The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1921-03-17
STATE Fighting
TELEPHONE RAISE
RAMSEL co. DISTRICT COURT
ISSUES INJUNCTION AGAINST
COMPANIES
Proceedings Are HALTED
RATE RAISES OF ABOUT THIR-
TY-THREE PER CENT ARE
ASKED FOR


The celebrated telephone rate case
which has been pending before the
Railway & Warehouse Commission,
has received another delay.
Proceedings looking to a decision
overriding the Commissions action,
were expected by the telephone
people from the Supreme Court. Now
a stay in the proceedings has been
ordered pending the determination OF
a suit filed in Ramsey county district
court Monday.
The situation in Sank Centre re-
mains unchanged. No increase can
be undertaken here until the supreme
court takes action, and the work OF
the local committee named recently
by the Commercial Club, is hanging
fire awaiting this later action.
The history of the case given IN
full by the St. Paul Pioneer-Press
Monday as follows:
Judge Frederick N. Dickson sign
ed an order in the Ramsey county
district court late Monday staying
all proceedings instituted by the Tri--
State Telephone & Telegraph Com
pany and the Northwestern Bell Tele-
phone company looking toward
rate increase, pending determination
of a suit filed Monday by the state OF
Minnesota in his court. al
Judge Dicksons order will, it is
said, delay the hearing scheduled Tor
the United States district court this
morning on the petition of the tele-
phone COMPANIES for an injunction to
restrain the Minnesota Railroad and
Warehouse commission from interior
ing with its proposed new schedule
of rates.
Through H. c.. Flannery, assistant
attorney general, the state OF Mime
sofa as a telephone subscriber, IN
stituted suit in Ramsey county DIS
trict court for a permanent manda-
tory order to compel the telephone
companies to comply with and obey
provisions of the state law relating
to a change of rates, tolls and charg-
es and to obey the order OF the Rail
road and Warehouse commission Ill
ed February 8, refusing an increase
in rates.
sThe temporary order, which holds
up proceedings pending disposal OF
this case, will be presented to Judge
Wilbur F. Booth in United States
district court when the hearing on the
petition of the two telephone com
panies is called today.
sThe petition filed by the Stat
through Mr.. Flannery sets forth tn
resolution of the Legislature tW'
wears ago providing for survey o
the telephone companies property a
a basis for rate making, the employ
ment of experts to make the valua
ton under the resolution of the Legls
lature. the hearing on the appllcauol
of the companies for an increase
rates filed in November and the orde
of the commission denying the rene
asked.
seThe state in it's petition says tina
the rates in existence were approve
by the commission at the request Q
the defendant companies VINO al
prohibited by the law of the stat
from changing those rates wlthou
the order. from the commission sane
tioning the. change.
at is set up that the defendar
companies threaten to disregard tn
law and the order of the commissio
as well as it's legally existing rate
and change them by increasing tn
toll rates 1871 per cent and its e.
change rates 1899 per cent In tn
case of the Northwestern Bell con
pany, and 33.77 per cent and o2.t
per cent in the case of the Tri-Sta1
company.
cit is recited that the state of Nil
nesota in the transaction of it's pul
lie business is large user and patre
of, the defendant companies both
toll and exchange service; that tt
time for appeal from the order of IL
commission denying the increase j!
rates has expired and that the pr
ceeding on the petition for an il
crease in rates still is incomplete
and pending, as no testimony has y
been given by the experts employ'
to. make valuation under the legi
la&ixe resolution. No appeal has bel
taken and it is urged that the defen
ant companies are, out of court.
,Tl,e%uetiticn alleges that the ord
Of the commission wassans no way 9
terninative of the matters invoiv'
In the uncompleted proceedings q
dH not purport to fix e fair value
the defendants property, q reaso