Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-04-06
GRANTS PASS MAY HAVE
AUTOMATIC TELEPHONES.
Pacific States Company Make no
Contract With the County In
dependent Company

The movement to secure a complet,
system of telephones in all sections o.
Josephine county and with free
switching between all these rura
lines and with Grants Pass is making
highly satisfactory progress. The
undertaking. which was begun some
time ago ly the Courier, is receiving
the hearty encouragement of the
farmers, miners. millnen. merchants
and others Of the country and of the
business men of Grants Pass aud it is
now certain that Josephine county
will be the first in Oregon to have
free switching on lines to all parts of
the county and, Grants Pass will be
the central for larger number of
telephones than has any other town
OF its size in the state. And what is
of special interest to the business
men it will insure to the city the latest
improved and the cheapest telephone
service of any town in Southern Ore
Gon.
1t is the plan to have four rural
telephone companies to handle the
telephone business of the districts
within the trade zone of Grants Pass.
The organization of the first of these
companies was completed last Satur-
day at Provolt when the stock was
signed up and the officers elected for
the AppleRate Valley Telephone Com
pany. Judge Geo. II. Durham, who
had contributed his services in prepar-
Ing the articles Of incorporation and
the other papers required in perfect
Ing the legal organization of the Com
pany, accompanied Mr.. Meserve to
Provolt and attended to the signing
up of the papers and the swearing in
OF the board of directors. In electing
the board of directors they were chosen
so as to represent the various districts
that will be covered by thu telephone
system of tho Company. There was
no contest for the positions as the di-
rectoIs, as do the other officers, serve
without salary. The board chosen
were E. Badger and E. N. Provolt,
for Provolt. G. o. Biglow and B. S.
Sargent for Williams, J. W. Pernoll
for AppleRate. W. B York for Mis-
sonri Flat. ] W. Gilmore and G. G.
English for Murphy and Charles Me.
serve for Grants Pass. E. Badger was
elected president of the company and
Q. o. Bigolw vice. president, ]. W.
Pernoll treasurer and Ellis A. Imbler
secretary.
G. o. Oium of Grants Pass, county
manager for Josephine county for the |
Pacific States Telephone Company was
present and submitted a contract
which had been prepared by j. II.
general manager of the
Company. The terms were too indef-
mite as to the service to be rendered
aud too binding on the Applegate
Valley Telephone Company SO the
contract was rejected. Charles DE
serve submitted contract. which he
had prepared. that more equally
bound both companies and definitely
stated all the terms of the contract,
The main points OF which were similar
TO that submitted by Mr. Thatcher.
The proposition was that tn Pacific ',
States Company lease to the Appl,-
gate Company its wire from Grants
Pass to Williams for five years, rent
rec other than that the latter COM
'any was to pay the taxes on the line,
ibout sl2 year, and keep the line in
epair and return it in as good con.
lition as when taken; rent telephones
It 90 cents per month, paysbli six
months in advance and kee p them in
epair, the subscribers to furnish the
Free switching with /