Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-08-05
TO PROBE
HIGH PHONE RATES
Pacific States Company Is
Asked To Give Reasons
And Authority.

Displcased with the recent advance
in telephone rates, the city council
again discussed the proposition of a
municipal telephone, for Salem, at the
meeting held last evening.
Alderman West said there was con.
siderable agitation in his part OF the
eity over the telephone question. On
melton Of Mr.. West, the city council
now asks the telephone company to send
to City Recorder Race detailed state.
ment as to the advance in rates and by
what special authority these advances
were made.
And in ordef that the question may
come NJ at thJ next meeting Of the
uouncil, It was voted that the telephone
situation be taken up as special order
Of business. 1t is probable that the
soveral membe'. Of the council especial
ly ;n.cicstcd in city owned telephone
will consult l.. 2. Buselle as to estimates
anl costs.
Mayor Wilson handed ou, hIs first
e,o last evening when be placed dis.
approval on the ordinance providing fof
the appointment Of a purchasing agent
and the naming of City Recorder Rnee
MS agent. The mayor based his veto on
the fact that the ordinance provided
for no special term of office, and that
the appointment made the tenure OF
office indefinite.
The mayor also ruled that in order
TO pass an ordinance over his veto, IT
would require ten votes. The ten votes
favoring the appointment Of Mr.. Race
as city purchasing agent were not pres
ent and the mayor was sustained.
Due to the scarcity Of laoor taer'
will be scarcely any paving this sum
mer. street Commissioner Low had re-
ported that he could not find laborer'
for this work. The council thought
that 10 help a little, number OF eurbi
might be placed this summer, but nc
street paving unless labor become more
plentiful.
I Alderman vandervort and Alderman
Buekner locked horns on the lriee O
bny. az each claimed 70 be ablc 70 qoel,
fy MS an expert on the question. A. .
4 MeKillop, Of Salem route 2, submitte'
a bid Of s2i i.50 for 80 tons Of hay. ohas
lsterling of Brownsville named $40 a
his price. 1t was finally decided t'
ask Mr.. Sterling TO send In sample
ton. Vanderyort thought $50 eneal
enough while Buckner thought he eoui'
beat the price.
Walter Winslow viii be consulted OF
the legal question as to whether TN
city would have any chance OF winninI
In bringing suit in the circuit eour
against the public service commission
asking for a reversal Of is opieiol
when il refused to compel the Southern
Pacific to install warning signals q
Capital and Union streets.
Gravel is keeping pace with the nigl
eost Of living and IL was mace Knowl
last evening that hereafter the eit.
would be obliged to pay 25 cents extr'
per cubic yard. Buekner suggested tina
! the city sell its paving plant as i eoul'
rent the plant Of the city for the oecu
sional paving 10 be done within tn
; city limits. No action was taken.
{; The city firemen and poiiccmen ar
f; now assured Of the advance n salar
I as the ordinance granting the inereas
was finally passed last evening. tn
fire chief now gets tl25 month, car
> tain s1i0. engineer sil0. and other
:. after serving six months 900 mont