The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1918-02-21
TELEPHONE HEARING
Railroad and Warehouse Commission
Takes Testimony in Applica-
ton for Rate Increase.
Citizens Testify as to Poor Service
Given and Consider Demand
of Company Excessive.

Pursuant to call by the state rail
road and warehouse commission, q
public meeting was held in the village
hall on Monday evening to obtain the
sentiments Of the people. of PRINCE
ton in regard to an application from
the Tri-State Telephone & Telegraph
company to increase it's rates.
C. B. Randall, attorney for the Tri-
State company, read mass of figures
purporting to show the receipts and
expenditures of the company at this
point.
S. P. Skahen, attorney for the vii
lage council and citizens committee
opposed the rate advance asked by
the telephone company upon the
grounds of it's being excessive. He
stated that, at meeting held in the
afternoon by the businessmen Of the
village, those in attendance expressed
themselves as favoring an advance OF
rs cents for residence phones and Sc
cents for business places, but that SO
cents for extension phones was un-
justified. 49,,
R. F. Wilder, for the Tri-State COM
pany, stated that there were 479 sta
tions within the range of the village
call, and the corporation owned nine
rural lines. ..~ ..--..~~,r,,
F. w. Putnam, railroad commits
sioner, said that a copy of the inven-
tory of the Tri-State's property here
AUST be furnished the commissions
engineer so that it might be checked
up.
Mr.. Wilder-The Tri-State took
over the rural property on January 1.
j. w. Howatt, supervisor of tele-
phones for the railroad and warehouse
commission, then questioned Mr..
Wilder on a number of details per-
tanning to the purchase and equipment
of the lines.
DR.. Cooney stated that the rural
service was great deal worse now
than before the lines were taken
over by the Tri-State-that the ser
vice had deteriorated to such an extent
that it was impossible to understand
half the words spoken over these
wires.
Tom Yotten-On the night of Feb
ruary I had to get doctor to my
house. I rang the phone for Is min
utes, and, receiving no response, was
compelled to walk to DR.. Conveys
office down town.
Emory Norton said that he had Of
Ten tried to get parties in the village
over the phone but without result.
Councilman Fred Newton-The SER
vice, is much worse than in the days
when we had competing lines.
C. A. Jack-Have waited at times
Is or 20 minutes without getting re-
ply. There is poor service at central
and lack Of supervision is probably
responsible. The service is growing
worse every day. .. ...... Il
Here Mr.. Wilder tried to explain
the difficulties. Soy.
Attorney Skahen-The service is not
worth the rates charged now to say
nothing Of an increase.
r. C. Dunn stated that he was glad
the two telephone lines had been con-
solidated. He said ne knows there is
some cause for complaint but expected
Improvement and believed it was
Forthcoming. Personally he had no
complaint to make but thought the in
crease asked unreasonable. How
ever he was willing to leave the mat
ter. in the hands of the railroad and
warehouse commission and abide by
the decision rendered. .,.~,..
Commissioner Putnam-The COM
mission accepts the hearings and in
structs the Tri-State Telephone com
-pany to put in it's evidence, figures
and inventory. The commission will
then consider the same but not agree
to increase rates unless better service
is given-service which complies with
the request of the citizens committee
of Princeton. ss4.s:vsa z. u. 10.
The railroad and warehouse com.
mission was represented at the hear
ing by F. W. Putnam, commissioners;
J. w. Howatt, supervisor of tele-
phones; and M. V. Salberg,, reporter
For the telephone company appeared
Attorney G.. B. Randall, r. F. Wilder
and A. C. Cragg. Attorney S. p
Skahen represented the village coun-
Gil and citizens committee.
Z
REORGANIZATION of Registrars.