The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-15
OUR INTERMoUNTAIN TELE-
PHONE SYSTEM
The Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone
Company.

The Rocky Mountain Bel 9s
Company.
The growth OF the Rocky MoUn'%lN
Reu Telephone company is a IA
l,istration of the progress that
mas made within the pas -
wears. As organized in 1850, % ~
Sofidation of several local ~cothpaA-SS
- 4ha four states of Utah, 'loahO'
Montana and wyoming, II was ~
Darativelv small affair, bul II
grown. For the first dozen yeas
was a constant plodd1nS adNahOe' -
inward by leaps and bounds, keeplis
stem with the wonderful progress N d.
it's territory -oo .,ftas
The system now includes S,5OO mliSs
of completed lines, just ABOUT epuaIs
divided in the four states Its service
IS rendered through ffty-six
in the larger cities and towns anu ooV
ton stations in the smaller villages,
There are 1900 telephones IN use anu
the number is being rapldIy aueHlenC-
ed. At the present time long INES are
being constructed into new territory
and improvements are being mace
wherever POSSIBLE. In addition TO the
facilities afforded to its patrons with
i'm it's own states it has direct work
ing connection with the Colorado sys-
tom on the east and with the Pacific
coast system on the west, so that dl-
rect communication is provided Tor pc
tween practically all the towns OF Colo
RADIO. New Mexico Arizona, California,
oregon and Washington, in addition to
the four states previously named
Salt Lake City is not only the head
quarters of the company, where IT IS
domiciled in a fire proof building tul-
ly equipped with every facility Tor It's
extended operations, but it is also the
natural hub of the Rocky Mountain
system, as it is the commercial center
of the same district of country. The
rapid extension of the one has its coun-
terpart in the other. the means afford
ed of ready communication contribut-
ing directly to the growth. as we'll as
to the concentration of trade here.
The chief advantage in a telephone
service is the opportunity it offers foI
instant communication between al
points where the business requirements
Of the city are involved. This Has been
by the management at all
times, inaSmUch that there is hardly
any point within the territory covered,
despite the obstacles of long distances
and difficult construction, which can
not be reached by our merchants.
The authorized capital of the COM
pany is 81, 500. GOO, OF which one-half
has been issued. There is not a dollar
of watered stock in this corporation.
Even the American Bell Telephone
company. which furnishes the franchise
and the use of its inventions and i'm
prOvements. has paid cash at the full
par value for every share of its hold
ings. only demanding that it be per
mitted to buy 81 per cent of the stock
as issued.
The company has paid a uniform
dividend of s per cent annually to its
shareholders, n While il has earned
something more the surplus has been
expended for new construction and ex-
tensions. 1t has been c-onservativeIv
managed and yet its policy has been
very aggressive in the extension of its
facilities. 1t viii be noted tina all but
three of its directors, one a resident of
hansas City. another of Butte and
Mr. French, the representative of the
parent company, are long time and
prominent residents of Salt Lake City.
and its management has always been
distinctiveiy local. Mr.. George Y. Wal
lace mas beer president Of the company
since its organization, and until the