The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-17
Northwestern's Charge OF
SLIGO for Rentals Is
Unanimously Turned Down
With a Declaration That
the Demand Will Be
Fought in the Courts if
Need Be = Twin City
Phones Will 60 in.

The board of county commissioners
yesterday afternoon repudiated a bill
for $1,750, presented by the North
western Telephone company, the men,
bers of the board declaring that the
bill would never be paid so long as
there was a court to which the matter
could be appealed. Almost in the
same breath a resolution, presented by
Commissioner Pottgeiser. calling upon
the telephone company to forthwith re-
move all Northwestern telephones from
the county side of the building, was
unanimously passed.
This action on the mart of the county
board was brought about by the
presentation of a bill for all of the
telephones used by county officials.
The bill amounted to $1,750, of which
amount 1878 was for long distance"
calls, the balance being the company's
charge for telephones in the county
offices since they were first installed.
Some of these telephones were install
ed as long ago as 1896, and others have
been in use for several years. The bill
came as somewhat Of a shock to the
commissioners, who supposed the
county was being furnished these tele-
phones free of charge. 1t was the first
time bill had ever been rendered for
any of the telephones used by county
officials. The regular commercial rates
of the company were charged.
Came as Shock.
The first intimation the commission
ers had that they might be called upon
to pay for the telephones in the court
house was when the joint court house
and city hall commission received a
bill, some weeks ago, for the rental
and long distance messages charged
90 i11-f 1A JvN1,x IL.
Office. This bill covered a, period of
two years, and opened the eyes of the
county commissioners, who named a
committee to investigate the matter for
the purpose Of ascertaining what sort
of an understanding the company had
with the county.
The Investigations of this commit
tee resulted in the bill from the tele-
phone company, which the board voted
unanimously to turn down at yester-
days meeting. The committee learned
that the Northwestern company had an
agreement whereby they were to fur
nish to the city twenty-five phones
free Of charge, and all additional
phones desired at half rates, or $3.50
per month. The Northwestern people
are said to have politely informed the
commissioners that there had never
been any understanding between the
company and the county, and that the
latter would be expected to pay full
rates for all service which had been
furnished by this company
BY Whose Authority?
Neither the county commissioners
nor the county officials seem to know
by what authority the Northwestern
company placed its phones in the
court house, there being no records to
show that they were ever ordered by
anyone having authority to do so.
County Commissioner Pottgeiser,
who was one of the committee named
to investigate the telephone matter,
left sick bed and went to the court
house on clutches yesterday that he
might be present to protest against any
attempt on the part Of the board to
allow the company's bill or even con-
slider a compromise.
why have we never been presented
with bill before this ?" demanded Mr..
Pottgeiser. Some of these phones
have been in service for almost ten
years, and bill has never before been
presented. This board will not be work.
ed in any such manner, and we will
light the matter to finish before we
VIII pay cent of it. Let them take
their phones out of the building: we
can get along without them"
Then Mr.. Pottgeiser presented his
resolution directing the clerk to no.
tlfy the company to remove it's phones
from the county offices Immediately,
the resolution receiving the sanction of
the entire board.
The matter, it is expected, will now
be carried into the courts, and in the
meantime should the Pottgeiser .reso-.
luton be enforced, the county officials
will get along without Northwestern
telephones.
Bonds Net Sold.
County, Auditor Krahmer appeared
before the board to inform the mem
bers that there had been practically
no demand for the 100000 of certif-
icates of Indebtedness, bids for which
were opened Wednesday. But $25,5OO of
the issue had been bid for. 1t was de-
clded to readvertise for the sale of the
certificates, after the denominations of
$4,000 of the amount had been
changed to 500 instead of $500 as
originally provided for. 1t was sug-
gested that when it became known that
the certificates could be purchased at
par and in any amount, there would be
no trouble in disposing of the entire
issue. 1t is thought the entire amount
Will be taken up by local investors
who have small sums of money to in
vest in safe manner at per cent.
The commissioners were also asked
to modify the contract of Joseph Lang,
who is constructing the HamIine ave-
nue. extension, q road which runs
through what was formerly Marsdon
lake. The work will require several
thousand more yards of dirt than the
county surveyor had anticipated when
he drew the plans and specifications,
and unless the board decides to allow
the contractor more money he will lose
about $1,000 on the job. Some of the
| members were in favor Of holding Mr..
Lang to the terms Of his contract, but
after some discussion it was decided
| that the commissioners would go out
today and investigate the matter per-
| sonally.
TWIN CITY PHONES TO GO IN.