Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-11
MANY CITIES FIGHT
|. HIGHER PHONE RATE
Hearing on Increased Charges
Started Before State Corpora
ton Commission.
COMPANY ENGINEER TESTIFlEs
Twenty-Eight Attorneys Ready
to Question Claims of Chesa-
peake and Potomac Officials.

ON the floor Of the courtroom OF
State Corporation Commission in the
capitol occurred yesterday the first
sk!Fmish in the fight OF the Chesapeake
ana Potomac Telephone Company for
higher telephone toll and rental rates
in Virginia.
Ranged against George w white
more, engineer for the company. who
was on the witness stand the greater
portion of the day giving testimony on
'he value OF the corporations property
were t"enty-cight lawyers, represent
!hS every section Of the State. 10 pro-
test against the increase. The mem
oeFs OF the Corporation Commission,
Chairman William +. Rhca Alexander
Forward and Berkeley u. Adams, sat
as judicial body
Mr whittemore took the stand short
y alter the hearing opened at 10
. c!ocN. After reading "a mass OF figures
relating TO telephone properties in V;r
GINA owned b. the Chesanea,lt" ana
fotomac Company, he declared that the
Na4nat!on Of all the properties for rate
"1eh!HS purposes was Sli.S14sO3.
Gives Detailed Statement
rms statement followed IA detailed
report OF the cost OF maintenance la
Dor, equipment, operation and renew
ais at IN. present time which wouid
Justify an Increase OF rates over those
40" IN effect. established by POST
government took over the telephone
anu telegraph lines of the country dur
ing the var.
Lawycars appearing for most OF tho
large cities IN Virginia and for some
oil the counties took an active part in
proc proceedings, asking Mr. Whitteinore a
operai ZION by the company in their dis
tricts or cities. Without exception.
tbbe ,be fwsn,iEoeisht i,, lawyers will oppose
Corporation Commission They all
come well fanked with statistics on
sne local situations throughout the
me labor unions OF Roanoke ". q
aE iJe bboursey 10 E;I appeared as the champion
~ me brotnerhood OF Locomotive En-
Mny Continue All Week.
When the hearing is resumed sr,i,
ms morning at 10 O'clock. Mr.. Whit
oemore VIII again take the stand and
o1as,ions o1H.pje.o ms testimony and answer
H!ed at him by the legal talent arraved
against the Chesa pcakc and Potomac
nSn,Ii oSSt,i,"ny, which operates the te!c-
phohe systems o: practically all of the
arGe cities OF Virginia The meetint.
WI! adjourn each day at 4:30 o'clocE
:, = ,arti Is ,aouEmt that i viii extend for
o!y last the entire week John s Er-
g!.ston and G. w. .Ar,z represent III.
Cities which have franchises with
INC company specifying rates 10 b..
charged VIII not be affected bv deri
S.oh OF the Corporation Commission
"itrT nearing testimony for and agains,
fTe Ne, iEei.i lmcr1ase asked, II. is understood
Through George Wayne Anderson. as
S!stant city attorney, il is protastinr
the right OF the Corporation Commis-
son 70 iiX rates here in view Of tho
FRANCHISE OF 1901 with the comrarv
~ a recent decision. Judge Rhca ruled
nnat the commission did have the right
lhe case viii be appealed TO the Su-
nr"me Court OF Appeals and the ruling
VIII affect many cities.
Attorneys for Municipalitie..
LAWYERS recognized by the Cornora
t!on commission yesterday were:
y L. Manson. Jr.. Lynchhurg: Judge
~ Z. jackson. Roanoke: William Fl.
Calhoun. Chr!stiansburg: r r. W.
hiwihg; iiSs. AirNhndFia and Fairfax Coun-
uss; charles NJ. East, Staumton: j. 4.
Massey, Ncwpor, News; G. V. Spratlrv
Hampton and phocbus: John : ORA
per. lulaski; H. NoyI Garner Alcxan
Gria: fhil!tp Williams. Winchester; 4
NJ Aiken. lr., Danvill.: John Robcrts
WISE County; Il. w. peatross. Norfolk:
!ohh w iiappcr and X II Bagbv
portsmouth: j. sidney Fitzgerald. Ger
tain citizens OF Norfolk: John VI Hart.
Ho9!r!ck ErederickS Sburg: ]. II Logan
ana X. W. Kline. Salem: George Wavna
Anderson. Richmond; Il c. CorFrann,
Big Stone Gap; L. w Sommc-s ana
STANLEY Scott. Acconac and Nor;hamD-
t"n Counties: w. c. DE Courscy B"oth
erhood OF Locomotive Engineers. Rich
mohd: X J Noell. Radford: W. T. Iips-
comb. suffolk. and II. v G. Wade
Thamber OF Commerce-Board OF