The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1919-03-28
HAS AUTHORITY
TOREESTAbl|SH
OLD RATES

prior to the taking over the toll lines
OF the United States by Postmaster
General Burleson. authority having
as war measure, the control of
which. however. did not take place
until after the signing of the armis-
tice. The United Farmers company
is the first of the Independent COM
panies of the United States to be Civ
en- authority to reestablish It's old
rates.
This Information and authority was
received by F. J. Phillips Wednesday
in the following communications
Because of the precedent establish
ed in this case, a brief history of the
case will be interesting.
Last December when the lines of
the company. with all others of the
United States were taken over by the
government. new rates were establish
ed, greatly affecting the finances of
small companies. 4. J. Phillips,
manager of the Farmers company.
realized that he could not serve two
4 c,-tlt IuDilC kocTNlCt AOi1l-
mission of Nevada and the United
State Telephone Commission, each
claiming juricdiction over the lines
and establishing different toll charg-
es. Without the aid of legal or other
advice, Mr.. Phillips put the matter
mp to the Public Service Commission
of Nevada. who by the laws of Ne
yada. has direct and positive juris-
diction over the telephone companies.
The Nevada Commission, after going
into detail and carefully considering
the point raised by Mr.. Phillips is
sued an order TO the Farmers COM
pany. instructing them to abide by the
rates as established by that COM
plete report of which was published
i'm these columns at the time.
/ Finding that the Farmers Tele-
lphone was losing something like
$3.50 per month under the rates as
established by the federal govern
ment. Mr.. Philips compiled COM
plete report covering operations for
the past year. This with lengthy
argument against the policy of the
government in establishing different
rates that were bringing great loss to
the small companies. especially the
Farmers company, which operates
exclusively in farming community
entailing high cost of upkeep and
maintenance because of the necessity
OF reaching thinly settled districts.
These facts were given considera-
tion by the United States Telephone
and Telegraph Commission, and Mr..
Phillip gained his point in having the
old rates restored
The following letter from F. b. Mac
kinnon. General Supervisor of the
u. S. Telegraph and Telephone Ad-
ministration was received Wednesday
by Mr.. Phillips:
You requested in your letter of
January 4th that the toll rates under
Order Number 2495 be suspended.
This request was presented to the
operating board and approved by
them on March 18th. This approval
permits you to reestablish your rates
as of January 2lst. 1919, applicable
to intra-company business.
"A copy of the approval of the
Operating Board is hereto attached. "
The United Farmers Telephone
and Telegraph Company, of Gardner
vile. Nevada. makes application for
authority to suspend Orders Number
2495 and 27s7 in so far as those orders
apply to the intra-company rates of
the United Farmers Company. and
that the company be authorized to re-
establish its rates in effect prior to
January u. 1919. The company oper-
ates In sparsely settled territory
where maintenance and construction
costs are high. The company has
submitted a detailed financial state
ment showing the results of the ap-
plication of the Order Number 2495
for the month ending February 21st.
1919, which resulted in a loss to the
company OF $l56.20 gross revenue for
that month This would indicate that
the company's gross revenues will lie
very seriously affected by the applica-
tion of Orders Number 2495 and 27o7,
and that the application of the COM
pany should be granted
II therefore recommend that the
company be authorized to suspend
until otherwise ordered Orders Num-
ber 2495 and 2797 as apply to the
company's intra-company business
and to reestablish the rates in effect
by the company prior to January
21st 1919"
~. n. BETHEL, Chairman.
The Public Service Commission OF
Nevada at this time is preparing a
suit to be brought in the United
States Court for the purpose of de-
termine whether or not the Public
Service Commission of Nevada or the
United States Telephone & Com.
mission had jurisdiction over the
Farmers Telephone and Telegraph
company. 1t was the only cours