The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-09-21
Agents of Wisconsin Telephone
Company Making Examination
Of Citizens Plant Today
IS FRAUGHT WITH TROUBLE
1t is Believed That the Franchise
Under Which Citizens Company is
Working Would Not Permit a
Union of the Two Companies

A we'll authenticated rumor is heard
on the street today that negotiations
are pending which will lead to the
purchase of the plant of the Citizens
Telegraph and Telephone Company
by the Wisconsin Telephone Com
pany. The managers of the rival
telephone companies have their heads
close together today, and M. ]. Car
ney, said to be a confidential agent of
President A1onzo Burt, came to Keno
sha yesterday and began an investi-
cation of the local plant. He is in
company with Chicago broker, who
is in charge of the sale of the bonds
of the Citizens Company.
Charles Frantz, Jr., the local mana.
ger for the Wisconsin company,
when seen this morning, stated that
he knew nothing in regard to the pro-
posed deal, but he admitted that Mr..
Carney had formerly been the private
secretary of President Burt, of the
Wisconsin company. ''No statements
of the Plans" said Mr.. Frantz, ''have
been made to me or to any one con-
nected with the local exchange of the
Wisconsin company
Manager Houck, of the ECitizens'
company, was just as non-oommittal.
He admitted that Mr.. Carney was
making an examination of the plant
today, but that nothing had been
done. eat any rate" said Mr..
Houck, ''any statement at this time
would be decidedly premature
It has been an open secret that the
plant of the Citizens company was
on the market and for some time an
effort has been made to secure the or
ganization of companyof local CAPT
talists for the purchase of the plant
It is claimed that the businessIof the
Citizens company has more than met
the expectations of the owners, but
that they are not in this line of bust
ness and for this reasonsthey would
be willing to sell the plant. The
competition furnished by the new
company has forced the Wisconsin
company to make many changes IN
| Kenosha, and it is know n, that the
company is anxious to reap the har-
vest of these changes by having the
complete control of the telephone
business in the city.
| 1t seems certain that if the plant is
to be purchased by the Wisconsin
company, it will be for the sole pur.
pose of taking away the competing
line, as it would be impossible for the
Wisconsin company to operate the
Citizens exchange. Under the fran
| chise granted to the company by the
city all rights were to cease at the
time the company was sold to any
company at that time doing business
in Keuosha.
It is understood that the price
asked for the plant of the Citizens
company is in the neighborhood of
100000, and this would be a high
price for even the Wisconsin company
to pay for an elimination of competi-
ton. However, the Wisconsin would
gain great deal, as it would get pos
session of the lines in the county and
would be the absolute master of the
telephone field in Kenosha county. 1t
would also take out one of the leading
links in the independent line planned
between Chicago and Milwaukee.
It is not known how far the nego-
tiations have advanced, but it will
probably be some time before the facts
of the deal are given to the public.