Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-03-07

required for, Judge Cowper, to study
and digest. them, Winborne said.
Lengthy Trial.
This rate case is the outgrowth OF
the order issued by the Utilities Com
mission more than year ago, order
ing the Southern Bell Telephone ana
Telegraph, Company to reduce it's
rates in North Carolina by approx
mately Is per cent and thus save tele-
phone users in the State at least $780,
900 a, year. The telephone company re-
fused to obey the order and appealed
to the courts. The case was tried be-
fore Judge Cowper several months
ago, in a, trial that lasted some seven
weeks and in which more than 1;000,
600 words. of testimony were heard.
Since the close of the trial, Judge Cow
per has been studying the record,
pending the submission of briefs by
both sides.
Arranging for Date.
At the present time, Judge Cowper
has only two weeks open in which he
could. preside over another special
term, to hear additional oral argu-
ments and hand down a decision, Com
missioner Winborne said today. These
are the weeks Of March % and of
April 81. The Utilities Commission is
now communicating with Judge Cow
per asking him to set the special term
for the final disposition of the rate
case for one of these two dates and
is hoping he will select the week of
March %.
+ If Judge Cowper rules for the State
and the Utilities Commission, the
telephone company will be compelled
to disgorge more than 100000 it has
collected in excess of the rates order
ed by the commission since January
1, 1885.
Wishes for Telephone iva.
It would be fine thing for tele-
phone users in North Carolina and all
over the country, if the Tennessee
Valley Authority could build telephone
lines and set up telephone exchanges
in addition to power lines and dams,
Utilities Commissioner Stanley Win
borne pointed out here today, since if
the IVA had this power, telephone
rates would already have been re-
duced in the same proportion that
electric rates have been cut and with
out long delays and expensive litiga-
ton.
IF the Southern Bell Telephone
and Telegraph Company had the
threat of some competition from some
agency like the IVA, it would have
acted as have all the power companies
and reduced their rates long ago, in
stead of fighting in court the rate re-
duction the State Utilities Commits
sion ordered more than a year ago."
Commissioner Winborne said. "Thus
the users of Bell telephone service
alone would have been saved more
than 100000 in excessive telephone
charges last. year and even more this
year, since their business has been
steadily increasing this pas: year in
spite of the excessive rates charged.
When. we issued the order for the re-
duced, rates. the Southern Bell COM
pany had. about 10000 subscribers in
North Carolina. We now have reason
to believe that they have nearer 3d.
600 subscribers now than 10000"
Lower Rates Help.
It is rather paradoxical, but one
reason for the increased number of
Bell telephone subscribers is undoubt-
eddy due to the fact that many people
have the impression that the rates
have been reduced in accordance with
ithea commissions order, and accord
ingly have put in telephones, Win
borne said. So the result is that the
order for lower rates has actually
helped the business of the Bell COM
pany increased it's revenue and thus
made it better able to put into effect
substantial reduction in rates.
|. If the Bell telephone company
would, go ahead. and reduce it's rates,
it would have the same results as the
reduced rates by the power con1pan-
les have had, namely result in more
users of, telephones and greater vol
June of, business, Commissioner Win
borne is, convinced. But so far, the
telephone company is standing pat.