The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-26
-FOUR COMP ANIES
IN 1895; 208 now
TELEPHONE BUSINESS BooMs IN
SOUTH DAKOTA.
over 10000 Miles Of Wire and Fully
One-half the Companies Of the Farm
er Class-Vast Trans-Missouri Region
Will Give Plenty Of Room for Future
Expansion.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Pierre, s. D., July 26.-The reports filed
with the state auditor Tor the purpose OF teie,
increase of sixty-fve such companies in the
state since the return was made to the board
a year ago. making 2oS separate companies
which have reported this year.
This growth of telephone business has been
the work of less than ten years. The report
of the auditor for 1895 showed four companies
operating--at Aberdeen. In the Black Hills, ana
the Northwestern and Watertown companies,
two of which were only local exchanges. In
that year the Black Hills company returned 20S
miles of wire and the Northwestern sixteen
miles, which were all the toll lines in the
state much of the Black Hills mileage being
in the local systems. '" -
This business had grown until the report of
| last year showed $3.50 miles OF line In the
state, and the increase this year will make 1t
over 10 600 miles, and large amount of this
Is of farmers lines which bring the agricultural
communities in touch with the outside world.
| While fully half the companies are Of the
farmer class they Of course do not make up
! half the mileage as the long distance toll lines
and the cities make up the largest part. The
first Of the independent lines on the record were
reports, and since then. the independents have
been extending every year. until 1t Is very
| small hamlet and an ated farm which have
not telephone communication. ~..- ID. s.. '.'-'.
/ The growth Of the telephone business has SIM
ply been wonderful, and, as it has the whole
4 country west Of the Missouri to expand in, 1t
is no idle prophecy to say that it will be doubled
in the next two years.
,.- Low Death Rate. 49,.
Superintendent Robinson Of the bureau Of
statistics has received notification that South
Dakota has been admitted into the registra ton
area of the United States for vital statistics.
Certain regulations were demanded before the
state would be admitted, ana while these have
been complied with, the superintendent Of the
government work expresses fear that the re-
L. $b1.,I oo% - c%a fcki n.
they are lower for South Dakota than for any
other state which has been admitted into the
registration area. . r.-' .".~
Boonsteel Slayer Pardoned.
| Governor Elrod today granted pardon tt
I A. j. Ault who was sentenced from Gregory
county June II, 1905. for two years in the pen
itentiary e charge of manslaughter. Aul
was acting as an onicer at Bonesteel at tn
Rosebud lands, and in handling the crowd, whicl
, was rough at times was rather free with hi
= revolver, killing one OF the men he was attempt
! ing to arrest. np5 ~.*. 5t.''"3
A, mob threatened to. lynch Ault, and he wa
taken to Jail at Fairfax with difficulty, an
on trial received the two-year sentence. War
D den Parmley reports that Ault has been one o
t TRUSTEES at the penitentiary, and the pardo
application is signed by ten of the jurors VIII
sat in the case" and BY large number Oh c1t
zens Of Gregory county. = s.. ~ ~
4 T. The supreme court today admitted on the lat
court examination Tom c. McNamee of Brook
+ ngs, Elnathan R. Adams of Java, Charles Il
- Taylor Of Pierre Herbert Abbott of Sioux Falls
= George Phillip of Fort Pierre and Fred j. Ca
l. penter Of Parker. So a."
e Engineer Back from Hills
' State Engineer $: d. Lea has returned fro,
g his trip to the Black Hills, where the frs
y meeting of the state water commission we
e held About all done at the meeting was
formulate manner of. procedure and to: consid,
1.-The rights of existing 1waterusers who had esta
; lished private plants before the government VOL
/ was commenced g IL. ~.s.a-
= 1t was considered best to leave such cond
tions to the option of the engineer to act
leach individual case required, as no gener
rule could be laid down to meet the varyil
conditions. $50 -.
\ | While no meeting Of the commission was fix
/ further than the one by law on the first Mo
J day in March. there will probably be &C
. meeting early in January to present to the lie
islature the needs of the commission and a