The Butler weekly times., 1918-01-03
AS TO TELEPHONE FRANCHISE
Recommendation Filed With Joint
Local Committee,

Herman O. Maxey, who represent
ed several hundred telephone patrons
in Lone Oak, Summit and Mt. Pleas
ant townships in protest to the city
council of Butler against the granting
of twenty-year franchise to the But
Ter Telephone Company, has filed
with the joint committee of the Com
mcrcial Club and the city council the
following report. The figures in re-
gard to the cost of telephone service
i'll the cities mentioned were secured
from the office Of the State Board of
Public Utilities at Jefferson City.
To the Joint Committee of the Com
mercial Club and City Council:
Gcntlemen-You, being the repre-
sentatives of the people in this com
munity. and, j am sure, being desir-
Gus Of doing justice to both the pco-
pie and the Telephone Company, by
finding and proposing solution Of
our telephone problem that will secure
adequate and reasonable" service to
the public, and Just and reasonable"
rates to the utility, | desire to submit
the following facts and conclusions
for your consideration:
In view OF the size of the plant and
the number of subscribers, the Butler
Telephone Company is failing in at
least two particulars to render "ade-
Quate and reasonable" service.
Firs,-lt has the magnetic, or local
battery, system of calling central
Telephone experts state that the limit
tor magnetic, or local battery plants
is 500 subscribers, if good service is
to be rendered, and this system has
over boo subscribers. The common
battery, or central energy, system is
the one we should have to secure
good service. 1t gives quicker service
and does away with the ringing" to
get GENITAL. Most cities in the state
with as many subscribers as Butler
have this sys,em--Clinton, Lamar,
Nevada. Carthage, all have it.
Second--We have the grounded cir
cult, whereas the metallic, or two
wire, circuit gives much better ser
vice. In the iMn=Mirc, or all metallic ss444e He.
circuit there is much less interference
and noises "on the wire and this
system is much superior for long dis
tancc connections.
Third-As to the expense to the
public in rates. Some fthe rates in
other cities in Missouri are as fol-
lows:
Clinton-Commercial, S2.6s; resi-
dencc. $I05. Party lincs-Commer
cial, $1.65; residence, $14o.
Lamar-Commercial, S2.oo; resi-
dence, Sl.oo.
Nevada Commercial. $3.50; resi-
dence, $1.5o,
Harrisonville-Commertial, So 90;
residence, $I.oo.
Osceola-Commercial. S1.so; resi-
dence, SI.oo.
In re Southwestern T. & T. Co.,
Mo. F. S. c., p. 4o2 the Commission
found that the monthly telephone
rates OF $3.50 for business, direct line,
81. 50 for residence, direct line, and
lower rates for party lines, yielding
an annual return Of approximately
81 600 upon telephone plant valued
at S25,ooo. and which rates the Com
mission stated were approximately
those charged by similar companies
in like cities, were reasonable These
rates were prescribed, however, upon
the condition that the company put in
a full metallic system. which was
done. The city was Caruthersville.
In view oi the above facts | am OF
the opinion that your report and
recommendations, in Justice to our
people, should oppose the granting OF
any franchise until the above i'm
are actually made.
II. O. MAXEY.