The Commission further finds, from the record made upon said hearing and the representations by the applicants and the public officials of the city of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, that the convenience of the public will be promoted by said proposed sale and purchase of said public utility property, and, from the aforesaid findings, that the public will, thereupon, be furnished adequate service for a just and reasonable rate, rental, toll or charge therefor, and is satisfied that consent and authority for said sale and purchase of such public utility property should be granted.

It is, therefore, ordered, That said The Upper Sandusky Telephone Company be, and hereby it is, authorized to sell and convey all of its property, rights and other assets to The Ohio Bell Telephone Company; and said The Ohio Bell Telephone Company hereby is authorized to purchase and acquire the same, and to pay therefor the agreed consideration of $50,000, plus adjustments for additions to property account, as in the contract by and between said parties provided, from October 31, 1923.

It is further ordered, That, upon the consummation of said sale and purchase of said property and pending the complete unification of the telephone property in said area, said The Ohio Bell Telephone Company maintain, impose, charge and collect for the furnishing of service the rates and charges now in effect, and, upon the complete unification of said facilities in said area, may establish, maintain, charge and collect rates, charges, tolls and rentals not greater than nor in excess of the rates, charges, tolls and rentals hereinbefore found and determined to be just and reasonable.

It is further ordered, That schedules be filed accordingly.

It is further ordered, That the finding hereinbefore set forth as to service shall not be binding upon this Commission in any future proceedings involving the subject of service in said exchange area.

Dated at Columbus, Ohio, this twenty-fifth day of January, 1924.

[Ohio

OKLAHOMA.

Corporation Commission.

In re APPLICATION OF THE MINCO TELEPHONE COMPANY FOR AN INCREASE IN RATES AND FOR ADJUSTMENT OF TOLL RATES.

Cause No. 5559-Order No. 2335.

Decided January 21, 1924.

Increase in Rates Authorized to Become Effective Upon Completion of Improvements.

ORDER.

The applicant herein, the Minco Telephone Company, owned by K. J. Miles, operating an exchange in Minco, local toll lines to surrounding towns, and rural lines connecting rural subscribers with the town of Minco, filed an application with this Commission for an increase in business and residence rates, and an adjustment of toll rates between the towns of Minco and Pocasset, alleging that the revenue derived from the operation of the exchange under the present rates will not justify additions and betterments necessary and a rearrangement of pole line in the business district to meet the wishes of the citizens of Minco.

This case was heard on the eighth day of January, 1924, notice having been given representatives of the town of Minco and other interested parties, some of whom entered protest in person and by petition. A number of witnesses were heard and the fact developed that the protestants would approve an increase in rates sufficient to give the telephone company a reasonable return on its investment after it had rehabilitated its plant.

The matter of toll rates between Minco and Pocasset being also under discussion, it developed from witnesses that a charge of 20 cents was being charged from Minco to Po

casset to everyone except the rural subscribers of Minco and the subscribers of the Pocasset Telephone Company, who received this service free, over a rural line built many years ago, connecting the two exchanges.

It also developed that the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company owns and maintains toll lines between the two towns, connecting with the Minco and Pocasset companies and is operating under a standard contract approved by this Commission. An agreement was concurred in by the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, the Pocasset Telephone Company, the Minco Telephone Company and the interested parties and their representatives present to the effect that the rural subscribers of both exchanges would be permitted the free use of the local line belonging to the Minco and Pocasset Telephone Companies; that the town subscribers of both exchanges be permitted the free use of said line to the rural subscribers of the other exchange in question, and that the Bell company would handle all toll business between the two towns at 10 cents per station-tostation call. Therefore, this phase of the application is dismissed from further consideration at this time.

The Commission finds:

1. That a reasonable value of the plant now in operation and an amount on which the owner should be allowed a reasonable return to be approximately $8,500.

2. That the additional money that will be spent in rehabilitating the plant, and in additions and betterments, will bring the value of the plant to approximately $12,000, an amount on which it should earn a reasonable income to take care of investment and depreciation.

3. That a reasonable expense account necessary to maintain and operate said system in an adequate and efficient manner would approximate $400 per month.

4. That the present income will meet the above requirements until the additional money is expended on the plant. Therefore, it is ordered, That upon completion of the work outlined to the Commission and approved by the Com

C. L. 146] mission's telephone engineer and upon agreement of the mayor of Minco that satisfactory service is being rendered, the following rates be permitted to be put into effect:

The following rates to apply until the work under way is completed:

This order shall operate subject to change at any time by the Commission upon showing by anyone interested that it produces a greater revenue than is necessary to pay operating expenses, taxes and a reasonable rate of return on the investment.

Done at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, this twenty-first day of January, 1924.

OREGON.

Public Service Commission.

In re INVESTIGATION OF THE SERVICE, PRACTICES AND FACILITIES OF THE PACIFIC TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY IN CONNECTION WITH THE FURNISHING OF FARMER LINE SWITCHING IN THE SALEM EXCHANGE AREA.

U-F-400-Order No. 1029.

Decided December 31, 1923.

Practice of Providing Pole Line Outside of Primary Rate Area in Order to Furnish Switching Service to Farmer Lines

Found Discriminatory and Ordered to Cease.

FINDINGS.

This is a proceeding instituted on the Commission's own motion as a result of informal complaints, for the purpose of investigating and determining the reasonableness or unreasonableness of certain alleged practices of The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company in connection with the furnishing of farmer line switching service in the Salem exchange area, and particularly in what is commonly known as the Liberty district.

Hearing was had before the Commission at its offices in the Capitol at Salem, on Tuesday the twenty-sixth day of June, 1923, and all interested parties were fully heard.

The interested farmer line subscribers were represented by L. H. McMahon and E. A. Jory, while The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company appeared by Omar C. Spencer, one of its attorneys, and C. E. Hickman, its division commercial superintendent.

This proceeding brings to light one of the few remaining discriminatory situations established during the development of the telephone industry under competitive conditions and before the days of regulation. From the record, it appears that several years ago, probably during 1904,