The Washington times., 1918-01-21
TELEPHONE
METERS MAY
IBE RESULT
/ Of HEARINGS
ny BILL PRICE.

Installation OF meters to register
telephone calls over measured lines
vsan be considered by the Utilities
Cbn1mission, IL that body should grant
tie request of the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company to do
away with unlimited service in Wash
fngton-
The proposition is likely to have
support in the commission before the
hAarings are ended and decisions rem
dtred, in view of the widespread OBJ
jsctions of the public to features OF
tie telephone company's pleas
sThe plan would not call for the
ctmpuIsory installation Of meters at
tie expense of the company, but sub
seribers desiring these little auto
matte protectors against oyercharges
would have the right to require the
company to install them at mini
mum rate of yearly expense.
ComVIaiata Against System.
Washington people who have tried
limited telephone service in the past
complain that their telephone bills
were practically as heavy under this
system as under the unlimited plan,
lessen the number of calls. They
claim that a telephone operator, un-
der strain at all times in handling
the rush of work, cannot exercise the
care necessary in registering calls,
and consequently takes the safest
possible method by making sure that
she has left no call unregistered.
Nearly two years ago this question
Of private meters was before the
utilities commission, but no action
was then taken. The telephone COM
pany claimed that installation Of
meters slows the service considerably
and causes an increase of 10 per cent
in the number of operators,
II was maintained that the COM
pany's apparatus for repatriation IL
Of the latest patterns, being con-
trolled by a centrally lor4ted meter
system under the constant supervi-
sion OF skilled operating and main
tsDance forces.
The Private Telephone Meter.
syThe private meter costs the COM
p2ny about S14.25 TO in Jtall, IT 10
claimed, and for private branch ex-
changes considerably more. On put
ting in a call the subscriber waits
for. the connection and word from
the call. The subscriber does the
pushing and not the operator.
In Baltimore, where there are
many OF these little Instruments, the
telephone company is allowed to
make an additional charge Of So per
year. In Massachusetts,, where there
are thousands OF them, the additional
charge is $1.5O per year.
Some time ago q tele Saone sub
scriber In this city refused to pay a
measured telephone charge on the
calls had been much 'ess than
Charged A suit In she District
courts resulted. There IL was es.
taolished. according to public utility
records, that telephone operator be-
came irritated because Of something
said to her over the phone and punch
ed, the registration button about
twenty times instead of once. It had
to be admitted that this was q possi-
bility under some circumstances. The
subscriber won his suit.
Gas and Telephone Hearings.
The Utilities Commission will re,
sumo the gas and telephone hearings
when it's experts have time to in.
vestigate the claims and make re
ports.
The gas company has earnestly
urged the commission to conclude
hearinEs on the application for in
crease Of rates, claiming that Il /:
steadily losing money
The commission is not in position to
do this, pending the efforts Of it's own
employees to gather facts bearing upon
the claims that have been submitted
by the gas company.
The utility commissioners, who are
also District Commissioners, do not
know when they may be summoned
for hearings before Congress on the
District appropriation and other bills
but will act as speedily as possible or
The important questions before then
regarding gas and telephone rates.