C. L. 61] the utilities which have created the duplication and not by the public. Petitioners lay stress on the point that after consolidation each telephone subscriber in Santa Barbara County will be able to avail himself of an enlarged telephone service. This result will undoubtedly follow. Each telephone subscriber will not merely be able to converse with an increased number of local subscribers, but also over the long distance lines both of Pacific company and of United States Long Distance Telephone and Telegraph Company. In the matter of rates, attention has already been directed to the fact that some of the rates established by one or more of petitioners, as the result of the competition between the petitioners, have been unduly low. Petitioners have submitted to the Railroad Commission in petitioners' Exhibit No. 19, a statement of the rates which Santa Barbara company desires to charge. Table No. VIII., being petitioners' Exhibit No. 19a, shows, in summary form, the rates now being charged by City company and County company, referred to together in the table as "Home company, the rates now being charged by Pacific company and the rates proposed by Santa Barbara company for the classes of service therein specified, being unmeasured business and residence service. TABLE NO. VIII. PRESENT RATES OF HOME TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY OF SANTA BARBARA, HOME TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, AND THE PACIFIC TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, AND PROPOSED RATES OF SANTA BARBARA TELEPHONE COMPANY. Twenty-five cents per month additional for desk set equipment. †Thirty-five cents per month additional for desk set equipment. For primary areas in which base rates apply, see maps showing present and proposed primary rate areas. The Home company furnishes an extension set without bell at sixty cents per month. Four-party residence service available between one and two mile radius. Party line service available instead of four-party line service. Including Los Olivos. Table No. VIII. shows that in certain instances the rates are to remain as heretofore and that in other instances, the rates are to be increased. Table No. IX., being petitioners' Exhibit No. 19b, shows the effect of the proposed rates, in connection with the elimination of duplicate stations, as estimated by petitioners for the first year following the proposed consolidation. [Cal. C. L. 61] TABLE No. IX. GROSS LOCAL EXCHANGE REVENUE, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, PRIOR TO CONSOLIDATION UNDER EXISTING RATES AND SUBSEQUENT TO CONSOLIDATION UNDER PROPOSED RATES. *Financial statement not available. Revenue computed from classification of stations in service December 31, 1915. † Deficit. Included in Santa Barbara. Included in Santa Ynez. Included in figures for Santa Ynez as it is proposed to discontinue the Pacific company exchange at Los Olivos. |