The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-03-02
MAY ASK FOR HEARING
CUT TELEPHONE RATES
STANDPOINT ASKS COOPERATION
AND MAY GET IT-AGAINST
SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION.

yesterday. The question was brought
up through a letter from +. o. Hagie.
managing secretary of the Standpoint
chamber of commerce, accompanied by
copy of a letter from Captain A. H.
Conner, attorney for the state utilities
commission. Mr.. Conner stated that
in November 1919. the commission
had granted the application OF the
Interstate Utilities company for a con
tinuance of the war time rates until
hearing could be held, "at which hear
ing the burden would be upon the
company TO Justify the increase made
by the government over the rates for
merly in effect" Later the telephone
company filed an inventory as required
by law and the utilities commission
called hearing at Occur d'Alene on
December 4, 1920. but stating that the
inventory would be merely submitted !
as an exhibit and that no other hear
ing would be had until the commits |
sions engineers and auditors could |
make an examination of the physical |
property of the company" Continuing |
Captain Conner says that the com
missions engineers and auditors have
been unable as yet. with our limited
appropriations. to make the necessary
examination of the physical properties
% the company or 20 check the inven-
tory filed. When this is done. howev-
er. the matter will again be set for
hearing. at which time the question of
the valuation of the properties of the
company and the matter of rates and
service viii be gone into" In this sit
uation Captain Conner suggests that
communities Interested might hurry
the matter along by taking it mp direct
with the commission
Standpoint Acts.
In the letter from Mr.. Hagie which
was written in behalf of both the q
chamber of commerce and city council :
OF Standpoint it is proposed that the =
towns of north Idaho join in providing 7
the funds for making a survey of prop T
erty of the telephone company and all a
necessary data to be submitted at the {
hearing with the view of securing a {
reduction in rates Mr. Hagie states y
that the Standpoint committee is of the /
opinion that this work can be done for t
an expense of not to exceed $500 and q
invites Wallace and Shoshone county 2
20 join in carrying out this plan as the t
'nly means of securing an early hear C
ny 4 similar letter was sent to the
'ity council
Work of Former Committee.
Major r. L. Quigley stated that
pecial committee, of which he was a c
member was appointed by the board
everal months ago to take mp the
natter of lower telephone rates. and 81
he utilities commission had given as =,
urance that the survey would be
made That was a long time ago and .,
ow we are told that the commission =,
as not sufficient funds to collect the -
ecessary data He favored a cooper =,
ton with the city council i'm urging T.,
hearing. ~
NJ. A. Corner. a member of the spec ~,
Il telephone committee. stated that II
In. Sweeley. of the utilities commits -,
on had told the committee last No l.,
rmber that the properties of the tele- -
hone company would be checked. and -.
ntil that was done there would be no ~
caring The board should first find 49,
At why the commission has not made ~.
ie survey.
Judge d. II. DeLong city clerk or
ated that the telephone question was
by the city council at the ~.
st meeting. but that no action was 49,
ken pending more complete infor-
alton. He did not consider $500 -.
ough TO cover the expense of making
survey of the physical properties of 49,,
e company; in fact. thought that the
st would run between $4,000 and
. 600 If the work was undertaken
proposed Judge belong thought il
oud be the county rather than the
" that should take it up for in that w
ny all telephone users would share ~
e expense. am
Local Manager Talks. 10.
}. w Baker, resident manager of .a
2 Interstate Utilities company. told ~
the herculean task involved in max 49,.
; valuation of the property of the M
npany and the collection of data oo,,
eessary to determine fair rates Re 80.
ring to the letter from the secre- tho
y of the Standpoint chamber of so,,
nmerce he said Mr. Hagie seemed ,t.
be trying to start something not ~,
wing much else to think about. and
1t the statements in his letter were
sleading. Mr. Baker said $25O0
uld not get very far making a sur
of the property of the telephone by
npany. and added that the books cou
inventories of the company are graz
lilable and open to inspection at tax
time forr
The matter was left open TO await who
ther action by the council or I
Oppose Consolidation. OH
he special committee. consisting of
rman }. Rossi Rush J. White and