Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Elte JaensLvettiser. -1N VOLUME XXXVI. LAURENS, SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1921.NU BR5 LOCAL TELEPHON GRANTED IN Increase not as Large as Company lie. fiuested In its Petition to the lnil. road Commission. Htate Goes Into Etfeet July 1st. By an Order issued by the state rail road commissioi June 3rd and deliv e'red to the local company last week, the Laturens Telephone Company is grantted an increase in rates of ap 'OXimely I " per cent. The com imlission d(id not granlt the full increase askhl by the company, wrhich amount ed to aboult -10 per cent, giving as its o;inlion that the company could opor ate with a reasonable profit under the schedule granted. The full order of the commission, wh [ch gives all detftils of the matter, is as follows: Order No. 234 June 3rd, 1921. Laurens Telephone Company, Laurens, S. C. On October Iith, 1920, the Laurens Telephone Company, through .1r. W. ,R. Itlichey, President, filed petition witi tile Railroad 'Co ission of South Carolina asking for an increase of rates. In the absence of a petition signed 'by a majority of the subscrib. ers of said telepholne company the Commission ordered a hearing to be held in the city of Laurens, S. C., on November 23rd, 1920, notice of this hearing being duly advertised accord ing to the law which reotuires Publica tion of svecial notice for four con secutive weeks. Tie hearing was ield 4t' the time and place speofled. Tile -Laurens Teleplhono Company was rep resented by "Mr. Richey, while a good-I ty number of subscribers of said com pany were present at this meeting. The increase wao opposed at that time by said subscribers, their conten tion (being based mainly upon the IO i position that first of all your financial statement (lid not show at the tlme of tile hearing an actual loss 'between revenue obtained from service and ac tual operating cx penses, but presumed that a loss would exist inside of tile next six months. Another contention advanced by sonic of tile subscribers present was that this was not an op portune time to increase rates, and especially such an increase as was re qluested ill petition of said telephone company, which mileant a forty per cent. increase over the rates then and now in existence. The Commission ilas gong into this matter thoroughly for almost eight months, and has weigiled the question froll every angle. It has re(uired a(lditional information fromn the Lau rens Telepllone Company, which has, been submitted and silows that tile aillount paid for actual operating ex penses exceeds tile revenue received by sI(d colIanly from til actual opera tion of tile exchange. Tils has de veloped within tile Ipast three or four months and at )resent an actual deficit between tile two allounts-that is to say a deficit exists between the amount -)aid ont and tlle alliount received and today tile exclalnge is being oper ated at an actual loss. Where tile records s1ow that a util ity is undertaking to operate with a great'r amount pa out to maintain tll service thanl the amount received for such service, it "all be readily real ize( that the service, under these Con (litions1, calnnot lon1g (ontlie, and where such a state of affairs exists it does ot b'come necessary to take Into considerationl the aml~Ounlt of invest ment, or' what is often referred to as "watered stock,'' or other similaar con :iideration. The mere fact that. ther~e is not suffleient reCvenueI 'behig taken Winthrop College 801IOILA1IS1i NP AND EN'i'IANCE EXAMINATiION The examination for the award of vac'ant Scholarships in Winthrop Col loge and for admission of new stuldents will be0 held at tile County Court House on Friday,' July 1, at 9 a. m. Appli cants miust not 1b0 lees than sixteen years of nge. Wihen Scholarships are vacanlt after July 1 thley will be award ed1 to those making the highest average at tils examination, p~rovided thley meet the conditions governing the awardl. Applicants for Scholarships shlouldl write to President Johnson b~e fore the examination for Scholarshlip examination bhnnke. Scholarships are worth $100 and free tuition. The next sossionl will open September 1th, 1921. F~or fur tiler Information andl catalogule, adl dressl~ Pres. D. II. Johnsmton, Rock 11111, 'S. C. 47-4t Hupmobile The Car Everlasting Ellis Motor Co. DISTRIBUTORS Clinton, S. C. E COMPANY CREASE IN RATES In by the company to meet its actual' operating expenses would have a ten dency to eliminate matters such as above referred to. Tihe Commission wishes it understood that it is not a pleasure to increase rates, but it Is the duty of the Commission to demand of all corporations under its jurisdiction that they render ellicient service to their patrons, and In turn, under the laws4 of the State, it becomes the dity of tihe Commission to see that proper ties of this kind shall not be confiscat ed to furnish service as above outlined. Iherefore, unfortunately, it becomen the Commission's duty to ptt into ef feet a scale of rates that will be just equitable and reasonable to all parties at interest. The Commission has given due con sideration to the financial conditions existing and the fact that a great many business concerns are 'operating at much less prollt than has been ihe custom for the past several years, but telephone service has rpached the stage where It is an absolute necessi ty, and in order that the people may have access to this convenience, It be comes especially necessary that the property of the telephone company be maintained In an adeqluate condition to render the service demanded of it. However, the Commission has decid ed that It cannot at this time grant the amount of increase requested in the petition of the Laurens Telephone Company, notwithstanding the fact that such increase may .be necessary to yield the usual revenue on the in vestment maintained in this specific instance, but we have taken into con sideration that cost of material is gradually being reduced, and the Com mission is of the opinion at this time that the increases granted 'will In the near future take care of the situation in such a way as not to impaid the service of the telephone exchange and yield a slight revenue on the Invest ment. ' Therofore, the Commission issues te following order: It is ordered, that on and after July Ist, 1921, the legal rates for telephone service rendered by the Laurens Tele phone Company within the city limits pf Laurens, S. C. shall be as follows: Special line business telephones $3.10 per month. Duplex line business telephone $2.75 iper month. Opecial line residence telephone $2.40 per month. Duplex line residence telephone $1.80 per month. Four party residence telephone $1.60 per month. 1xtenslon telephone $1.20 1er month. For rural lines constructed, equip p)ed and maintained to the city limits of Laurens by others than Laurens Telephone Company, with six tele phones or less number per line, $3.00 per month per drop on switchboard. This means that when there are six telephones or' less on lines of this kind the charge shall 'he $3.00 per month for six telephones or less, with a charge of $50 -per month for each ad ditional telephone when there are more than six telephones on the line. This order shall remain In effect un til the further orders of this Commis sion. In addit on to the facts above set (tit, this Cbmmilssionu has on fIVe an ordinance passed by tihe City Council of laurens, of (late June 28th. 1920, hvile('h prescribes a rate as follows: -Special line .business telephone $3.-0 per conth. Duplex line business telephone $3.00 per month. Special line residlence telephone $2.50 per month. D~uplex line residence telephone $2.00 per month. lInder existing condlitions the Com mission dloes not feel that these rates should be granted at present. Al though giving dtue cognizance to the action of the 'City Council of iLaurens, S. C., the Comnmission ia of the opinion at presenit that the laurens Telephone Company can meot operating expenses of its exchange and have a surplus from such operation to care for (deter loratlon, maintenance, etc. In reaching its conclusilon as to ratep set out in above orderc the Com mission has eliminatedl certain items presentedl to it as necessary in the operation of this exchange which In its opinlon the comp~aty can. operate without. The Comm-ission la of the opInion that while the rates herein pre scribied as legal rates for service ron dered by L~aurens Telephone Company iay' not be as high as the rates charged by mnany similar exchanges, they will yild a revenue as nabove out 'linedo. If the Commission is In error as to this then thie matter can easily he re-op)eed and such action taken as may bie necessary in the premIses. Chalirman. 'Ii. II. ARlNOLD), Conmmissiloner. J. P. DAWilIY, Secretary. 'iT WIILIPAY Y'OU TO '00ME MANY MILES TO ,. C. BURNS & CO. BIG RED HOT SALE AT BOTH STORES IN LAURLENS. PLANS TO CARRY SURPLUS COTTON Secretary of Commerce Gives Views to Senate CommIitto Outliiig Posi. tion of Administration as to Eco nomnle Distress Being Felt. by Farm ers. iWashington, June 25.-Efforts are being made by the administration to mobilize banking credits for carrying OVer surpluses of the country's cotton and sugar, Secretary loover disclosed today 'bofore a senate committee. The object is "to prevent a forced" liqui dation of these commodities" lie said, and tle plan under cols Iderat ion is identileal with that carried out In the Cattle industry. The commerce secretary was called to give his views on the Norris bill to create a $100,000,000 govermnent farm export corporation. Ile told the coim mittee lie did not favor the measure. "I don't want to appear to deprecate any proposal intended to assist the agricultural industry," -Mr. Hoover said, "because the situation today which has reduced the purchasing power of the American farmer 67 per cent has put him to the most serious duress agriculture has ever had to face. The situation Is the most acute and dangerous in the country at the present moment. let I cannot feel that the extension of further credit facilities for the supply of food pro ducts to IOurope would give any ade (luate remedy. While six-ty million Europeans still are "under food restaint, rationing or similar systems," Mr. Hoover said, "Poland, Austi'la and "in a minor de gree Czecho-Slovakla, 'weore the only countries where a diminished food supply might result from, failure of credits. European harvests, 'genera ally good, he said, might be sulicient to meet their needs, but that in any case thirty million bushels of wheat was all that would be involved. lie added that' Elurope "found the money somehow to take a bilion dollars in food from the Un'ited States in the list cloven and a half months." "As to cotton, 'however, the lprob lem of disposing of our surpIlus is much more serious," Mr. Hoover con tinued, "because experience has de monstrated that the governments and the peoples :w'ill secure their food, but that they will cut in textiles. "There is a marked tendency in lurope'to live on their own food re sources and make their harvests stretch as far as possible through the year which indicates that the Ameri can farmer must carry hereafter his crops for a longer period through the year because the European demand will only come at later months. "We are trying to set up such ma chinery as will prevent forced liquida tion in cotton and sugar and negotia tion through the banks of the coun try. If this canot be done through the mobilization of private banking capital In such a way as to avoidi putt ting the burden on 'the government, why then we may have to call on the gove rn ment. "H appily there is a short crop of ('ottoni this year and there have also been artiflcial conditions, which have depiressedl th(e market, such as the long strike in Efngiand and the re parations discussion with Germany, which 'worked to cut our cotton ex ports, yet the shelves of the world are growing bare of textiles and we can hope to carry over' the surplus until it can 1he sold1 at satisfactory hovels. A simnilar' aituation exisits as to grain, 'but it is not so marked." 1)EFEll ELECTION OF, ElI8hINE HEAlD Postponed1 'nil lMeeting of Trustees in (astonia, N. ('. On August 3rd. Chester, Juno 27.-The ection of a president of Erskine College to suc ceed Dr. J. S. Moffatt, resigned, was dleferrdl until August 3rd, by th trus tees in session here tonight. The next meeting will be held( at Gastonia, N. C. The reason assignedl for the post poniement swas in order to have the .western members of the lbonard present.' Four names were presented by the executive committee. Rev. Ri. C. ier, of Coluntbi~a; Dr. Ernest Neal Orr, of Charlotte, N. C.; and Rev. J. W. Car son and Prof. 0. II. Cannon, of New berry. A committee was ap~pointedI to. wait under Dr. Mioftatt, and urge 1dm to aciept the offee of president emeri 3-DAY CLEARANCE SALE ON DRESSES and SKIRTS Great bargains will be offered in our Dress and Skirt Department Thursday, Friday and Saturday. All dresses will be reduced to 1-2 price and many far below. We must close them out regardless of cost. Nine of the biggest bargains ever offered in Dress es; only one of a kind, and as they are sold they will be marked off the list. 516. Brown Taffeta, size 18; price $60.00, Sale Price $19.75 751. Brown Crepe de Chine, size 36; price $75, Sale Price 25.00 729. Grey Crepe de Chine, size 40, price $65, Sale Price 22.50 230. Blue Taffeta, size 36; price $37.50, Sale Price 12.50 263. Blue Taffeta, size 18; price $37.50, Sale Price 15.00 520. Blue Taffeta, size 36; price $45.00, Sale Price 17.50 M. Navy Taffeta, size 40; price $27.50, Sale Price 12.00 4821. Grey Taffeta, size 38; price $27.00, Sale Price 11.75 876. Navy Messaline, size 14; price $45.00, Sale Price 15.00 LOT NO. 1 SIT 50 House Dresses in ging- Hno krso aoet ham and percale; worth up to Stn rp n eret $6.0,Speia Spacal Priceic $115.0 LOT NO. 2 AlOhrSit - rc 12 Taffeta, Messaline and Poplin Dresses; values up to MSI NEWA $19.75, Special Sale Price AlMsi newa e All ltertionChagedor-n-Non Skits o arovett DAVISROPE CrpCadGOtt OutfitersorSteciaol Faly rc LnurenuSoinUthderoiare