The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-01-08
State Rested Without Put
ting in Evidence at
Montpelier
SUBMIT BRIEFS
ON JANUARY 81
Hearing at Montpelier Has
Closed After 40 Full
Days

| The state OF Vermont decided not tc
put in any evidence before the Vermont
public service commission on the tele-
phone rate hearing, and the case was
thus most Unexpectedly closed at Mont
Eelicr late yesterday afternoon following
sessions of 40 full days, during which a
mass of testimony was presented by the
various telephone companies operating
in Vermont. The attorneys for the de-
Tense were taken by surprise by the
states abrupt action and following At
tcrney i. A. Cooks statement of the
states proposal they applied to the COM
mission and were given permission to
file briefs covering the evidence submit
ted at Brattleboro on Jan. 81, Both
sides will be permitted to close their
cases at that time.
y think / can clear the atmosphere
a little so far as the state is concerned.
| assume that, as indeed my Brother
Stickney viii assume, that the court will
consider all the evidence in the case when
it gets ready, and use such portions of
chat as it may deem its duty to use,
but | withdraw all | have said with ref
crence to the records and files.
Il am content, the state is content,
The states counsel are content with the
evidence as it now stands and rests with
the telephone companies. We do not
care for any ruling or any introduction
Of additional evidence. We are willing
to Test upon what is in, without going
OH. If those reports are a part of the
record, we shall expect they will be ex-
amined. If they are not, we do not ex-
pect the commission to examine them"
Asked for Consultation
Having received this announcement,
Attorney Stickney for the telephone
companies asked for time to consult
saying: 1--WE had expected there might
be some time occupied by the state
There are certain matters connected with
the exhibits that we are not quite clear
about,
"There have been great many ex
hibits that were put in, and we want
to look them over, and if possible, if we
should desire, in order to simplify this,
and in order that the matter of evi-
dence may be complete to both sides,
so that both sides shall know what it is,
we may desire to make some tabula-
tons. 1t won't take long to do that.
The evidence is all in and think that
matters could be expedited if we could
have the rest of the day to look these
matters over"
Permission was given for a consulta-
tion by the defending attorneys, and ON
the resumption of the hearing Chairman
I'acon of the commission said:
"Well, the commission would prefer
to have what is submitted to it. submit
ted infthe form of written briefs, rather
than oral argument, because we would
consider ii better that way. Each side
tan submit any suggestion they want
to right to the commission in the form
of brief based on the evidence that
has been put in, and have until Jan. 81
to make, or file their BRIEFS
After considerable discussion Chair
man Bacon finally decided that on Jan.
81 the commission would decide whether
both sides were to be allowed time to
answer to the claims set forth in the
first briefs. The New England company
requested how much time would be al.
lowed for study of the opponents briefs
and answer. but Chairman Bacon would
not give advance notice, saying that
the date would be fixed on Jan. 81. The
hearing was adjourned sine die at 4:55.