New Britain herald., 1927-12-06
STAMFORD MAYOR RAPS COMMISSION
Hints Utilities Body Not Work
 ing for Public Interest

Stamford. Conn. Dec. tP--Com-
 plete inventory of it's property and
 the appointment of q commission of | three members to decide q fair re- turn on the investments of the southern New England Telephone O.. was urged by Mayor Alfred \. Phillips, Jr.. today at d hearing be- { fore the state public utilities com | mis.ion. The hearing was held in the town hall here at the request of ] the mayor and its object was q dis cussion Of the recent raise in rates made by tn" company.
 Submission Of a complete inven-
 tory of the telephone company's 1 property would furnish a basis for
 the proper computation of the com pany'S new rates, in the opinion of Mayor Philips. In outlining the
 duties Of the commission, he sug- grsted that one member of the con-
 mission bo named by the company, | or the utilities commission: one by the city of Stanford; and that a
 third ho chosen by the other two
 mem brrS.
 The cost Of tho investigation. he suggested, would be paid by the
 telephone company.
 "Iniormation has come 10 me-" said Mayor Phillips addressing the commission. that before The telc- phone company decided to increase
 it's rate at all it went before you
 unoftclally, and asked an opinion on the matter as tkcy did not want 10 act at all as regarded definitely in crcaslng it's rates until it was as sured by you. informally. that you looked with favor on such an in crease in rates"
 When asked If this information was true the commission made no answer Continuing. the mayor said: And further. we in Stamford arc glad that you are hearing the case today and We hope that you will give us q square deal,
 Speaking perfectly frankly. ", haven't very much faith in the out come of a hearing before the pub lie utilities commission of tho state of Connecticut. That is, an outcome favorable 10 tha peoples interest because our experience before yo. has been a very sad one"
 Harry Knight Of New Haven. vice president and general manager of the southern New England con- pany. was tho tirsr witness present. "d hy the company at the hearing.
 Ho said that the character of Stamtord's population was dcter- mining factor in estimating it's tcle- phone growth. While telephone sub scriberS in Hartford. one of the states most prosperous cities, num- bored 10 per cent of their group in the $7u per month or better rental class, Stamford had 23 per cent of its phone subscribers in that class. He expected that 1446 thirty-threc PCT cent of the Stamford group would he in that class. This was due he explained. 10 the character of the persons locating here as a result Of inc metropolitan overflow from New York city. Outlining telephone growth in the Stamford area, Mr. Knight said that in 1902, Stamford lad CA telephones against 1851 in l'21. In lH32. it was expected that there would be l9,Sl4. according 10 Knight, who added that the popula- ton in 1946, including the southern Beach and Darien sections. would reach 1i6,ooo against the present | figures Of S6V,00o.
 Members of the public utilities | commission present were: C. r. El- !, well: Joseph A. Alsop; and Richard | Higgins. The telephone company | was represented by counsel undrr | he leadership of Joseph Berry of 1 New Haven.