The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-09-15
BELL TELEPHONE
COMPANY ASKS AN
\ INCREASED RENTAL
ArdmOre One of Oklahoma
Cities Wherein Advance
Rates Have Been
Demanded
TERVIC PROMISED
GENERAL MANAGER ISSUES A
STATEMENT TO EFFECT THAT
ADEQUATE TOLLS MAY
GUARANTEE LIKE
RESULTS
SERVIC PROMISED

Oklahoma City, Sept. l5.-Asserting
that its system operated with a net
profit Of less. than one-half Of one
per cent upon capital invested in
Oklahoma City last year, and that it
suffered q loss of IL per cent by
operations during the first six months
oe this year, the Southwestern Bell
Telephone Company, has asked an
increase in it's rates. Application was
filed late yesterday with the corpora
ton commission.
A hike in rates was also asked in
Tulsa, Muskogee, Okmulgee, and Ard
more, and October 5, was set as the
date for hearing on the applications
Increased rates are essential If the
company is to continue its service
much less to furnish Improvements In
service that the public has right to
demand" John NJ. Noble, general
manager of the company here, said in
statement discussing the question
He also said expenses have Increased
steadily, while the revenue has gone
forward much more slowly We nave
reached the conclusion that there Is
no relief except in increased rates
Mr.. Noble\ added that so many ele-
ments entered into the solution of the
rate program that no schedule Of new
rates suggested was included in the
petition.
The application does not call FOR
an increase in long distance tolls.
' Statement OF Ardmorc Branch
The Southwestern Bell Telephone
COMPANY has filed application win
the state Corporation Commission for
lan advance in rates in five cities OF
tho state. These cities are Oklahoma
CITY. Ardmore, Tulsa, Muskogee and
Okmulgee. 1t seems that no defi-
mite amount for charges has been
specified in the application but the
facts will be laid before the commits
sion and the commission VIII take
such action as seems fair to the
coupanv and the subscribers.
The statement prepared for the COM
mission in reference to the Ardn'ore
nlont will show that the earnings
for the year We're sc per cent ana
this percentage is arrived at from
the following figures;
The cost of the local plant December
a. 1919. was s230,llo.9l. There was
added this year in equipments 10
take care OF subscribers S5,4SO. An
expenditure will be required to en-
large the plant to take care OF the
needs Of the people that will amount
10 sl25.S50 Added equipments Tor
NEXT yenr is estimated to cost 81 500.
With these additions the plant VIII
have n total valuation OF S5bo.4SV''+'
Income From Local Rental
Tho income for the year 1919 from
,e,enhone rentals was s72. .224.63. The
onerating expenses for the same period
Including s7,4l0.S2 paid in Ardmore
for taxes. amounts To s59,2ll.Ii. Thc
net revenue for the year was slS'-
O1eS9. which makes the percentage
of profit sc per cent.
The company AYERS that the vaiu-
n;ion OF the present plant Is not mace
on the value OF equipment at this
time but is taken from the valuations
whom these equipments We're pur-
chased The same plant at this time
would cost muchsmore than the cost
set out in the statement
I NJ. Noble, general manager of the
company with headquarters in ok'a-
bona City has prepared for the press
the following statements
Statement Of General Manager
I'VE have filed with the Corpora
ton Commission application Tor IN
creases in telephone rates bcause
ia our urgent duty to do so. The
demand for telephone service In Okla
horna today is unparalleled. We have
in service at this time facilities which
actually cost more than Sl6,OOOOOo
we are earning on that actual cost
less than four per cent per annum''
"of the $4,000 900 Investment, more
than 81. 900 900 or approximately one
fifth OF the whole Oklahoma Invest
mont has been added in the past 20
months.
"of n total Of il4,O0O telephones to-
sav In the state Of Oklahoma. we in
atallcd 2e,37i in the past 20 months.
AVE installed therefore, more ,ele-
1nhoncs in 20 months than we did In
any three years previous to January
/, 1919.
"All telephone wages have been
steadily Increasing for the past four
pears. Increases ranging from 20 TO
isO per cent. the smaller increases
going TO the higher paid employees
have been made since 1915. All tele-
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