Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-05-29
PHONE PATRONS
TO FIGHT BELL
RATEINCREASE
Union of Users May Go as Far
as to Order Out Com
pany's Lines.

The Telephone Patrons Union will
fight TO the last ditch the new telephone
rates proposed by the Indiana Bell
Telephone Company in their petition fled
with the public service commission, T.
Ernest Maholm, president of the union,
announced today.
A mass meeting has been called. the
time and place 90 be announced later
of INDIANAPOLIS citizens, at which efforts
to induce patrons of the company to
have their phones removed Will be made
Injunction proceedings pending in the
Marion circuit court against the present
rates as granted by the public service
commission on Feb. ., will not be heard
in time II prevent the granting of the
new increases, it Is declared, and for
this reason the mass meeting has been
called. to outline some plan Of action
against the increase.
1T is obvious that the public service
commission is in sympathy with the
phone company" said Mr.. MahOlm, land
1t is Just as obvious that the rates asked
for now viii be granted, in order to
cover up the void increases allowed last
February.
The only way the people Of Indian
der their phones removed, as the people
have done in other cities, and thus force
the company to return TO their old
rates.
The mass meeting will be held as
quickly as possible, and definite action
will be outlined, which will be directed
against this latest gouge Of the phone
company"
The increased rates asked by the pc
tition would affect thirty-hve cities Of
the state, including Indianapolis, and If
granted would boost rates on business
phones in this city from the present rate
of 81 per month to $40. and residence
PHONES on individual lines would be
raised to $3.50 instead Of the prevailing
price OF 1925.
cities affected by the proposed boost
ere Alexandria. Anderson. Auburn,
Bloomington, Boggstown, Bedford,
Brooklyn. Bunker Hill, Charlottesville.
Culver. Cumberland. Elwood, Falkland.
Frankfort. French Lick. Gas City. Gran
ger. Greenwood. indianapolis, Kendall
Vile. LewisvIlle. Manila. Mishawaka,
Nuncfe. New Carlisle, Newcastle. Osce-
ola. Peru. Rome City. Shelbyville. Smith
Valley, South Bend. vincennes, Wash
ington and Yorktown.
Bv the terms of the petition, should
the proposed rates be granted by the
commission, individual business phones.
unlimited, would cost $40 per month. an
increase OF So. with $50 per month
charge for extension station.
An individual business line. measured.
ninety OF less messages per month, would
cost. under the new rate. s.. with
charge OF 81 for extension station.
The petition asks for authority TO re-
duce the commission on local message
receipts. IN excess Of guarantee, in the
business coin collectors. from forty per
cent 10 twenty per cent.
Unlimited residence phones under the
new rates asked would cost $3.50 In
stead Of the present rate OF S3.2j. with
n charge of $50 for two party line, an
increase of S125 over the present party
line rate.
Private residence extension stations
would be charged at 81, an increase Of .
cents.
In the measured residence service in
divfduaI lines would cost So, with
charge of / cents each for the next twenty
messag es after the first sixty, and 8 cents
charge for all messages over eighty.
Two party lines in this service would
under the new rate. cost $3.50, with
charge of cents each for all over fifty
messages.
Rural business phones would cost s.
instead OF S2.T5, as at present. and rural
residence phones, under the new rate.
would be 50 instead of 50.
II is suggested IN the petition that the
commission TX the date Of effect ID con-
tinuance Of the new rates asked.
Officials Of the company state the new
rates are necessary IN order that the
utility may be able 70 meet present con-
ditions.