The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-05-01
Commissioners Declare Pro-
posed Increases Unreason-
able, Unjust and in Viola
ton of Contract.
JUDGE SHEPPARD
HEARS ARGUMENTS
Florida Railroad Cornrnis-
sion Does Not Recognize
Right of Postmaster Gen
era1 to Make Rates.

Taking the position that the pro-
posed raise in rates which the South
ern Bell Telephone Company has in
dicated its intention of putting in
force today. May j. is unreasonable,
unjust and in violation of the com
pany's contract with the city. the city
commissioners yesterday telegraphed
to the state railroad commission, on
behalf or the people of Pensacola.
patrons OF the Southern Bell, a strong
protest against the proposed increase
AT the same time the protest was
photographed to II state railroad com
mission a copy of the telegram. to-
gether with official notification of pro-
test, was addressed to the local man
ager. Mr.. Peel. of the telephone com
pany, with instructions that the in
formation be conveyed to the proper
officials of the company.
Notification of the proposed raise in
rates, which amounts to an increase
over the existing rates OF approx
mately 20 per cent per month, came
to the city commissioners last Mon
day afternoon on the occasion OF their
regular weekly meeting in the form of
a request for authority to put in force
the raise in rates. The request was
referred to the city attorney.
The protest filed by the city on be-
half of the local patrons means that
every dollar that may be paid to the
telephone company on the new sched-
ule of rates will have been paid un-
der protest and subject to recovery
in case of decision in accordance with
the contentions of the city commission
ers and the railroad commission. Fol-
lowing is copy of the telegram sent
to the railroad commission:
"The City of Pensacola hereby pro-
tests against the increase in the tele-
phone rates of the Southern Bell Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company, which
1T proposes to make effective in this
city OF May 1.
I'VE consider said increase Tnreas-
enable, unjust and iu violation of the
company's contract with the city.
s'we most respectfully urge you to
protect the city and our citizens from
the proposed action and to force OBJ
servance by said telephone and tele-
graph company of the terms Of the
agreement between it and the city
made July Is, 1918"
AS it is generally known the rail-
road commission has applied to Judge
VIM. B. Sheppard for an Injunction
seeking to restrain the telephone COM
pany from putting into effect the pro-
posed increased rates and the status
of the case is set forth in the follow
ing dispatch to The Journal from
Tallahassee last night:
Tallahassee, April 3O-The Southern
Bell Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany filed with the railroad commits
sion of Florida on Monday, the 2sth
a schedule of local exchange telephone
rates at all three exchanges in Florida,
which increases the rates of charges
from % cents to $1.00 per telephone
per month over the present rates.
The railroad commissioners immedi-
ately advised the telephone company
by wire that they did not recognize the
right of the postmaster-general to
make rates for local telephone ex-
changes in this state.
The commissioners directed their
to apply to Hon VIM. B. Shep-
pard, United states district judge, for
the northern district of Florida, for an
injunction preventing the institution
of these rates, which are to become
effective May /.
Argument was had before Judge
Sheppard in Tallahassee today, where
upon he took the matter under ad-
yisement