Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1919-12-01
Phone RATES
IN STATE ARE
ORDERED CUT
Public Service Commission
Holds Burleson Schedule H.
legal And Excessive; Salem
To Benefit.

The Oregon public service commits.
sion in an order just released and ef-
fective today holds that the Burelson |
rates as applied to the Pacific Tele-
phone 6; Telegraph company are il
legal, excessive, unjust, unreasonable
and without warrant of law, substi-
tutes therefore materially reduced
lrates virtually the same as those in eff
fleet May first, last, except that slight
increases are made in residence service
rate and orders the telphon company
to credit its subscribers with all pay
mentS received in excess of the legal
rate and orders the telephone company
900 throughout the state, The order
affects practically every telephone ex-
:, change in Oregon,
y Today's order is the result of an in
J.. vestigation conducted on the commits
y. slon's own motion after the release o,
y the telephone lines from federal con-
- troll, and is ased on an opinion by At
= torney General Brown which declares
: that the May first rates are the law
10 full telephone exchange rates of tn
- Pacific Telephone & Telegraph com
~ pany at the present time in the stat
-, Of Oregon, and that the so-calied Bur
- ileson4 rates are unlawfully attempte
to be charged and collected"
m Poor Service Scored.
!, In connection with its order tn
-. commission takes occasion to severe
or condemn the service rendered by II
,ot Pacific company in the past.
In Familiarity with the recent histo
he of the operations of Pacific Telephoi
oea & Telegraph company, up to and l
ox. cluding the final hearing and the re
his ord made therein disclose that the &C
ore pany officials have deliberately,
hat otherwise, apparently disregarded
public interest and by their arbitrs
ate lmethods aroused, on the part OF tn
ere patrons, the rate payers, q spirit OF
een ltagonism or resentment that, beyc
reasonable doubt, has materially
adversely affected their revenues,
> of oninion of the commission reads. ~
om-icounission will not countenance
that ytinuance of the deporable conditl
al that have heretofore and are now
more listing as regards the service arloro'
ices. Toll rates instituted under the or
beenhof Postmaster General Burleson
ears continued in an emergency order
each ,oired In the general order, these |
ling u is explained, having proven
bet satisfactory and resulting IN mat'
conf increases in revenues through
1ploy hnsiness attracted which has helpe
and sf,o. tha increases experienced IN
Grating expenses -
}, it Desk Phones Extra.
ad- The order also continues tiie
nable .narea allowed in a previous oroe
gage the use OF desk phones over the
ana charged for wall phones
Mass, Tha order permits the teiep
vital oo,nnany to apply the regular
aonna Yates to telephones in apart
emsoe II so desired. Heretofore -"
miles sale rates amounting TO plao' @
IS arc thirds of the regular f"'e'
abyss t"o-'n - forca Instruments one
le rail oeen ,A :. an apartment house,
private staiieu ,,, 49, drot be removed wi
sse'' .se consent of the owner 50 10
'ol amy the 0o" ,s ,aid for it's use
} them the reh'". n,cating system be
'ol any intercoili.a intei,i.a ,ho order states,
that it apartments, sar,,ice as now in eff
1t the Portland ,,,1od WI, bills Required.
espons narv is required, I
lS France ooc order of the commission. 10 --T'