Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-07-27 | Page 15 | Telephone Property Valuation Ordered

TELEPHONE PROPERTY lUrajlERED Utilities Commission Plans Action as Basis for Fixing Fix-ing New Rates. The public utilities commission of Utah yesterday, after a conference with prominent officials of the Mountain Moun-tain States Telephone & Telegraph company, com-pany, decided to order a physical valuation val-uation of all the property of the company com-pany in the state. This is to be made at the company's expense, and under the rules formulated by the commission, and will be under supervision of the commission "a engineers and auditors. The physical valuation and inventory will be used by the commission as a basis in determining a reasonable rate for telephone service in Utah. H is believed the entire process will be completed com-pleted by November .it), until which time the present telephone rates, fixed by Postmaster General A. S. Burleson, remain in effect. The act of congress which provides fr turning back the company properties from the government govern-ment to their pri va tc owners by August Au-gust 1, also provides that the present rates shall remain in effect for four months longer, or until such time as the state commissions may determine the fair rate for the companies. The present rates are the result of raises affecting both toll and local charges, put into effect by Mr. Burleson Burle-son after he took over the entire wire system of the nation. Kepresenting the telephone company at the conference yesterday were 1'. it. Reed, general manager, Milton Smith, .general counsel, and G. K. McCarn, plant superintendent, all of Denver, and the following officials from the Salt , Lake offices: A. H. DcNikc. division general manager; D. B. Mackintosh, division di-vision commercial superintendent; Wat-demar Wat-demar Van Uott. of counsel for the company, and Ursou John Hyde, special representative. The company officials believe valuation valua-tion should be completed by early in November. The conference of yesterday followed fol-lowed a pet i! ion from the company, presented a few days ago, in which it was asked that the present rates be : continued in effect. There is also, pending before the commission a peti- , ti'on for an increase from the rates for-; merlv in effect, as regards service connection con-nection and removal charges. Hearing' on that petition was begun, but was ; indefinitely postponed when the gov- I eminent took over the properties. I