The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-12
ANN|STON AGAINST HIGHER PHONE RATES
Delegation Appears Before
 Council With Protest
STORM DOES DAMAGE
Public Service Corporations Hard Hit By Storm-Labor Picnic Will Be Held Saturday At Cave
 Springs, Ga.

Anniston, June u.-(Special.)-A eonsid- erable delegation of citizens appeared pe- fore the city council at it's regular meet ing Thursday evening for the purpose of entering protest to the proposed increase in rate to be made here by the Southern Bell Telephone company.
 A number of the more thoughtful citi- zens of the city, who are willing to allow the company to make a reasonable return on its investment in Anniston. suggest that the proposed increase be deferred until the justness of the company's con- tention can be investigated by public service commission to be created by the next Alabama legislature.
 The telephone people reply to this with the statement that they have already begun Improvements in their plant here which will represent & considerable out lay and further decrease their earnings if they do not make a raise in rates at once.
 The council voted to employ a special accountant to investigate the claims of the Southern Bell conditioning their re- quest for the city councils approval of their increase in rates. It will be the duty of this special accountant to audit the books of the company with reference to the Anniston exchange and make a thorough investigation of the company s operations in Anniston-
 The labor mems picnic. which was at first scheduled for Talladega Springs has been changed and will be held Saturday at Cave Springs, Ga. Thomas R. farrell of this city is at the head Of the com mittee on arrangements and he says there will be between 1000 and 15O0 persons in the party from Anniston.
 Whether 1t is the number .1s" or not Is not known, but the corner of Thir- teenth and Noble in this city is becoming suspicious by those who believe in the existence of 'jinx' on terra firma. Yes terday afternoon a plate glass in store there was blown out and a tally-ho con- taining crowd of picknickers was over- turned at practically the same spot where two automobiles collided two days be- fore. It was also there that an automo- bile turned turtle few years ago and killed one of the occupants, seriously in- turing several others.
 Mayor J. l.. Wikle has received cup from George F. Hoffman of Philadelphia, prominent citizen in the politics and business of that place, to be presented
 
 team who this year makes the best record for team work. MT. Hoffman has inter- ests here and is a frequent visitor to the city.
 Mrs A. H. Smith and Miss Alice Pet tus have leased the dormitory of Noble institute in this city and will convert it into an exclusive home for teachers and young married couples.
 
 The public service corporations in An niston and the Anniston district were hard hit Wednesday afternoon by the severe wind and rainstorm. which swept this section of the state, but reports received Thursday afternoon were to the effect that the damage had been pretty well repaired
 For while this city was without elec- tricity. Several cars were put out of com mission, wires were grounded and tele- phone, telegraph and electric company posts were blown down in every section of the city. One house was unroofed, numerous trees and fences blown down and a plate glass window blow out of the store of J. Berman.