Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-06-23
BLAMES TIED
HANDS FOR BAD
PHONE SERVICE
Expert Testifies Months Re-
quired to Undo Damages
of Last Three.
RAPs WAGES OF GIRLS

Service of the Indiana Bell Telephone
Company has been so damaged In the
last three months that 1t will take years
to remedy it, said NJ. d. Atwater, head
of the service department of the public
service commission. during his cross
examination today in the hearing before
the commission Of the petition of the In
diana Belle Telephone Company to in
crease its local rates.
The statement was in reply to a ques-
ton as to whether he believed the com.
pany deliberately is causing service to
be damaged.
Later in response to a question, he
said he did not believe that wrecking
by the company was confined 70 any
part of the state, but that there was a
general tieing of hands
He said that service is very bad now
and that would indicate something Is
wrong with the management.
In response TO a question by one Of the
DIRECTORS to the proposed rates as to
whether he had direct or indirect knowl'
edge that Edward Bloom, president OF
the company, had said he would never
spend another cent In Indiana until
granted a raise In rates, he said yes"
When a request was made for infor-
nation as 10 where and how he had OBJ
tanned this information, IL was decided
by the commission that he was not re-
Quired to answer.
NO SHORTAGE or
GIRL OPERATORS.
When asked as to the shortage Of girl
operators, he said there was no need
for a shortage, for the work was agree
able and much pleasanter than factory
work.
In response TO question as to what
he thought OF the wages. ne said the
girls do not receive a high enough sal
airy, and that both the girls and the
men should be paid ~hlgher-that is,
those who actually do the work
Telephone service In indianapolis has
been worse during the last two weeks
than It was early in February before the
present high rates became effective, Mr.
Atwater testified last night.
Mr. Atwater told OF some of his eI-
periences in making tests OF service pro-
vided by the Indiana Bell In this and
number OF other cities I'm the state, by
himself and a number OF assistants ana
introduced IN evidence number or let
ters Of complaints that had been received.
He explained first that they had been
instructed to be fair In every way and
accurate in their Investigations.
Previously to the order Of the com
mission OF February .. he explained. lac
had made similar tests IN this city.
CABLES NOT USED
TO CAPACITY.
He introduced I'm evidence 'ist Of
telephone cables IN Indianapolis and
vicinity aud said the showing ge2craily
as to cable capacity did not Indicate
the cables are being used 70 their maxi
mum capacity.
He spoke of complaints received reia-
tive to service and the method by which
these were handled. aFxt calling np the
offices Of the telephone company ana
following up the telsphonlng in most iu-
stances with letters. He said he had
called Up Mr.. wampier. Mr.. P-.tchard
and Mr.. Watson
In speaking OF his experiences AZ tho
offices Of the company. he said the re-
plies usually were eyasiye: such as. that
the matter would be looked into: that
Il would be seen what could be done,
Continued en- Page Two.)