The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-28
Independent Telephone Com
panies Organize For Business.
Will Rush Construction of New
Lines in Kansas.
LOOK TO THE FUTURE
Expect to Unite the Entire
West.
Uniform System of Tolls Will
Be Arranged.

Independent telephone men in conven-
ton in Topeka today hope to secure
during the course of the next five years,
a monopoly of the toll lines west of the
Missouri river.
Delegates from practically every in
dependent telephone company organ
lied and operating in Kansas and ter
ritory contingent are here, and a per-
manent organization is being perfected
to be known as the Kansas Independent
Telephone Mems association.
The principal objects of the state or
ganization are set forth in the Hollow
ing recommendations of the committee
on permanent organization. that are
embraced in the constitution and by
laws that were adopted this morning;
Ito establish a uniform system OF
toll lines rates and system of accounts.
ITO provide through metallic trunk
lines connecting county seat towns Win
Topeka and Kansas City.
ITO secure favorable legislation and
just taxation
ITO protect the Independent telephone
interests from unfair and unbusiness-
like competition"
Corporations, companies, and indlvid-
uals operating independent telephone
systems only are eligible to member
ship in the association.
Membership fees are IS, with an an
nual assessment not exceeding cents
per phone operated by the company or
individual, and cents per mile OF toll
line operated
The executive committee will be en-
powered to levy assessments for use
when occasion arises that its use will be
required.
The plan of organization embraces a
plan to form gigantic company TO
erect toll lines thoroughly covering the
western territory Members of the as
ISOLATION being formed today Will be
the principal stockholders in this com
pany and contracts will be made be-
tween the toll line company and the in
dependent companies operating in the
various cities and towns whereby the
rates charged for use of the lines will
be divided pro rata between the COM
panies whose lines are used
To arrange this plan great many
conflicts will arise between companies
in various cities relative to the distri-
button of business but all such troubles
will be settled by a committee on arbi-
tration so as to treat each company IN
all fairness.
1t is predicted that within a year, or
a few years at most, all the independ-
ent telephone lines in the west will be
working under contracts that will en-
able the independent companies TO keep
the field entirely to themselves.
The independent company in Kansas
City contemplateS spending a million
dollars in installing the system there.
The independent companies VIII
everywhere use the best N ateria1, and
the toll lines will be the best known
to modern times, and will be the best
can give.
D. T. Bradley, of the independent
company of Kansas City, was present
at the meeting today. Mr.. Bradley said
that in Kansas City the independent
company was spending a million dollars
to install a system. and that he wished
the cooperation of the independent
companies all over the state
Now is time for us to stick to-
gether," he said. THE Bell company
will undoubtedly use whatever tactics
they can to circunvent US, but we must
hang together.
Already there is a gentleman named
DeLand, who announces himself as an
independent telephone man, at work
here. 1t is the general impression
an ong independent men in the east,
however, that he is not an independent
man but that he is connected with the
Bell company.
I am told that he has already been
endeavoring to secure contracts from
independent companies throughout the
state for interchange of business, claim
ing he was connected with the new
Kansas City independent company. If
it is true that he is doing this, then he
is an imposter.
81 want to urge upon you the neces-
sity of refusing to make contracts with
toll companies or with people whom you
do not know until the company or indi-
vidua1 has the endorsement of your ex-
ecutive committee of the association
You cannot be too careful In this mat
ter.
There is vast undeveloped territory
in the west that is not touched by the
Bell system, and it must be our aim to
thoroughly cover it"
One of the interesting papers for to-
days m Getting was the one presented
by D. K Rinehart, of Holton, on ''Our
Friend the Enemy 1t dealt with the
history of the growth of the Bell sys-
tenn and the marvellous growth of the
independent companies which were first
organized about seven years ago.
The convention will meet in regular
session once each year in January.