The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-01-30
GIVES zE|7LOW THE SK|D00.
Huron City Council Serve Notice
to Remove Phone System

of allowing bills, etc, the local tele-
phone question was taken up. Ihe
committee appointed to investigate
the situation in this and other towns,
after a very careful study or these al
fairs submitted the following report
which was adopted and a resolution
drawn up by the city attorney ana
embodying the recommendations OF the
committee in regard to serving Mr..
Zeitlow with a notice TO remove MS
telephone system from the streets OF
Huron at the expiration OF his iran
chise was passed. The council ap-
pointed Mayor Mckay TO serve this
notice Following is the report of the
committee:
Your committee visited LeMars, Ia,
and examined quite carefully the cen
traI energy system, owned by a local
corporation at that city, which Is about
the same size as Huron. The officers
of the company were very oDllglng
and courteous and exhibited to your
committee all details and their audit
y ing system as we'll. We have a recent
issue of their telephone directory,
which may be incorporated INTO tnls
report with benefit.
Their system seems to be highly eff
fcient, smooth running and economi-
cal. and calls from the patrons were
answered almost instantaneously un-
der our observation, without confu-
sion or delay and the central Office
was a very quiet place, no loud talk
ing or conversation not of business
nature being tolerated among the
operators.
This Home Telephone company has
/. practically driven out the Bell con-
cern. They carry about LOO phones,
CITY and rural, and it is absolutely
local concern as to ownership. Espe-
cial thanks are due to Mr.. A. {. Col
ledge, the president of the local con-
cern, for many cOurteSieS shown.
This plant, including quite large
amount of rural construction has cost
not quite 100000. Their charges are
practically the same as in Huron, but
the service is very much superior.
Your committee also visited Brook
ings. where another central energy
plant is in use, but which is owned
outright by the city of Brookings.
We were given every facility here by
the chairman of the finance committee
of the Brookings city council, who has
most immediate charge of this plant.
We find that Brookings bought out
the Bell people about four or hve
wears ago. for $4,000, which price in
cluded building for use OF telephone
system, in good location on side
street The building is OF solid brick,
although not so large nor SO weil
planned as it might of been. They are
now collecting a revenue OF about $(oo
per month and from this revenue nave
enlarged and improved the local plant
and service, having spent, it is est
mated, about $4,000 additional TOR
this purpose. Besides this they nave
accumulated more than $4,000 cash IN
the bank to the credit OF that special
plant.
- Some of the features OF the BrooK-
ings plant are not so good as those or
the LeMars plant, but it was partly
old when bought Their office, SER
vice, street and alley poles and lines
are all in much better condition than
the Huron system. The comments
made by Mr.. Zeitlow upon the Brook
ings system do not appear to be borne
out by the facts in the case at all.
\ We are told by leading banker at
gBrookinas that the system was one OF
the best money makers in the city,
barring none.
In view of the great desirability of
the city of Huron owning a telephone
plant and the fact that the present
franchise will shortly expire, your
committee would recommend the fol
lowing:
lst-That the city of Huron notify
the Dakota Central telephone com
pany that at the expiration of their
franchise they will be required to va
cate orr streets and alleyS
I'm view of the fact that tele-
phone exchange can be successfully
and profitably owned and managed by
a city. that the city of Huron get con-
troll of the present plant if acqultable
terms can be made and own their own
exchange.
3d-That is case the city does not
see its way clear to own its own tele-
phone exchange at the present time, it
grant franchise only in the following
conditions:
That such franchise provide that
the wires in the business section of
the city be carried in the alleys and
be buried in the earth in the best
possible manner. That the poles be
carried through the alleys wherever
possible, and that the cable system
be used as much as possible. That
not more than $3.50 per month for
business offices, $3.50 per month for
dwellings on private line, and 81 per
month for dwellings, on party line be
allowed as tariff without the consent
of the council. That a royalty be paid
the city of at least per cent. or bet
ter 10 per cent. of the gross earning.
That the right to purchase the plant,
on the part of the city, at any time
after the first five years be incorpor-
ated
That preference be given to home
people in any new franchise, all condi-
tions being equal. That the most cap
able business and professional men in
the city of Huron be requested to
form an organization and apply to the
council for a twenty-five year fran
chise to operate the telephone ex-
change in Huron and outside as may
he advisable We further recommend
that the concern be made a popular
Cne by widely scattering the stock i'll
amounts of from $50 to S1,0O among
the citizens of Huron, giving the first
opportunity to actual patrons.
C. F. Koepp.