Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-03-08
FARM TELEPHONES.
Some thing About How They Build Them
in a Neighb0ring County.

rural telephone line. WluHeSIeIk
county is pretty thoroughly honey
combed with these now deemed
necessities, but there will be many
more built in the near future. This
was made leading subject at recent
farmers institute in Bremen county.
J. D. Maynard of GAINESVILLE made
Observation-Disclosures in which ne said:
In discussing the Farm Telephone,
it should be needless for me to say
anything about the advantage of the
telephone to the farmer, but when we
remember that until last year there
was only one farmers line in Bremen
county, and that established only in
1908, it would seem that there was
doubt of, or failure to comprehend,
its advantages. The adjacent counties
are covered with a net work of farmer
lines, but for some reason our own
county, usually at the front in advance
ment, is just commencing to APP
preciate its value.
But without discussing in detail
its worth in saving OF time and in
other economical as we'll as convent
ent lines, let me say that the uni
versal testimony from all our men,
bers as far as / have heard is that
they are convinced of the necessity
of the phone as a machine for doing
business, not as a luxury or con-
venience, that it would require many
times the cost to induce them to
part with them providing they could
not be replaced. Even those who, at
first, held aloof and refused to join,
and predicted nieghborhood quarrels
and all sorts of unpleasantness as a
result of their introduction, have
been convinced of their utility and
ordered a phone, many of them before
our line was in operation year.
Our company, The Bremen and
Blackhawk Farmers Telephone Co,
was organized in 1908 after about a
year of preliminary talk and discussion
and wishing we could have farmer
line. We have president. vice presi-
dent, secretary, treasurer, who, with
board of five directors, constitute the
executive committee who have charge
of all the work, subject to the con-
stitution and bylaws. Our plan is
that each member shall pay $50 and
do his share of the work in the
erection of the line, or. $50 and do
no work, and those who joined after
the line was built past their homes
were charged $35. When we came to
organize however, we found that our
twenty three members were scattered
over so much territory that the
amount to be paid by each would not
pay for all the expenses. But we had
faith that enough of the "dOubting
Thomas's" would soon fall in line to
make it pay.out, so we went ahead on
that plan, borrowing the necessary
money. Our hopes for new members
were more than fulfilled and at the
end of the first year, though we built
two miles OF line, extra, to reach the
Finchford line, we had a balance
in our favor and had increased from
twenty three to about fifty members.
We now have eighty phones in use and
free service over100 phones Of the
Finchford line, and the $50 of the
Sprague system at New Hartford.
We use 30 foot poles with inch tops,
set "a to the mile, with 20 foot poles
in town and at some crossings.
We use 12lb. BIB telephone wire with
pony insulators and brackets When
two lines are on one set of poles
we use brackets for each in most
cases, though cross arms were put on
at some road crossings and it would
be better to use them altogether
though they are more expensive. We
purchased iodine switch board so
we are prepared for additional growth.
for years to come. The difference in
cost of this and smaller one was so
little we thought best to buy this
and are glad we did, as neighboring
company which bought small one
has it full now and can not extend
the system without new one. We
have Swedish-American telephones,
using 5-bar bridging on party lines
and 4-bar on town lines. They are
giving excellent satisfaction even
when at one time had twenty three
phones on one line. Our central Office
at first was in store in town atten-
ded by the proprietor and clerks but
for the last nine months Of 1904 we
had special operator and since
January LIST have continuous service,
the central Office being located in
the home of the operator, and if all
companies can get as Obliging and
pleasant an operator as we have they
will be lucky.
We have been located so we had
connection with the Cedar Valley line
and had free exchange with all of
their farmer patrons and ten-cent
rate to all nearby towns over their
toll line. Their lines are connected
with our switch board now and one
operator serves both companies and
they share in the expense. We have
promise of a five cent rate to nearby
towns when we reach the town limits
with our own wires. Each patron
pays 20 cents month dues for central
service and on the present basis that
will create surplus in that fund so
in time l think the rate can be low
cred or the fund can be kept for
repairs. !.
We are we'll pleased with our way
of getting a phone. The first cost,
something always to be considered,
was less than other systems l have
heard of. On the $50 basis we paid
for our switch board and had 800
to our credit at the end of the first
year and as new members keep joining
all the time along the line we have
constantly growing surplus that
will soon amount to quite sum for
future use. We think we have as good
a system as any one and any other
community can do likewise just as