The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-02-04
PHONES ROTTEN
CITY TESTIFIES
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times. he explained. and during one
of these periods day and a nigh,
passed before workman could be
obtained 10 repair them. Couver-
saiions are frequently interrupted,
and occasionally he is "cut off" he
declared
Disgusting, ono Mar says
According 10 Crouch. tho service
is quite disgusting" It's no run
he explained, to- be called from
warm bed into cold room at
O'Clock In The morning by the tclc-
phone bell only to find that some
one is calling the wrong number.
lie explained further that his wife
answers the telephone several times
day and finds that persons are
calling the Hale Hardware COM
pany, whose number is similar. His
telephone is also confused with that
Of the Tea Cup Inn, and he is oc-
casionally called and asked TO de-
liver lunches, he said,
Asked by Judge Harris II the
service i9 not improving, Crouch re.
piled in the affirmative, but instead
OF placing the blame for this i'm
provement at the door Of improved
tsAb'l ibIblAiSllFt ohAh ll' bflA'N''
1t is due to publicity given the hear
ing and to the city attorneys re
quest for written complaints to be
used at the hearing.
Varies From Good 10 Rotten.
,Martindale opined that the service
is internationally good and rotten"
Wrong numbers are given fire.
quently; it Is almost impossible TO
recall the operator when she Is
wanted: preference is shown TO long
distance calls because they are more
profitable, even TO the tying up
Of a subscribers line while the cal
IS In process Of putting through. he
declared. The operators now hand,
ins his telephone seem more intclll-
gent and there is a distinct i'm
provcment in the local service, h"
said.
kendrick complained Of the fire.
quent Interruptions during a conver-
sation and blamed it to lack of at
tention on the part Of operators.
often a conversation ia cut in two
in the middle" by some careless Op-
orator. he said. which is not only
provoking to tempcrs but usually
loses good will to his firm of some
person who believes the member Of
the oil company to whom he is talk
ing purposely hung up the receiver.
Never Satlsfactory---,Janko
The service has never been salts
factory nj any time. declared Jan
kowsky who has lived in Tulsa l6
years His last occasion for COM
plant occurred a week ago when
service was discontinued over one
Of his phones for non-payment Of
the monthly bill--alth6ugh the bill
had been paid.
ross-cxamining each OF the wit
ues1cs Judge Harris asked II they
had not experienced difficulties in
finding suitable help during the past
two years, intimating that the poor
service alleged to have been given
by the local telephone exchange was
due to this cause, and that the i'm
provcmcnt now becoming apparent
is because OF the COmpany's ability
20 select more efficient and moro
quoted Abe Martin by stating that
Intelligent class OF persons. He
there are as many men loafing now
as there were two years ago, but
| they're not getting paid for IT,"
Company Citcs Its Poverty.
/ According to l.. ;. Schmid Of okla %
homa city, division auditor for the
/ company there were 1900 telc-
/ tutDtS IN use III / ulNt III y ullts ltsN .
| and the cost Of installation OF the
plant was tl3sS.49O. Company
earnings for the first six months OF
/ eco were S299,4i7, compared with
expenses Of t27G.377 leaving a
profit OF S23,OG9. Net earnings for
the period are approximately S.S per
cent per anuum, he said.
II, W, Hubenthal, telephone cngi-
neor for the corporation commis-
| sion testified that earnings are H. :
/ per cent per annum when quos-
! Iiouced by Duncan. However, when
/ cross examined by Judge Harris hc
| said he had not deducted $4,000 In
/ depro citation, which ne admitted Is
/ a necessary expense and which must
/ he charged or at the close Of each
/ year, This depreciation is about
six per cent
/ Duncan declared that the South
western Bel Telephone company Is
/ paying heavy tribute 10 the parent
| oompanE the American Telephone
and Telegraph company. and that il
was taking a juicy slice from the
I profits made in Tulsa while the Bel
/ company itscim was alleged 10 be
earning only a part OF what 1t de-
| serves.
The telephone company Is not
asking for specific increase, but
presents the argument that it's earn
lings shOdld be increased sufficient q
add a reasonable amount TO the 3.S
per cent It alleges 1t " earning
Figures and data on 'oustru, tior
costs and operating expenses were