New-York tribune., 1918-12-21
Business Houses
Worried Over New
Telephone Rates
Definite Plan of Operation
Under BurIeson Order Not
Vet Formulated by Bell
System Company Here
By BRIGGS

The New York Telephone Company,
facing a revision of its toll charges by
order of Postmaster Burleson, is with
cut definite plan for the operation
of its system under the order Engineers
of the company yesterday were said
to be at work on the new scale of
tolls based on the so-called "air-line"
charge, but they considered it doubt
full if definite figures on the changes
tc be effected could be prepared prior
to the Inauguration of the govern
ments proposal.
In the meantime business houses
whose telephone tolls are of such
volume that they must be considered
in the annual budget are worried.
Aside from the broac statement that
some charges will be lowered and
others raised, according to the variation
IN the "air-line" distance between New
York and other points, as compared
with the present system, not even a
substantial guess is ventured by the
company.
increase Is Expected
sharp increase in tolls between
New York and points within a radius
Of one hundred miles or less is ex-
rected under the order
The toll rates of the present have
been based to a great degree upon the
wire mileage used in making the nee
essary connections between given
points. coupled, of course. with the
labor involved at both ends of the he line ;e
and at relay points. In constructing
telephone lines during the growth Of
the Bell system long detours have
sometimes been necessary. Railrocd
rights of way have frequently been
followed, which has necessitated any
thing but direct route from CITY to
city. Detours of this nature must now
be disregarded in readjusting the toll
rates. Distances must be reckoned by
the engineers "as the crow flies" and
tolls collected on that basis.
Telephone officials said yesterday
the order had come to them suddenly
and that its complications cannot be
mastered except at big outlay of
time and mental energy
No Basis for Estimate
The records of the company contain
nothing, it is said, upon which even an
estimate of specific charges necessary
under the revised scheme could be
made.
digest of the lengthy and compli-
Gated government order reveals that
calls in which sim ply a telephone num-
Der or address in distant city is
given arc to be the basis for the new
scale Of rates. These are technically
designated "station TO station" calls.
The initial rate in the first six miles
radius is five cents.
Within a radius of from forty to
fOYtN-plOIf ilac ho 81
thlrty-fivc cents and between forty
eight and fifty-six miles it is forty
cents. Then the scale climbs by five
cent steps with each increase of eight
miles or fraction.
Where the party calling owes the
name of particular person with whom
he desires to speak the government
ADDS approximately % per cent to the
station to station" rate for the addi-
uona' work Avolved. These arc deSig
rated as "person to person" calls
Extra Charge Provided For
II a "person to person" call cannot
be completed by an operator because
the person called is "out" or refuses to
talk, charge one-fourth Of The stand
ard rate is permitted. This service Is
at present given free. 1t is stipulated
by Mr. Buricson that this charge can
not cNcee 81 and will not be less than
ten cents.
In so-called appointment calls.
where the operator is ordered to ger a
given person on TIE phone at a stlp-
ulated hour and then calls the party
fling the ORDER. the standard rate is to
be increased by approximately so per
cent. This rule also applies to calls
IN which messenger service is involved.
Tho rates stipulated are only to be
employed between $50 a. m. ard s:2O
p N. Between $3.50 p. m. and mid
night "station to station" calls will be
reduced 30 Der cent and from md.
"iE.s until I:2o IN the morning tho
Large wil be one-fourth # tiic rceu-
TAR rate. All reductions ca night calls
are limited TO twenty-five cent min
lmum.