The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-15
MANITOBA TO HAVE
IT'S OWN PHONES
PROVINCE AND MUNICIPALITIES
TO BUILD INDEPENDENT LINES.
Government Will Assist the Cities in
the Work by Lending Money at a
Low Rate Decision Cited as Indica-
tion Of Progress by the independents.

Manitoba is to go in for independent
municipal telephones on an elaborate
scale. This was decided last week at
q meeting Of the Union of Manitoba
Municipalities held at Portage la
Prairie. ID
This decision followed the lead Of the
Manitoban provincial government
whose legislature sent committee last
winter thruont the central states Of the
union to investigate telephone systems,
both independent and Bell. After a
headed by Colin Campbell, made its
report to the legislature, recommending
that the province build it's own toll
lines, and encourage the various munic-
qualities to- build their exchanges, by
loaning them money at low rate Of
interest. The committee also recon-
men6ed that steps be taken to expro-
pirate the Bell system. This passed the
legislature by a heavy majority.
The "Union Of Manitoba ,Municipali-
ties" which met in Portage la Prairie
last week, is composed Of officials of
the various municipalities Of Manitoba.
They spent two days in listening
to testimony from telephone ex-
Perts and officials, and then devoted
half day to general discussion. At
the close Of the session, q vote was
taken on the question whether the
union should recommend to the different
municipalities that they put in their
own telephone systems. Great enthu-
siasm was shown and the resolution
passed by q vote Of eighty-six to nine
teen.
Shows Independents Progress.
This action by the Manitoba munich
palities is cited by the independent
way in which the independent interests oa IT'S
have forged ahead in the past year,
especially in the northwest. It is only
eight years since the independents
came into the field, and today they
have 100000 subscribers against
100000 with the Bell system, The
only large cities in the United States
left without independent telephone
service are, Boston, New York, Wash
ington, Cincinnati and New Orleans. In
Detroit the independent exchange is
nearly ready to do business; Milwau-
skee has just granted franchise to a
strong company which is about to in
tating the question, with every pros
pect Of joining the independent ranks.
In no part Of the country, however,
has the progress been more marked
than in the northwest. In North Da-
kota, a new. state Organization Differed
by some Of the richest and most influ-
entail citizens. Of that state has come
into the field. This system owns ex-
changes in Hope, Casselton, Darlington,
Valley City, Bismarck, Mandan and va
rious smaller places. It has copper toll
lines from Hope to Casselton and from
Bismarck to Glendive in Montana, and
is now constructing heavy copper
trunk line from Fargo to Bismarck
which will be finished by the first Of
the year. In addition to these copper
lines, the company has an extensive
system of toll and farmers lines around
Bismarck, Valley City, Darlington and
,Casselton. This new North Dakota In
as rapidly as needed, to cover the whole
state. @
s. A few days ago, the council Of the
city of Milwaukee, by vote of As to /,
granted a franchise to put in an ex
change to an Independent company.
This will greatly stimulate telephone
development all. over the state of Wis
consin, as up to this time, building in
Wisconsin has been greatly handi-
capped by the inability to obtain com
munication with Milwaukee.
Iowa has always been one of the
strongest independent states in the
union, having over 100000 telephones.
All this development and progress
will be Of inestimable value to Mime
sofa IS independent company, the Tri-
State. Up to this year this company
made its wonderful progress despite
the fact that it received very little
support from It's neighbors.