Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-30
final MEETING
.P.U. COMMISSION
ON PHONE RATES

Inc final session of the Public
Ctl!ltles Commission which has been
sitting since Monday afternoon at
1.oo O'Clock, when the hearing was
opened to consider the matter of
telephone rates between the towns of
Waterville and Fairfield. was held
Yesterday morning in the city council
Charles E. Quincy, chairman of the
commission of which Herbert w.
Iratton and Albert Greenlaw are
members, called the meeting to order
at little before 8, A. M. The testi-
lhony OF the many compliments both
from Waterville and Fairfield having
oeen entered at the previous sessions,
tne case was turned over to the New
england Telephone Company's coun-
SELL George H. Grant of Boston. Mr..
Grant, summarizing the case briefly.
pointed out the principal issues in
vowed, and called the commissions
attention to the inadequacy of the
testimony submitted by the petition
ers. lie then presented the telephone
con1panys witness. Walter F. Gray,
OF wellesley. Mass, general COM
mercial engineer, who occupied the
time.
Mr. Gray. under cross examination,
explained the technical and CONNER
clal phases Of the case, SUBMITTING
taouiated reports and charts to sub
sSdntlate his contentious. He eX-
pialneo at length the meaning and
sisnlncance of a diagramed sheet,
showing the comparative number of
cans made between the EXCHANGES of
WAterViI1n ENoyr M.
ures indicated that from a total num-
Der of 1854 subscribers. 1856 during
the months of March and April made
no toll calls; 522 made one call: 2S6
made two calls; 1876 made three calls;
Isl made four: "a made five: 254
made six to 10 calls; 121 made II to
20; So made 21 to 80; 25 made 81 to
40; nine made IS to IS; and four
made over rs.
Mr. Gray furnished the commits
sion with much other information
pertinent to the operation of the
company's business and manner of
operation. Al the conclusion of Mr..
Grays testimony, P. A. Smith of
Fairfield summed up the case for the
petitioners of his town.
He spoke of the social and COM
mercial relations existing between
the two communities. How water
nights. power, amusements, and 9TH
er things We're derived from the
same source; how the towns had
grown up together. with mutual in
terests. He pointed out to the COM
mission that the telephone company's
representatives had themselves ad-
mitted that when two exchanges ex-
list or are created, mutual interest
Is IN part eliminated. He said that
he did not think there was any cues
ton in the mind of the commission
OF the poor quality of service in
Fairfield. The town he held was en-
Titled to the best service, whereas
the system now in use was in every
respect Anticipated. He suggested
that the town be put into the Water
vile exchange, and given the same
Kind of service: that the subscribers
were entitled to it. BY imposing the
five cent toll charge, he said that the
company had automatically cut
Fairfield off from 5000 subscribers
There was. he said, no doubt in his
mind that the extra charge had res
trlcted the use of the phone. and
minimized intercourse between the
two communities.
Mr.. Quincy then called on Harvey
D.Eaton. informing him that he had
but three minutes before the hearing
came to an end. He told the latter
he might open his case orally If he
wished. and commit the body of his
argument to writing Mr.. Eaton re-
marked that the time allowed him
was hardly sufficient to an inteIli-
gent opening of the case. and under
the circumstances he would prefer
his entire argument in written
form.
Mr.. Grant. stating that he had not
been prepared TO oppose protesta
tians of poor and inefficient service
which had been presented to the
commission by the petitioners. asked
that he might be allowed four weeks
in which to prepare his case. Mr.
Quincy asked If the length Of time
requested was not rather long
whereupon Mr.. Grant said he might
be able to do it in shorter time.
Mr.. Quincy then informed all con-
cerned that the commissions deci-
sion would be rendered only after a
careful study of all testimony sub
mitted. that they might hand down
a verdict that would be fair and I'm.
partial in every respect. The hear
ing was then adjourned
Sr,1on Cur, Morox,