Willmar tribune., 1899-09-27

From Minneapolis Times, Sept. 20, 1899.
PHONE LINE SOLD OUT.
Northwestern Company Quietly Ap-
propriated It.
Minnesota Centrars Willmar Line
Changes Hands.
Some Stockholders Who Have Just
Heard of It Protest.
Some of the stockholders of the Min
nesota Central Telephone company.
who contributed money for the CON-
pletion Of the "hello' line built bv
that corporation from Minneapolis to
Willmar a few years ago, claim that
the sale of that line to the Northwest
eru Telephone Exchange company was
railroaded through without their
knowledge.
They say they have received no no.
tice OF the sale and have been led to
believe they were still doing business
with the Minnesota company, when in
reality they were playing into the
hands of the larger corporation. They
further allege that the terms of the
contract into which they entered with
the Minnesota company have not been
carried out.
1t was with the idea of ascertaining
the exact nature of the situation that
M. A. O'Hair of Delevan, Minn., and
p. o. O'Hair of Waverly, Minn., came
to Minneapolis yesterday. They con-
suited an attorney during the after
noon, but have not yet decided as to
whether they have a cause for action.
Both are stockholders in the Minne-
sofa company.
Although they have received no Off
cial notice of the transfer of the Will
mar circuit to the Northwestern COM
pany, they claim that the latter has
virtually been in control of that
branch for a year past. During that
time they have supposed that the Min
nesota company still owned the line.
"We have never been noti6ed," said
P. o. O'Hair, that the Willmar line
had come under the control of the
Northwestern company. We have
come to Minneapolis to satisfy our
selves on that score. Since our ar
rival we have learned that while the
sale was practically made about year
ago, it was not ratified until month
or SO ago. Now, as stockholders, we
feel that we ought to have been in
formed in the first place that such a
move was contemplated. Such action
would certainly haye been taken if a
proper regard for our rights had ex-
listed. Instead of that, things went on
much as they had before and, for all
we knew, inasmuch as we continued to
receive advices from the Minnesota
company as to the condition of the
business, there had been no change in
the management. It would seem that
no such agreement could be entered in
to without the wishes of the stock
holders having been consulted, and
we certainly had some voice in the
business.
"Over a month ago we received no.
tice that there would be meeting of
the stockholders on such aud such q
date, but nothing was said as to what
might come up. In fact the whole
transaction appears to have been kept
pretty much in the dark. 1t has final
ly reached our ears that the sale of
the line was at that time ratified, not
withstanding the fact that only three
stockholders outside of the officers of
the company we're present. What we
want to find out now is whether or not
we are TO maintain the same standing
as stockholders, now that the North
western company owns the line, that
we enjoyed before the sale. If we are,
we will have no cause for complaint.
But from what we have been able to
learn it looks as though we have been
given the worst of it,
Mr.. O'Hair had been informed that
the Minnesota company had received
S26, 600 for the line. In common with
other stockholders, he wants to know
whether they are entitled to any of the
proceeds of the sale.
The stockholders also charge the
Minnesota company with having failed
to carry out some of the essential
terms of the contract. According to
the O'Hairs, one of the terms was that
the stockholders would not be sub
jected to any additional cost for the
completion of all connections to any
town in the Willmar circuit, which
was understood to include Minneapo-
lis. In addition to that they were to
be given connections free of extra
charge to all OF the prominent Minne-
! fapolis Wholesale houses. After the