.
road commission. and David II. Crow
ey. deputy attorney-general.
Several aldermen were also in the
council chamber, including Aid. Din
keman. Field, Bleil. Schultz. Scheman-
sky. Barnett and Rutter
Chairman Hemans opened the ses-
sion.by declaring that the burden Of
proof would rest on the company, in
{he matter of justification for the pro-
posed rate schedule.
Mr.. lawson said:
"The city OF Detroit Is entirely sat.
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