The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1941-04-18
Bell Company
Moves TO Refund

Detroit. April IA. The Michigan
Bell Telephone Company moved today
10 bring about a speedy refund Of ap-
Groximately $1.JOO.OOO to its long dis
lance customers following the decision
Of rhe state supreme court uphOlding
Il commission order to reduce intra-
state toll rates to the level Of inter
state charges.
George NJ. Welch, president of the
company. announcing that no appeal
will be entered in the case, said that
NECESSARY steps are being taken with
the Michigan Public Service Commits
sion 10 place the new rates into effect
and TO initiate procedure for making
the refunds. He estimated the decision
will mean "a savings of about $7OOUOO
Il year TO customers. based upon cur
rent usage of long distance service
WEIGH said the company will immed-
lately request Judge Leland w. Carr.
Of the lngham Circuit Court, for a
supple mentary decree giving the courts
approval OF methods and procedures
for the company to follow in making
refunds. As an example of questions
To he determined. he pointed out that
the court must approve the form the
refunds VIII take-whether by intlivid-
ual checks. credits on customers bills,
or Il combination of both When the
necessary decree is issued the com
Inny will set the refund machinery
into motion at once. WEIGH said. 1t
was Judge Carr who rendered the orig
inal court decision unfolding the order
of the old Michigan Public Utilities
commission fixing the interstate toll
rates ut interstate levels.
At the - inSistence of the former
commission. the circuit court ordered
that the difference between the two
rate schedules be impOunded in the
commonwealth bank. Detroit. where it
has earned no interest. That has been
done since August l. 1898, the effective
date Of the order by the old commits
sion reducing the rates on calls be-
tween Michigan points more than A.
miles apart. For lesser distances the
rates have been alike under both Sched-
ules lor many years.
WEIGH said that it will not be neces-
rary for subscribers to file claims, ex-
cepting persons who made long dis
lance calls for public pay telephones
In view of the magnitude Of the task
of checking refund records, the presi-
dent said that refunds probably cannot
begin until 80 days after the issuance
of decree by Judge Carr.
An indica ton of the big job ahead
Of the company in making the refunds
is seen in the fact that more than
tT5,OOOWO separate toll tickets. records
Of each long distance call, must be re-
sorted and checked For that reason.
WEIGH added. it will be impossible at
this time to give any further informal
ton concerning individual refunds.
Adjustments must be applied TO ap-
prONinately 100000 Individual service
accounts.
At public pay. station telephones,
slips were provided on which persons
making long distance calls were asked
10 make a record Of such calls in or
der that they might present their
claims to the company for refunds !
Such claims can now be made at any
business Office OF the company.
The company also asks, WEIGH said. |
that former subscribers entitled to re-
funds. who have moved without leav-
ing any forwarding addresses. notify |
the company Of their present address |
es
The cOmpany's objective in cOnnec-
item with its continuing efforts to re- |
duce rates always has been 10 apply |
such reductions TO the greatest num-
btr Of customers" WEIGH said. THAT |
practice met with complete approval OF !
past commissions.
We believed that the difference in |
conditions and cOSts of handling intra- |
state and interstate toll service JUST |
tied the difference in rates. Rates for |
both long distance and exchange ser
vice ARE integral parts of the revenue |
>truIurr of the Telephone business. The |
company must have sufficient revenue
10 meet its obligations and IN provide |
good service Therefore, this reduction
in lCie- distance revenue will b. an In !
tiurntN' against tXchange service rates |
reaching a. low q level in the future |
rs otherwise might be possible. The |
'Ourt. however. has Spoks and there |
sill be % fj'rther appeal"