Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-24
TALK INDEPENDENT PHONES
Representatives Of Outside Companies Desire
Entrance to the Bluffs.
LOCAL MEN CALLED INTO THE MEETING
Assurances Given that Attempt to
Secure Franchise in This City
Had Not Been Abnn-
dOncd.


doned.
In response to the call recently issued
between thirty and forty representatives
Of independent telephone lines in this sec
tion OF the state gathered at the Grand
hotel yesterday and organized the Western
Iowa Independent Telephone association.
with these officers H. A. Kinney, Wood
bine. president; J. F. Miller. Creston, vice
president Charles G. Cockerill. Jefferson,
secretary; A. F. FELTON,, Harlan, treasurer;
executive committee, J. F. Glenn, Denison,
]. c. Mansfield, Shelby w. B. Sweeney,
Manning; George f. Atchison, Crestoni II.
A. Kinney Woodblne Tex of1cio).
The sessions we're held behind closed
doors and the representatives OF the press
were denied admission, they being informed
that such information as the convention
deemed advisable would be furnished them
after the meeting. No secret, however,
was made Of the purpose Of the meeting,
which was to secure a general exchange
and terminal facilities for the independent
! companies doing business in this section
of Iowa in Council Bluffs, from which con-
nection could be had with Omaha and South
1 Omaha.
ne meeting mere yb6lbEuay WAS one
suit OF the recent meeting in Chicago OF
the Interstate Independent Telephone Ma,
| tlonal association and was called by the
/ following Representatives of southwestern
Iowa independent companies: George z.
| Atkinson, Creston Mutual Telephone COM
pany; B. P. Babson, Conway Telephone
! company; II. w. Cutshall Shelby Tele-
| phone company; ]. F. Glenn. Crawford
| County Telephone company; p. G. Hold
oegel. Central Telephone company; J. W.
| Huff, Monona Telephone company; F. r.
Musson, Musson Bros. Telephone company
| II. A. Kinney and NJ. A. Reed, secretary
! woodbine Telephone company.
bluffs Connection Necessary.
/ While other matters Of interest were dis
cussed the question Of obtaining an put
| let into Council Bluffs and obtaining facil-
tiles for the establishment of a general
, exchange and terminals for the independ-
| ent companies in southwestern Iowa was
! practically the whole absorbing topic It
was shown that the increasing business
/ OF the Iowa independent companies de-
manded that they secure connection with
the independent company which recently
secured a franchise in South Omaha and
| II possible also with Omaha. The repre-
sentatives OF the various companies pres
ent denied being in opposition TO the Bell
! Telephone company, but we're simply en-
gagged in Legitimate competition with 1t.
At the request of the meeting Attorney
Emmet Tinley and Henry II. Van Brunt,
members Of the Council Bluffs Independent
| Telephone company, appeared before the
! convention at the afternoon session and
! told Of their plans to secure a franchise
in this city. They stated that while their
ordinance had been turned down by the city
| council last spring, they we're still in the
field and expected to be before the city
council again with another proposition for
a franchise and that in the event Of their
company securing it the question Of the
Independent companies in Iowa obtaining
| terminal facilities in Council Bluffs would
! to all intents and purposes be practically
! solved. Following the statements made by
Messrs. Tinley and Van Brunt the con-
vention adopted resolutions reciting the
benefits such a connection would bring the
Council Bluffs merchants.
Go to south Omaha, Anyhow.
Assurances we're given that IL a franchise
| could be secured in Council Bluffs by the
local Independent company that the sew
eral concerns now operating throughout
this section Of the state would complete
per metallic toll line which is now extended
from Davenport by way of Des Moines to
Atlantic, in Cass county, along the line OF
the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific rail-
road. Connection would be made with
South Omaha whether an exchange and
terminal facilities could be secured in
Council Bluffs or not. II not the line would
pass around Council Bluffs, as II was i'm
perative that the Independent companies
which represented upwards OF 10000 tele-
phones. secure connection with South
Omaha. Representatives Of the South
Omaha company assured the meeting that
having obtained its franchise 1t intended
going right ahead with the construction and
installation OF its system.
These committees were appointed: Ions
distance toll lines, NJ A. Reed OF Wood
bine, J. F, Glenn OF Denison, Fred Marquis
of onawa; Council Bluffs terminal, H. W
Cutshall of Shelby. A. F. FELTON, of Harlan
II. Mccartney Of Thurman.
Tho convention adjourned to meet at thu
session OF the state association in Del
Moines on March 9. Among those presen
were: H. A. Kinney. president, and NJ A
Reed, Woodbine Telephone company, Wood
bne. Ia. w. B. Sweeney. audubon Count!
Telephone company. Audubon, Ia; w. M
I Masterson, Extra; C. r. Benedict. II. w
Cutshall, ]. A. Cook, j. NJ. Jones, L. A
Cutshall, J. c. Mansfield and Captain d. c
Cooper Shelby Independent Telephone com
pany, Shelby, Ia; J. F. Glenn, Crawfort
County Telephone company, Denison. Ia.
A. f. FELTON,, Harlan & Avoea Telephon
company, Harlan, Ia; Charles T. Cockerill
0 New State Telephone and Telegraph com
pany, Jefferson, Ia; J. f. Miller, Montgom
n cry County Telephone company, Red oak
Ia; George E. Atkinson. Creston Mutua
0 Telephone company, Creston. Ia; ]. c. Sui
q livan. H. Mccartney, Thurman Telephon
company, Thurman, Ia; Fred Marquis
Monona County Telephone company, Onaws
o Ia; l. d. Clark, Papillion. Neb.; T. H
Ewing. Plattsmouth; T. c. Parmelee Platts
. mouth; Lambert, South Omaha; e. B. over
2 sinner. Swedish American Telephone com
: pany, Chicago; W. R, Hind Kellogg Switch
- board and Supply company, Chicago; 4
2 B. w. Barnes. Valentine Clark company
5 Chicago.
Correct Visiting Cards.