Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-03-30
Railroad Commission Grants
Increase in Telephone Rates.

4
Increase in Telephone Rates"
Rates in all exchanges of the
Southern Bell Telephone company in
South Carolina will be increased ap-
proximately 2O.72 per cent in accord
ance with the terms of an order is
sued yesterday afternoon by the
state railroad commission agreeing
to the company's proposed rate
schedule. The various increases go
into effect April 1.
The Southern Bell Telephone COM
pany filed its petition for rate re-
vision in South Carolina with the
commission last October, the in
creases asked aggregating general
raise of approximately rs per cent.
The commission, after numerous
hearings and an exhaustive study OF
the documentary evidence submit
ted, approved the company's propos-
ed rate revision schedule with only
two exceptions. The proposed in
crease for farmers lines and farm
lers' exchange service was denied as
was also the elimination of free in
terchange service between towns,
the exchanges in which are less than
three miles apart. Charges were au-
thorized, however, for this inter
exchange service between towns
more than three miles apart, prac-
tically substituting for this free ex-
change service the long distance ser
vice now employed in communica-
ton between the great majority OF
towns in and beyond the borders of
the state. The charges, authorized
by the commission in it's order yes
terday, for this Interchange ser
vice averages approximately one cent
per mile, ranging from ten cents to
25 cents. No increase in toll charges
has been authorized.
The schedule of rates which the
commissions order puts into effect,
carries an aggregate increase of ap-
proximately 2O.72 per cent. for all
exchanges of the company IN the
state. This average increase is not,
however, to be applied generally, the
towns and cities served by the COM
pany being divided into. eight groups
with the same rates applied to all ex-
changes in each group. In this way
the charges in at least one town,
Cowpens, which now has a rate out
of proportion with exchanges of SIM,
liar size in the state, will be reduced.
The present charges in Cowpens for
one party line is $3.50, while under
the group plan the rate for such lines
will be only S2.25.
Increase for Columbia.
Columbia and Charleston have
been placed in the highest group with
the following schedule of charges:
For one party business telephones, at
rates inceased from $3.50 to $3.50;
for one party inwards telephone from
So to $3.50; for one psrSsss message
rate, from 81 to $3.50; for four party
fiat rate, from $3.50 to S4.2O. Ex-
tension telephones are scheduled for
s1.5O for fiat rate business telephones
and for 81 for messenger rate phones.
The present rate on extension for
both classes of business extension
telephones is $1.50.
For residence telephones the, one
party fiat rate would be increased
by the schedule from S3.25 to $3.50,
the two party fiat rate from S2.65 to
$3.50 and the four party fiat rate
from S2.25 to s2.7O. Extension tele-
phones for residences from any kind
of telephone are placed at SIPS.
For group one, including tne blen-
helm, Cowpens, Jonesville, Pendle-
ton, Seneca, Society Hill, Walhalla
and Westminster exchanges, the rate
will be: One party business lines
1925; two party business lines $2.75;
four party business lines, $2.25; ex-
tension sets for business lines, S1.5O;
one party residence lines, So; two
party residence lines, $1.75; four
party residence lines, S1.50, and for
extension sets to residence lines,
s1.25. The number of subscribers in
the exchanges range from 20 to 55.
Allendale, Barnwell, Blackville,
Denmark, Hnoea Path, Johnston,
Leesville, Liberty, Pelzer, Pickens,
Piedmont, Prosperity, st. George and
Whitmire are grouped together, with
the following rates: One party busi-
on. L..