The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-08-13

TELEPHONE LINE
ROUTE EXAMINED By
SUrERIN1ENDENT KENT
Its Construction Considered Prob
able-Joint stock Company Pro-
posed to Control Local Lines and
Connect Lopez by Cable.

H. w Rent, of Vancouver, b. c.,
superintendent of the New Westmin-
ster & Burrafd Inlet Telephone Com
pany, and F. Shapland, of Victc-
ria, construction foreman, made
trip across The county Thursday,
Friday and Saturday of last week,
from Point Lawrence to Roche Har-
Dor, traversing the proposed route
of the International telephone line
between Vancouver Bellingham and
Victoria. Mr.. Kent informed the ed
itor OF the ISLANDER that the object
of the trip was to make close esti-
mate Of the. cost of constructing the
proposed Inc to be submitted TO TIE
directors of the company, who will
decide whether the line will be built
this way or along the coast of Van
couver island and thence across the
gulf
He SAYS that the San Juan route
has one great advantage over the
all-British route in traversing Il set
tied region and requiring shorter
lengths of cable, which is very e.i-
pensive, costing several thousand do'-
lars per mile. On the other hand a
heavy customs duty is levied on cable
of foreign make laid in American wa
cable which would be required be-
tween the line of low tide on the San
Juan shore and the main line shore
of Hales pass, to from 81 600 to SO
600. Furthermore, the British Co
lumbia government is very deslrous
of having the inc built SO as to afford
communication with the now isolated
and sparsely settled Stands along the
Vancouver island coast, ana has Of
fered liberal subsidy for such con-
nection. Mr.. Kent, however, eI-
presses q strong preference for the
San Juan route provided our govern
ment will aid the project to such an
extent as to Offset the cable duty,
which aid Belingham interests aie
now endeavoring to secure. THIS
route, if adopted rs at present out
lined, will require about forty miles
of land line in this county and tic
cost of construction will be approx
mately $500 per mile. Eight hun
dred poles thirty feet in length and
not less thhn nine inches in diameter
at the top will be used and there VIII
be four heavy copper wires support
ed on cross arms on each pole. III IS
the intention to establish pay sta
tions on each island for through bus
ness and for inter-island commune
ton but the company does not in
tend TO build local lines or to inter
fere in any way with the local COM
pany.
Messrs Capron and Douglas, own
ers of the local systems on San Juan
Orcas and Lopez islands are much
pleased with the prospect Of the con
struction OF tie Victoria Bellingham
line and they say that they will make
whatever improvements are necessa~
ry to their system to meet the re-
ouirements of connection with the
through line for inter-island com
municaticr. Having no desire tc
maintain local telephone mo-
nopoly TO the detriment of pub
lie interests in any way and wish
ing to interest as many people a.
possible in the ownership, operation
and extension OF the local lines, IT i
theif Intention TO organize a Joint
stock company with capitalization
of $4,000, divided, probably, into loo
shares Of 800 each TO own ard oper-
ate the San Juan, Orcas and Lopez
systens and connect the Lopez sys-
tem,'by cable across Upright chan
mel with the international line. They
estimate the present value OF Their.
lines at s.. 900 and say that the Lopez
cable can be laid and other needed
improvements made for 1900. Pres
ent telephone subscribers Will D.
given the first opportunity to acquire
stock. The present owners are wh'-
ing TO sell all The shares or retain
portion, according TO the demani.
Their offer would seem to afford in
excellent opportunity for the or29o-
ization of a mutual company, when. &
number of citizens have strongly
urged.