The weekly tribune., 1892-03-12
NEW TELEPHONE LINE,
The Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone
Company Makes u propo-
siti0n.
To Connect Great Falls With the
Mining Camps. Ncilart and
Barker

About two months ago the TRiBUNE
called attention to the importance of
telephone connection with the Judith
basin and with Ncihart and Barker. 1t
is proposition that is very closely con
nected with the interests of every mer-
chant in Great Falls. yet for some reason
no action has been taken. 1t was tho
second time the proposition had been
laid before the people of this city and
the second time it had been allowed to
fall into ''innocuous desuetude.' But
all good things go by threcs and for a
third time this proposition comes before
the business men Of Great Falls this
time in little different shape,
David S. Murray Of Salt Lake City,
manager and secretary of the Rocky
Mountain Bell Telephone company, and
H. Somers of Helena arrived in the city
yesterday for the purpose of invostigat
ing the matter Of connecting Great Falls
and Lewistown and Great Falls and
Barker and Neihart by telephone lines.
A TRIBUNE representative met the gen
tlemen mentioned and J. J. Davis. man
ager of the Montana Stage company
) last evening and the matter was pretty
thoroughly canyasscd in all its bearings
Mr. Murray said he was not prepared t.
make any proposition on the Lewstown
, line as yet lie doubted whether the
,, line would be a good investment Just
now and desired to investigate the ques.
ton more thoroughly before committing
himself to or against il.
"But there is one proposition said
| Mr.. Murray. that | am prepared to
! make. and that is to build telephone
line from Great Falls to Ncihart and
Barker if the people of these towns de-
, sire the line enough TO help build it.
Such a line would in all probability be a
paving investment from the start and ]
: believe a mutual advantage to Great
I Falls and the other towns.
- My proposition is this in substance
:. The Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone
! company will build telephone line from
l Great Falls to Ncihart and Barker il the
people of these towns will take stock in
the company to the amount equal to hall
= the cost of constructing the linc-l NEAR
:, stock in the Rocky Mountain Bell lele
: phone company, of course, as it is not
! nay place To organize Il local company
l. Our stock pays a dividend Of from tc
:. > per cent. Last year it paid . per ccn'
) and left surplus. This year it vii
= probably pay only !. as we are contem
plating some Improvements. But 10y ;
y resolution entered on our minut" hoot
; it can not pay less than per cent.
s Now then. my plan is this: To built
: a line from here to Sand Coulec: thence
n to Belt and Arlington; from Armingtor
G to Monarch, by way of Mann, and frou
l. Monarch to Barker, with separate lint
h to Neihart thini, this route would bt
) the best as it follows good road all th'
# way. takes in all the good towns ant
brings Us within striking distance of th'
Judith Basin should We finally conclud,
to build to Lcwistown. Mr.. Davis here
thinks that would be about the best lint
'' to follow and places the distance at q
miles.
t AS to the character Of the line.
>, should build first class limo in ever.
" respect We would use standard ceda
d poles, that is, poles - feet high, 81:
inches in diameter at the top. thirt.
# poles to the mile. The wire would be
If No. 10 copper wire IA wire about three
sixteenths Of an inch in diameter. Sucl
d a line would cost, complete. about Sl}
d per milc--say $4,000 in all. The lln
q would be as good a telephone lin" as ha
II ever been built in this country.
Now would the people of these town
10 be benefited by this line take 500
in stock of the Rocky Mountain Bel
Telephone company: II they will th
line will be built and that at once.
q think this fair proposition for then. !
l. gives them good dividend paying stocI
,c for their money and the dividends d
d not depend on whether this particula
line IS d paying proposition or not.
n The line would be operated as t."
.c line. and the tolls would not bc burden
,c some. For instance. the toll COR iiv
# minutes conversation would range Fror
e thirty to fifty cents. Exchanges woni
not bc put in the other towns. but tn
# local exchange would of course b. cor
a nected with the long distance line. lI'
u cal subscribers could be put into con
D. munication with any person in the town
along the line in a very few moments
Ie We have now a perfect long distance
,e transmitter, which works perfectly up I
1t 300 and 400 miles in this dry climate. ]
p rests with the people Of Great Falls am
the other towns named whether IN"
will have the line or not.
Mr.. Murray will leave this mornin
81 for Helena. The work of bringing thi
h, question to head will be left in tn
hands OF j. p. Dyas, manager "f tn
-, local exchange The business men g
:, Great Falls. Sand COulec. Armingtor
= Belt. Monarch. Barker and Neihart vi
-, he given an opportunity to make u tina
y decision on thus proposition.
The Peoples Pre,eIeuss.
h The people of this vicinity insist o
having Chamberlain's Cough Remed