The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-03-12
CONTROL Or CORPORATIONS
NeuRtsin States Company Advocates
Commissions
:abttS EMPLOYEES

est was manifested today in the an
nOuncement by President Field Of The
Mountain States Telephone & Tele-
graph Company, that he is in hearty
accord with the plan for the control of
the company he represents by State
Utilities Commissions elected by the
people. The company, which operates
in the seven mountain states, is one
tiors In the country, and this an
nOUncement, coming as 1t does, in the
midst of public distust of all corpora
tions, shows a broad, far-sighted pol
icy that is doing much toward bring
ing about a spirit of confidence in the
company and its operations.
The annual report to the three thous
sand stockholders gives the company's
balance sheet and shows the growth of
the telephone business in the terri
tory. 1t contains much of public in
terest and shows the healthy condi-
tiOr of the company and its affairs
The report in part says: ION De-
cember 81, 1913, we had in our terri
tory $40 exchanges, furnishing service
to 20O,O16 exchange stations: there are
22,556 stations connected with our svs-
TEN on the lines of connecting COM
panies, making total of 222,572 sub
scribers' stations in service on Decem-
ber 81, 1913, an increase of 1854 dur
ing the year. The total miles of ex-
change and toll lines, as of December
81, 1913. were 3S,666.09, an increase
of S2,047.16 miles for the year. Total
miles of exchange and toll wire under
ground on December 81, 1913, were
196,T7S.23. Total miles of toll line on
the same date were 76,9S4,56. Our
company furnished as we'll to minor
companies toll service over S,019 miles
of connecting toll line. There are in
the territory of the Mountain States
system SIS joint telephone and tel
egraph Offices, affording facilities to
the public much better than those
formerly enjoyed Two thousand three
hundred sixty-ive male and 2,7O4 fe-
male employees made possible the han
ding of 1,0S5.443 exchange messages
per day, and 18,307 outgoing toll mes
sages per day, and were paid for their
services the sum of $3,921,7S2 during
the year.
Two states in our territory during
the year 1913 have created Public
Utility Commissions, viz: Idaho and
Montana. Previous to this time, Ari-
zona and New Mexico had already
established such commissions, and, by
virtue of our previous experience, we
have every reason to believe that a
better ad broader understanding be-
tween the public and our company is
taking place in consequence. We find
that regulation by Public Service Com
missions may be considered an assur-
ance of better feeling and an insur-
ance against unwarranted prejudice.
Our system of accounting inaugu-
iotou SohuoAy l, AoAos upou tnc OIueI
of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, affords ready scrutiny and an
easy analysis of our operations, and
has additional value in that it is duly
legalized by the highest authority
thereby relieving our company from
adverse criticism when subject to in
vestigation.
Alto close this report without refer
&c to the loyalty and hearty CO.
Gration of our 5000 employees would
abe unfair both to them and to the
stockholders, whose interest they have
so thoroughly at heart. The benefit
plan referred to in the report of last
year has proven eminently satisfac-
tory, and has, am positive, cemented
the harmonious relationship between
the operating force and the investor.
"It would also be improper to close
this report without some reference to
the great value of our relationship
with the parent company. The Amer
ican Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany. The past year, in particular
has emphasized the value of our asso-
citation with that company and our CO.
ordinate corporations which go to
make up the Bell System. The ad-
vantages which we receive in the mat
ter of engineering and accounting ad-
vice, and the exchange Of information
covering operating experiences, are in