The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-30
Increased Cost of Telephone Service
m. ,be Uonooer of the Serpice.
(By the Manager Of Me

Tboupb the people of Columbia paying no more
for telephone service than they paid twelve years ago.
labor and material necessary give the service has adj
yanced in cost from so to than 200 per cent
For instance for the first seven months of 1918 we
maid or operstors an average wage of $500 per month
For the first seven months of the present year paid
them an average wage of s65O9 per month"; an increase
of 90 per cent. ii
The increase in wages paid linemen and roublemen
has been 73 per cent
The increase in wages paid in the accounting. depart
ment amounts 600 per cent. III
The advance of drop wire is now 5lo per cent
though until recently it II per cent III
The advance cost of wire is So per cent though II
we have been paying an advance OF l2e per cent
Poles that we bought in 1910 year after the present
rates for telephone service fixed for 81 o. cost
s3.l8 advance of 200 per cent Other sizes about in
proportion
Batteries that cost $500, now cost S3l.OO, adj H
vance of lO3 per cent and until recently $500, an
advance of $50 per cent. II
For the cheapest telephone we use we paid s725. The
telephone costs $l225 advance of $50 per
cent
this telephone asked S244O, advance of ll3 N
per cent, but when the last order placed by making
little change in apparatus secured little different
instrument for s205O, an advance of 79.5 per
The additions being made TO the switchboard N
costing than $4,000 drop, whereas the cost of the
by the Commission less than Sl7.0O per drop. Thus
the advance in switchboard is 194 per cent
Taxes have been increased from S83971 in 1915 to n
S4o4485 last year, increase of 453 per cent and we
understand that for the present year the has been
nearly doubled what it last year. Thus we have
Increased wages paid operators ... 92 per cent HI
Increased wages paid linemen ... 73 per cent III
Increased wages paid book-keepers ~ 66 per cent III
Increased cost of drop wire ....... 80 per cent III
Increased cost of iron wire ....... 50 per cent N
Increased cost OF poles .......... 2O9 per cent III
increased cost of batteries ...... lob per cent Ill
Increased cost cheapest telephones - 90 Der cent III
Increased cost more costly telephones 70 per cent III
e"seu cost oi switchboard l94 per cent Ill
increase In taxes s................ 453 per cent Ill
All of which must convince any person. who is inn Y
bued with semblance of fairness and square dealing h.
that the telephone system receive more for service
or the business must be suspended HI
As matter OF fact have been giving service at an III
actual loss Tor more than year, fact ever since we
MAGE the maj advances IN wages we we're compelled to
make in order TO labor to operate the plant
10 meet these advances labor, and for material and
apparatus and taxes, compelled to apply to the
Public Service Commission of Missouri for am advance
in rates for service.
Though from the above facts it is clear that the in
creased cost giving service must from 80 or 90
per cent asking for an increase in rates of ONLY
5o.I per cent, advances in detail as follows: III
Specialne business service from IS 3.OOto $50 III
z-Party-ne business service from 80. 2.5Oto 800 III
Extension sets, business from SOTO LOO HI
Specialline residence service from . 20Oto ESQ HI
4Party-ne residence from ........ l5Oto 200 III
Extension sets, residence from .... Soto rs Ill
Specialine rooming and boarding house
service .............. 2.5Oto $50
2Partyline roomng and boarding house
service ............... 2OOto 800
Extension sets, rooming and boarding
house from ....... 5Oto 1On H
Rural business service from 1OOto :, so III
Rural residence service from l5O,o oos III
T. b. X. Stations, 100 or more from 35to 5O III
T. b. X. Stations less than 100 from 5Olo 65 III
,n1i,. ,iu.h iihes from '.............. 600to 800
Additional trunk lines from dOO, 6oo III
T. b. X. switchboards, from l5Oto go III
(Note.-Not more than 10 telephones TO be ON farm
ines except that lines of 10 miles or more wire carry
Y telephones Residences farms supplied with par,y III
me common battery service 10 pay farline rates Spe
aline rural service subject special arrangements III
time allowed construct new lines 10 care for III
,veroad.)
While these advances considerable they certainly modest N
hen compared with the advances ab, ma III
r apparatus and and according and com III
My 3b2 the appraised value of the made by Mr. III