The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-12-10
WANTS $lOO.
PHONE PROMOTERS ASKED
TOPAY GRAHAM'S SALARY.
The Western Electric Man Was moi
Working for His Health---Report OF
Phones and Stock.

Phones and Stock.
A meeting of the committee of the
proposed new telephone company was
held at the city hall Monday after.
noon, and W. A. Funk presided.
]. G.. Graham, of Bancroft, Iowa,
superintendent of construction of the
western division of the Western Tele-
phone company, who has been con-
, Quoting the CANVASS for instruments
and stock, reported that 100 instru-
ments had been signed for on the five
year contract list, and that subscrip-
tiOns for "a more instruments had
been promised, while fifty more were
in view promised or partly promised.
II an exchange was started, he had no
doubt but that 400 phones would be
taken. The amount of stock taken
was 81, $50. Mr.. Graham said that he
had been notified that his compan
does not care to be at any further ex-
pense, and that if he continued his
work, arrangements must be made by
those interested in MankatO. He said
that the outlook here is the finest,
and that 300 instruments would be
taken before work was commenced,
and he had never known of an ex-
change that did not double it's list
| while it was being built.
Geo. E. Brett and S. B. Wilson
thought that the matter of stock was
the most important, as there would
be no question about a sufficient num-
Der of instruments.
Mr.. Funk said that outside parties
were willing to take stock, but that it
was desirable that our citizens have
the controlling interest.
E. 1. P. Staede said that. Fl. E.
Hance and two of his partners would
each take 81, 900 of stock when the ex-
change got to running.
1t was stated that Mr.. Johnson, of
, Madison, Wis, would take $1,000 of
stock if he could have the position of
superintendent.
Mr.. Graham stated that Mr.. Hack
ney, of Madison, was prepared to
make proposition at the last meet
ing, If there had been a meeting then,
to take $4,000 stock. Mr.. Hackne
had written that he would have the
p proposition at this meeting, but it
had not arrived. He wants The con-
trolling interest, but this is what the
local subscribers do not want.
Mr.. Funk said that he would OBJ
ject to any man making conditions
for any length of time in taking stock.
Mr.. Brett favored adjourning
further consideration of the matter
until after Jan. 1st, as business men
have no time now, and there would be
time then to work it up.
A motion by Mr.. Wilson that Mr..
Graham be not employed to do any
further work at this time was car
ried.
Messrs. Brett and Funk said that
they do not desire to go into COM
pany if the controlling interest was
held by outsiders or would soon pass
into their hands.
The question OF Mr.. Graham's COM
pensation was then taken up, and he
stated that the agreement was that
he was to be paid S25 week by the
committee, and his company was to
pay his expenses. The agreement had
been that for the first ten days he was
to be paid by his company and the
Blue Earth Valley company jointly,
in case at the end of that time the
committee decided not to go ahead.
The committee had decided to 60
ahead, and the understanding was in
that case that he was to be paid en-
tirely by the committee.
Mr.. Wilson wanted to know who
had retained Mr.. Graham in the field.
Mr.. Funk replied that the meeting
which did this had twice the attend
ance of the present one.
Mr.. Graham said that his under
standing was that the committee
owed. him 500, as he had been at
work just four weeks.
Mr.. Wilson called upon Mr.. Graham
to furnish bill of particulars. He
had understood that the committee
was to pay Mr.. Graham if the enter
prise proved success.
Mr.. Graham said that he had worked
harder here than ever before. He had
come here stranger and had done
the most of his work alone and had
brought the list of phone takers safely
above 200. He never saw a man in the
telephone business who could do more.
He wanted to start in the morning
for Denver. His company wanted the
exchange here to b e a success as it
would benef fit it's toll line. The pro-
posal to adjourn until after Jan. 1st
will kill the enterprise dead. With
the exception of two or three mem
Iorc lo oD,,1l not nQf onu holr from