ART. 23] TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE COMPANIES. 127

Telegraph and Telephone Companies.

1892, ch. 387.

232 A. No individual company or corporation, now or here-
after owning, controlling, managing or operating any telephone
line or lines within the limits of any city, town or village in the
State of Maryland, shall charge, collect or receive, as rental for
the use at any and all hours of the day and night, of such tele-
phone and lines connecting with a central exchange, or point of
communication through which conversation may be held, over
all other lines connecting with such exchange, or point of com-
munication, in such city or town, any sum exceeding six dollars
and fifty cents per month, when one telephone only is rented by
one individual, company or corporation, located within a radius
of two miles from the central exchange, and one dollar additional
per month for every additional mile distant from said exchange;
where two or more telephones are rented by the same individual,
company or corporation, located within a radius of two miles
from the central exchange, the rental per month for each
telephone so rented, shall not exceed five dollars and fifty cents
per month, and one dollar per month for every additional mile
distant from said exchange; provided, that the individual, com-
pany or corporation desiring to use such telephone and lines shall
agree to contract for the use of such telephone and lines for a
period of not less than six months.

1892, ch. 387. 1896, ch. 139.

232 B. Where any two cities, towns or villages in the State of
Maryland are connected by wire, operated, managed, controlled
or owned by any individual, company or corporation, the price
for the use of any telephone for the purpose of conversation
between such cities, towns or villages, shall, for each five minutes
or fraction of five minutes of such use, not exceed the amount
hereby fixed, that is to say: where the distance does not exceed
ten miles, fifteen cents; where the distance is more than ten
miles and not more than thirty miles, twenty- five cents; where
the distance is more than thirty miles and not more than fifty
miles, one cent a mile; where the distance is more than fifty
miles, fifty cents; and one-half a cent for each mile in excess of
fifty miles.