The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-03-21
Still More to Learn About
D. c. Telephone Company

By BILL PRICE.
The polite willingness Of the Chesapeake ana rOO1C M;
phone Company have existing telephone rae ~ I t
ct continued for another years Will doubtless ske the
Public utiltes Commission which now investigating the
valuations claimed by that company with view 70 lowering
telephone rates evidence that the company Ism 80
sure as it would that its claims are being swallowed
whole by the P. U. 0. ~, Y,..:.. ~.
mission under the vigorous and able leadership OF Colonel
BELL its chairman and Major C0VELL his assistant no1
eIaims eat mn by the company obtain for it. possible
valuations that win ultimately lead higher rates The COM
pany win orego raise in rates here now 4 It can put
across the commission exceedingly high valuations upon
which can ask for higher rates or object TO lower ones
and If falling go to the courts to have its way
Il Is extremely vital to financial welfare Of the people
az Washington that the Public Utilities Commission snail dg
Seenlv into ali phases Of the company claims The further
dior the more It win uncover in the way
We wsnt to see the officials Of the Commission go much
fer into the Chesapeake and Potomacs expenditures for
equipment for activities for year or 50 from the pc
ginning Of the war.
last few years did receive adequate returns upon its
valuations and that it entitled to few fat years
in from the pOcketboos Of telephone users to make
At the beginning Of the entrance Of this country into the
war with Europe the valuation Of O. telephone properties
IN the District was just about onehird what it is today
The activities Of the Government put upon the company
owned by the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company heavy burdens and responsibilities in
preparing for the Government rush business
In this city the activities Of the United Statenot the
needs or demands Of the people Of the the
local company to spend immense sums Of money IN equipment
The proper Wsy Many Of the new buildings now owned by
company meet Government demands. 30
were expensive underground cOnduits
So heavy the business Of the Government and strong
It's nsstence upon the best possible telephone equipment and
personnel that the company brought hers e. heavy Expense
operators who Furnished with housing Telephone OPP
orators were trained in schools for their work
It viii be well for the Public Utilities Commission to at
tempt to get idea Of how much money the company
It's owner the A Company, did spend here for war
activities alone and how much Of that expenditure is today
charged to the people the District in the way Of capital
expenditures and depreciation which they must pay
returns.
The local telephone company has plant equipment
here that far exceeds the local needs Of the District and viii
for the growth Of the business for to Yet
there little doubt that every bit Of the money paid for
equipment for activities now added to capital expend
It viii be worth finding out just much the Government
paid the telephone company for equipment and operation
Inc nen was ns sne M = 80. S
eminent payments deducted from what the company
wants the people here to capital expenditures made
There is already admission that the
did pay the company S2O6 for alleged loss Of dividends
in the period There also admission that the T.
Company made the local company gift Of $986O0O as
part compensation for expenditures here and that this
added the big depreciation fund the
Why should have into the depreciation reserve except
for camouflage purposes?
The counrys huge telephone monopoly did not give its
local auxiliary dollar In form the parent company
United States Government? it did why isn't the fact
brought here for its bearing the hearing?
II the AMERICAN 4eAePnoue q 4e1egIapn company was
posing periodically aiding the Government during the
war at loss to itself then accept those losses They
should be passed along the telephone the
ict in the way Of capital expenditures and exravagant
uaon claims In probability however every dollar of the
heavy expenditures incurred by the company here during
repaid by the Government That is the telephone
pany did after all invest its capital for heavy equipment
here and fail get it back But the investments made
in building up immense plant here for activities are
today included in the valuation Of company properties
upon which District people must pay large returns.
We maintain that there is still much for the p u c. to
learn about the affairs Of the local company.