Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-05-12
TURNED DOWN.
Portland Against Independent
Telephone Company.

proper to state that the people of
this part of the valley and 'es-
pecially of Corvallis, cannot
understand what the business
men of Portland mean by allow
ing the franchise of the Inde-
pendent Telephone Company to
be turned down.
We have been working hard
for one year in the endeavor to
get our lines into Portland, so
that we could have direct COM
munication with the Portland
wholesale houses, with the idea
of bettering our trade conditions,
hurry orders with quick returns,
etc., ard when we ask to be ad-
mitted you turn US down.
When the farmers OF Benton
county went to the trouble and
expense of buying and placing
in operation their own telephone
system they asked to be connect
ed with the "Bel1'' system, then
in vogue in Corvallis, that they
might talk direct with the busi-
ness men, they, too, were turned
down. The "Bel1" people would
not consider any worthy or just
proposition from them.
1t was then that the farmers
came to the business men of Cor
wallis and said, "Here, what are
you going to do for US? We want
connection with you and the
'Bell' company will not give it
to US. Now, if you can't help
us to get our lines into Corvallis
we will have to look elsewhere
Albany, perhaps, or Independ-
ence, will take US on"
We did not do then as Port
land is doing us today, but in
stead, we organized an ''Inde-
pendent Telephone Company"
and as result we have in Cor
wallis today the best up-to-date
central energy system in the
Northwest, with 755 subscribers
and a cash investment of $40, 600.
We have on file 900 applications
for phones, which are being fill.
ed as fast as possible. This list
does not include subscribers in
Linn and Polk counties.
We are talking over our lines
with free switching to Harris.
burg, Tangent, Lebanon, Dallas,
Independence, Alsea, and many
other towns in adjoining countie:
having Independent connection
with the Corvallis system, for 81
per month residence, and 81. sc
per month business phone.
The Benton County Citizens
League, which was instrumental
in the formation of the Independ
ent Telephone Company in Cor
Wallis, adopted the following
resolutions at their last regulal
meeting, May and, 1905:
''Be it, resolved by the Bento,
County Citizens League, Tha
we urge the commercial organic
alton of the City of Portland t.
give the Independent Telephone
movement earnest approval t
the end that arrangements ma,
be made whereby the 1000 user
of Independent telephones il
Benton county may have direc
connection with Portland busi
ness houses through their Inde
pendent phones"
We firmly believe that ther
are some business men in Port
land who will help us in wha
we consider just enterprise
We do not think because you
city council voted against tn
franchise that it necessarily mean
that you all are opposed to GU
Independent telephone system.
The other day certain trave.
ing man made the statement
one of his customers, 81 mu:
hurry back to Portland today
because the boss wants to &c
out and do some work for th
telephone company, as the ma
ter OF franchise comes up befo,
the council today"
Upon inquiry, the customs
was very much surprised to lear
that it was in opposition to tt
Independent company that tt
boss was going to work. 4
this the customer became We,