Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-20
Few, However, Complain Of the
Company's Service, Utilities
Commission Is Told. 3.
E. B. HARTLEY REPORTS
RESULT OF HIS INQUIRY
Board Adopts Recommendation Re-
curing Copy of Monthly Plant
and Traffic Summaries. /

Complaints of the service furnished
by the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company were few. but many
subscribers found fault with the rates.
according to f. b. Hartley of the pub
lie utilities commission. who has just
completed an investigation of the oper-
ating conditions of this company.
The report of the investigation with
recomme ndations by Capt. Julian l..
Schley, executive officer, has been ap-
proved by the commission.
The most important recommendation
adopted is that the company be requir-
ed to furnish the commission with
copy of the monthly summarized plant
and. traffic reports, which,, IL is be-
lieved. will be of value in keeping the
commission informed of the quality of
service as found by the eompany's in
spection system.
Reports of Written Complaints.
The commission agreed with Capt
Sch1ey that it is nde desirable to re-
quire reports of the number of the sew
erai classes of written complaints re-
ceived by the company from its pa
irons.
while a knowledge of these COM
plants may be of value to the COM
mission from time to time" states the
executive officer. Il do not think that
they are a sufficiently accurate indica-
ton Of the quality of service furnished
to be kept'in the files of the commits
sion. They are always available for in.
spection by representatives of the COM
mission"
One feature particularly investigated
by Mr.. Hartley is the company's prac-
tice that when a subscriber calls for
public building by name he be referred
to information for the number.
Connection With Public Buildings.
while making observations" states
Mr.. Hartley in his report, II heard
several subscribers ask for the District
building. There is no question that
every operator knows, or should know.
this number. but they had to refer the
subscriber to information. which re-
suited in delay. 1t is recommended
that this question be taken up with
the company. with a view to having
operators make connections with the
various public buildings upon request"
This recommendation was not ap-
proved on the ground that to require
such a change might produce compile
cations, from an operating standpoint.
which might decrease the quality OF
the service.
Subscribers who were asked to give
thelr opinion as 10 the telepHoHe SerN-
ice complained, for the most part,
against the "slowness" of the informa-
ton service, the report states. Fifty
three observations were made of the
time required for information to an
swer and the average was twenty sec
onds.
Take Five Seconds Too Long.
Owing to the large number of
strangers in the city during G. A. r.
week.. states the report In this con-
nection, "the service was unusually
busy. but still the average was at least
five seconds more than it should have
been. 1t is suggested that another test
be made of this service under normal
conditions and comparison made.
There are at present twenty operators
assigned to information desk,
The report gives a comparison of the
business done by the telephone COM
pany during G. A. r. week and the
week preceding it. This comparison
it is stated, Indicates that the operat-
ing force is elastic enough to take care
of any sudden increase without in any
way lowering the standard set"