The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-07-27

will be held before the state
utilities commission at Occur
d'Alene on August II. Although
there has been much complaint
against the rates and fixed charges
exacted by the Interstate Utilities
company, and steps were taken sew
eral months ago by commercial bod
les. city councils and commissioners
of the several counties served by the
company to have attorneys appear at
the hearing on behalf of patrons of
the telephone company. from present
indications no such representation
will be on hand. In fact, the near ap-
prOach of the hearing will not permit
time to prepare the necessary evil
dence in support of lower rates. The
movement in behalf of patrons was
started by the Standpoint chamber of
commerce and was promptly taken
up by the Wallace board of trade, city
council and by similar bodies in all
other counties affected. But when IL
was found that il would require con-
siderable time and expense to exam
inc the exhibit submitted by the tele-
phone company and to prepare evil
dence to introduce in opposition to il,
interest in the investigation suddenly
waned. OF course it is possible that |
telephone rates are not too high, but |
as they are the same that were au-
thorized during the war, it is natur-
ally concluded that they should be
adjusted downward in keeping with |
the reduction of rates by other pub
lie service corporations due to re-
ductiOn in wages and other operating
expenses. The utilities commission /
will proceed with the hearing and if /
it is found that rates are too high, a
reduction will be ordered and patrons
will secure the desired relief but the
appearance of a representative of the
patrons would be of material assist
ance in bringing out the facts neces-
sary to enable the commission to
reach a conclusion. Inaction on the
part of patrons will bar them from
further complaint, whatever the de-
cision of the commission
Hearing Long Pending.
A recent editorial in the Miner on
the telephone hearing was not in
tended as a criticism of the utilities
for that body has GER
tainly given all parties concerned all
the time they could possibly desire to
prepare for the hearing. However, its
in this respect was probably
not as clear as it should have been.
on this account, and in order to ex-
plain fully the various steps taken by
the hearing, Hon. A. II. Conner as
sistant attorney general for the COM
has written the Miner on
the subject and his letter follows:
Mr.. Corners Letter.
81 have been reading your editorial
n the Miner of July 6 regarding the {
telephone rate investigation II
1T is not clear whether or not this {
was intended as a criticism 9
If the commission for not proceeding 7
With the investigation more promptly
)ut if there is any inclination to Ii
blame the commission for the delay "
wish you would consider the facts h
n the case. 4
1.-THE original hearing was had at 10
occur d'Alene on December 4. 1920,
It which time the telephone company p
Introduced its valuation. An adj S
ournment was then taken to a time to a
re later fixed to permit the engineer n
ng and auditing departments of the a
commission to examine the valuation n
ubmitted, check the property on the Il
round. audit the books and prepare f;