The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-16

Mr.. Gary has large interests in the
Independent telephone business in the
west and for some time has been one
of the heavy stockholders in the Inde-
pendent company in this city. He is
the president of the exchanges at
Atchison, ST. Joseph, Joplin, Macon
and Carthage and at the present time
is installing a $4,000 automatic switch
board in the exchange at Carthage.
The duties of general manager will
fall upon w. P. Hemphill. who has
been the secretary of the company.
Mr.. Hemphill has been prominently
Identified with the growth of the In
dependent Telephone company since it
was started in Topeka by himself and
Mr.. Pankey six years ago and the sue
cess OF the venture has been due to
the united energies of the two men.
While Mr. Gary is the president and
head of the company the active man
agement will devolve upon Mr. Hemp
hill as Mr.. Gary will continue to reside
at Macon, Missouri. Mr. Pankey will
no longer be at the head of the COM
pany but he retains a portion of his in
terestS and will remain on the board
of directors. Mrs. Pankey teAi1ered her
resignation Is a member of the board
of directors and this place was filled by
the election of A. A. GODDARD who has
been interested in the company since a
short time after it's organization.
The changes made interest number
of prominent business men of Topeka
who become large holders of stock in
the Independent Telephone company.
they having purchased a portion of the
holdings of Mr.. Pankey.
While Mr.. Gary has purchaseda large
block of the stock held by Mr. Pankey
the latter still holds considerable
amount of his former holdings which
will not be placed on the market Mr.
Pankey's retirement from the active
management of the company which he
has done so much to build up is brought
about by failing health and a desire to
devote all of his time to his large real
estate holdings in New and Old Mex
leo.
Besides his holdings in the states Mr..
Pankey has recently acquired possess
sion of a land grant of nearly 100 900
acres in Old Mexico and it is his in
tention to colonize his holdings and in
time it will probably become one of
the large cattle ranches of the coun-
try Mr.. Pankey has always been
known as one of the large stock rails
ers of the west and his retirement
from active telephone management
means his reentry into this business
Mr. Hemphill. who will be the gen
eral manager of the company as we'll
as the vice president has practically
had charge of the business since we
have been in our new building" said
Mr.. Pankey. He has been interest
ed with me since the company was or
ganized and has the ability and skill
necessary to handle the business and
keep it up to its past standard of ex-
cellercy.
Topeka will continue to be my home
in the future as it has been in the
past and L will keep in touch with the
telephone conditions as l have only
disposed of a portion of my holdings
in the Independent company. In re-
tiring from the active management of
the company L wish to thank the peo-
pie of Topeka who have rendered me
such valuable assistance in building
this institution which will always be
my pride. and I trust that the same
friendly relations will always exist be-
tween the public and my successors. ;"
vested heavily in the holdings disposed
of by Mr.. Pankey are w. P. HemphiIl
who has largely increased his interest,
A. A. GODDARD who was also formerly in
terested in the company Scott Hopkins.
vice president of the Prudential Trust
Savings bank, and Horace Hall of the
Hall Book and Stationery company.
There will be no changes in the
manner of conducting the business of
the company said Mr.. HemphiH
everything will go just as it has in
the past and it will be but short time
now until the changes which the COM
pany has been making during the past
two years are completed. And while
am speaking of these things I am re-
minded that two of our superintendents
William Hershey. superintendent of op-
Grafton, and William Roper, superin-
tendent of construction, have been in