The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-11-27
RAISE OF RATES
UNLIKELY TO, BE
GRANTED PHONE Co.
CITY OF BELDING ALONG WITH
REPRESENTATIVES OF NUM-
BER OF OTHERS FIGHT RAISE.

Belding was represented at Lam
sing in the matter Of the proposed
raise in rate hearing before tho
state railroad commission last week
when the time set for the hearing Of
the position of the Citizens Telephone
company rolled around, by City At
torney /. l.. Hubbell, who was sent to
the state capital as a representative
Of the city and not on behalf Of any
local organization, asssome supposed.
The common council, considering that
the telephone company was being we'll
and amply paid for all the service
which they were rendering. through
the local exchange, decided to join in
with a number of other municipalities
in the state in fighting the proposed
raise in rates.
The hearing was set for Thursday
and would undoubtedly have been car
ried out as proposed, but owing to
the fact that Manager Tarte of the
telephone company had his figures all
set out for the covering Of the entire
system and the railroad commission
had decided to take up the question
Of each town separately and therefore
the hearing was postponed until Mr..
Tarte could arrange his figures and
showing accordingly. 1t is claimed
that in some instances the raises
asked by the phone company are 100
per cent or BETTER but in the case Of
the local exchange the increase is far
from that.
The proposition of the company be-
ing allowed to raise its rates has been
argued before the commission once
before and they were denied the priv
o<o 4 L.
of the country were taken over and
placed under fedefal control, with
Postmaster General Burleson heading
the board of control, it was given out
that the merger would result in q
marked decrease in the rental service
rates. Prior to the lines being TAX
en- over, telephone could be taken
down and moved from one location to
another for 81 but after that time it
cost So and now the proposed raise is
asked for along about the time that
the people Of the country were look
ing for a reduced rate, although this
cannot be said for this city, because
of the fact that there are practically
no competing phones here, the
Citizens company having all local
telephones but four, which the Michi-
gan State or "Bell" company main
tain here.
1t is also claimed by the city that
the switchboard in the local exchange
is old, out of date and wholly made
quate to take care Of the business
which this city has and that the pres
ent rates are considered by them to
be high enough. On the other hand,
Manager Hressly claims that tho
switch board is just like and as good
oo ha xxrhf ha <>fT
have and that the board at Reed City
is also Of the same pattern and style
and that the service here has always
been of the very best which could be
had, although she makes allowances
for mistakes on the part of employees
and the changes which have been
made in switchboards installed since
the local board was put in Ia years
ago.
Reference is sometimes made to-
the service which the people of Green
vile have, which is known as a CEN
trail energy stations Local people
some times hold this type of exchange
as far superior to our own service but
others say that the people of Green
vile kick just as lively and more so
over their service as we do here.
Manager PRESLEY states that were
the company to install new boards
here, that the cost would be enor-
nous and that in case the central
energy type of station were to be put
in operation here that all tree
branches interfering with the tele-
phone wires would have to be. trim
med away so that they would be alb
solutely free at all times from con-
tact with the wires.
The state railroad commission, af-
ter listening to Manager Tarte of
the telephone company and represen-
tatives, from Allegan, Grand Rapids,
Belding, Cadillac and several other
cities, postponed the date Of the hear
ing to December 5, at which time it
will be held and decision reached.
Former Resident Succumbs.