The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-04-30
Senator Lane Asks Time to
File a New Complaint
Inquiry Later.
BLACK SAYS SEWER
EMPTIES- NEAR PIPE
Bouquets Tossed at Telephone
Company During its Hearing
No Complaints.

State Public Service Commission, yes
terday temporarily terminated the
hearing on complaints filed against
the Water and Light Company. The
continuance was ordered at the re-
quest of Senator Thomas F. Lane, who
represented the city.
Senator Lane asked that the hear
ing be layed over until he could amend
the complaint filed by the city against
the water company. When he has
made the desired changes he will no.
tify |. r. Kelso, attorney for the Mis-
souri, Public Utilities Company, and
then the Commission will be notified
and a date for hearing will be set.
Commissioner Bean heard but one
witness yesterday against the water
company. Walter D. Black, chairman
of the Water & Light Committee of
the City Council, presented briefly the
charges against the company. 1t was
Mr.. Black who made the original COM
plant to the Public Service Commits
sion, and the city asked for public
investigation upon information OBJ
tanned by Mr.. Black.
He informed Commissioner Bean
that he had visited the water works a
few days ago and found the company
was pumping water from the river be-
low the mouth of Sloan's creek, which
carries away the sewage from the
Normal School district. Councilman
Black also said that he noticed
break in the intake pipe, which afford
ed impure water to enter the pipe be-
twee nthe mouth and the bank. He
said he would produce witnesses to
substantiate this charge.
Councilman Black has virtually
worked alone in the City Council
against the water company. 1t was
stated by city official yesterday that
Mr.. Black had employed Senator
Lane at his own expense.
Commissioner Bean Yesterday morn
ing gave the Bell Telephone Company
an opportunity to explain its reason
for issuing a new schedule of rates.
1t was shown by the company that the
change, which called for slight in
crease in the schedule, was made nee
essary by recent ruling of the Pub
lie Service Commission to avoid dis
eliminating against its partons.
Charles w. Boutin, secretary of the
Company, explained why the change
had been made, and furnished data
showing that the rate asked by the
company was less than is charged by
the telephone company in Poplar
Bluff, Moberly, Columbia, Jefferson
City and various other cities of ap-
proximately Cape Girardeau's size.
After he concluded his testimony,
the remainder of the hearing consisted
of bouquets for the company. Mayor
Kage, Postmaster Flentge and two
newspapermen testified that the serv-
ice was good and that they had never
heard of complaint against the tele-
phone company.
After hearing compliments from
four witnesses, Mr.. Bean announced
that the testimony was sufficient and
that he did not care to hear any more.
While Mr.. Boutin was on the stand,
he was making comparison of the
variation in rates charged by the
telephone company here and the COM
pany in jefferson City. Commissioner
Bean was asked to substantiate the
statement that the rate in Cape Cir
ardeau was lower than the schedule in
the State Capital. 81 have not paid
much attention to the telephone
charges" said the Commissioner, "but
l do know that Cape Girardeau is
much better city," which created
ripple of laughter.
Mr.. Bean. who is a brother-in-law
of l. Ben Miller of this city, was
graduated from the Normal School
here, is native of Southeast Mis-
souri,, and at one time served as AS
sistant Attorney General of Missouri.
He is considered one of the ablest law
GERS in the State, and is familiarly
known in this city.