La Junta tribune., 1916-01-15
TELsxrn0xE IIElanIxG.

R1aa1e Utiliejca ConsuI1n1na 1nyost1.
U aiag 1e1cphaac Ra1es a1A ~.
,S yire-Wfl Take 6lx l1snlhs.
u Following months Of prspalafion.
~ Public Utilities conmiasioa az
~ Btate Of Colorado On Monday
inssnins. January "a. began IL pub-
NJ hearinss On its invsstisations N
~ rates. service and practices of Tie
nountain States Telephone and
|Tslssraph Company. The hearings
|ass being held at the commission's
rosms In the state capitol. and are
vell attended.
This Investigation = Of vital IL
|tsrest to every community II the
seate. and TO agricultural and rural
districts and residsnts - we'll. since
|the telephone has become . modern
necessity for the successful ranch
nan. cattlcman. business man and
|pFofessional man. - we'll n social
nscessity-snd the rates and service
hit the pocketbooks and dispositions
OF practically everyone.
For several months prior to the
bringing Of the action ON their own
motion. June Z. 1918, the Public
Uulities Commission had liz ex-
parts working on complaints brought
against the telephone company. and
finally decided upon = general inves.
tigation into the rates. service and
practices Of the company.
Every pole. every insulator. ev-
cry foot Of wire. every minute part
Of each phone exchange equipment
and the connecting lines has been
counted. indexed. tabulated and val
ned by scores Of men working under
the direction OF the commission. and
whose count and vaulation have been
checked BY experts employed BY the
commission for that purpose.
The commissions force Of expert
engineers. statisticians. rate mec
and inspectors. has been engaged tn
preparing for tAs hsaring-or seriea
Of hearinss-snd still the work IL
not completed. but must be carried
ON simultaneously With the hearings
although Of course somewhat In ad-
vance Of the day TO day testimony.
Al the opening Of the hearing the
commission stated that Il wishes to
make the Investigation a. complete
and n thorough ~ possible. and
that for that reason u would permit
the introduction Of much testimony
and evidence which might appear
somewhat unnecessary and irrslev-
ant II considered separately.
Attorney Miltoa Smith. for the
tslephoas company. then asked Dsr.
| o1as1on 70 rad bis opsains staes-
Asat. consiting Of nearly 500 pages.
and In which he deals With the
tslsohone question from every angie.
MS. Smith admitted the right ol
Tie eoomission 70 take ~ The nat
tss ee rates and service. aad stated
that his company desires oaly . rta-
aDaabls return upon IL invssensnt.
ceasldesias the service rendered.
A. Tuesdays aessloa Of the hear
isg ur. Smith made particular ret
essaes 70 the company's belief that
rasss sAosld not necessarily b bas-
- upoa The actual physical valua-
ttoa - the plant aad system. bot thai
rates sAould b. bassd upoa sssvtcs
rsadsssd.
ne total time expected 70 b
ooasunsd IN taking svidsacs 10 itf-
~ - sixty days Of five hours saeA.
This viii BE- subdivtded into perhaps
six - seven hearings Of five 70 -
days each asd separated b. rscessea
os tve % three weeks each. Thua
the sattre series Of hearinss b q.
pscte1 70 strrtch over six months
before the case IL submitted for Z
decisloa BY the commiaiou.
Allowiae time for the prepasa.
,Ioa as1 fliins Of the briefs In The
case. Il h coasidered probable that
The 1seisioa aAd order Of The CON.
missIea 10 this case Will cot b forth.
ccatss uatil late In the present year,