The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-02
GOODRICH TO
FACE BATTLE
IN VALPARAISO
Citizens Fight Effort to Get
StrangIe Hold on Phone
Service.
ASK COMMISSIONS AID
Illinois Bell Better Fitted to
Operate in District,
Appeal Says.

N4GIleIlS Ol valparaiso To-Day are
baSing their hope on the public serv-
ice commission to prevent the WI
mona Telephone Company and for
mer Governor James P. Goodrich
from getting what they fear will be
a strangle hold on telephone service
in that locality.
A petition to modify the COM
mission order granting permission
to the Northwestern Indiana Tele-
phone Company to sell and the
Crown Point Telephone Company
and the Winona Telephone Com
pany to buy the Northwestern IN
diana Telephone Company and leave
the Valparaiso service under control
Of the Illinois Bell system has been
filed with the commissioners.
1t is signed by the civil city Of
Valparaiso, the city council, and VAL
paraiSo Chamber of Commerce. 1t
is backed by the citizens generally.
who have expressed themselves as
unable to understand why Goodrich
entered the field and took the service
away from the Illinois Bell holding
company, which they believe would
have bettered the service.
Want Illinois Bell Service
The petition points out that the
Illinois Bell has control of the
Northwestern stock and that said
company better is fitted and more
efficiently can operate the Valpa-
raiSo and KoutS exchanges of the
Northwestern Indiana Telephone
Company than the Winona Tele-
phone Company, purchaser of said
exchange"
Twice before the commission
agreed that it was in the public in
terest to prevent the Goodrich or
ganization from taking over this
service.
An adverse ruling on the commits
sion's decision was obtained by the
former Governor in the Lake Cir
cult court. Judge E. Miles Norton,
appointed to the bench by
Governor Goodrich. but since twice
handed down the ruling IA
voring the Winona company and
the commission ruling.
Present petition of the citizens
sets out that such court appeals are
unconstitutional and that Lake Cir
cult court was without Jurisdiction.
The appeal was made possible I'M
der the 1927 statute, which was
ruled unconstitutional by Attorney
General Arthur L. Gilliom, but nev-
ertheless was signed by Governor
Ed Jackson.
Unity of operation always has
marked the telephone service in
Valparaiso, Chesterton, Hobart,
Wheeler and Kouts, but this is
broken up by the commission, acting
under the decision laid down by the
court.
New Trial Is Asked
Motion for new trial has also
been filed with the court by Attor-
ney Bruce B. Loring, who filed the
commission petition. He has assert
ed that if the judge rules against
this motion, appeal will be taken to
the Indiana Supreme Court. Appeal
will be based on alleged unconstitu-
tionality of the 1927 act.
IF the Public Service Commission
will go this far to preserve the
rights and interests of the city and
stay the actual change of ownership
and management of the local tele-
phone exchange until the new trial
or high court appeal can be con-
cluded, the city will prove conclu-
sively that the Illinois Bell better
can serve the telephone demands of
this community than can the Good
rich-WiMnona company" he de-
clared.
Mileage Is Increased
"In its investigations on the orig
inal petition, the Public Service
Commission found that by actual
mileage Valparaiso, Crown Point
ando CheSterton were within a Is
to % mile radius, while If the Wi
mona group comes into control this
radius is increased to from 40 to so
miles.
1T was this circumstance that
caused the commission in it's ruling
to hold that it never could approve
of so arbitrary a division of the
telephone utility field"
ut was this circumstance that
caused Judge Norton in his upset
decision to remark that he was of
the opinion that Valparaiso, Crown
Point and Gary might be served
by one company-the Illinois Bell.
ut confidently is believed in VAL
paraiso that If the Goodrich Wi
mona group had not forced its hand,
the Illinois Bell would be in COM
plete control of the telephone field