Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-03-11

for council to do so-would be al
public crime. 1t would be selling
the rights Of the future generations
for a mess of pottage. Hence this
village council of 1897 told Messrs.
Williams and Barnstad very plainly
what was what, and what we
thought was fair and that was the
end of the story.
But with the Northwestern Co.
and the Minnesota Central the case
was entirely different. They both
were long distance telephone COM
panies, and as Willmar needed to
be in connection with the country
at large we welcomed these COM
panies to make their connection
with our city. All they asked for
was the right of way through our
city and either a local :to!ling sta
tion or connection with our central.
We granted this of course freely
and without reservation, just as we
would grant a railroad terminal ia
cilities should a new railroad be
heading this way. The council of
'97 believed that the more long dis
lance and country lines that could
be made to enter the city the bet
ter. I, personally, believe in that
doctrine still. believe the mulct-
ing of the Tri-State telephone for
entering this city was grave mis-
take-almost crime against the
city and it's welfare. l hope that
the council that taxed the Tri-State
company 81, 900 for being allowed
to give reasonable long distance
rates to the citizens of Willmar will
rise and explain their action. Now
is good time to do so. If any
man in this city has had his fingers
in dirty telephone gratis he had
better come out openly and make
manly confession. l believe the
present telephone committee of the
council will get to the bottom of
this thing before they are through.
l hope it is evident now to every
body, from what l have state1
above in regard to the granting of
these franchises, that the council of
1897 granted only one franchise for
a local telephone exchange, and
that was to Williams and Barnstad.
AS to the right Of way granted to
the Northwestern and Minnesota
Central to enter the city and use it's
streets for it's poles and wires and
fixtures, such right Of way was
granted to get long distance phone
connection with the city-and not
for the purpose Of getting another
local telephone exchange in addi-
tion to the one already had. In
deed, the latter supposition is ridic-
ulous and negatived by every cir
cumstance and action of the council
connected with the passage of the
ordinances or resolutions granting
the franchises.
However, in the last number of
the Tribune in the report Of the
discussion at the Commercial Club,
it is stated: 1.-The latter gentle
man Tallman) made some remark
able statements, among which was
that he believed that Ordinance No.
60 guaranteed to the Northwestern
Co. the use of the streets of Will
mar because he, himself, had paid
a lawyer $500 in order to make sure
that it would be good"
Now this is certainly a remark
able statement. Mr.. Tallman was
a member of the council, an alder
man of the village, trustee of the
Village, sworn before God to do his
duty as such. And yet, if l UNDER
stand the import of his language,
he admits that he had hired law
yer to draw up an ordinance that
would deceive his fellow aldermen
as to it's real meaning. Certainly
no alderman at the passing of Ordi-
nance No. GU had any idea and l ap-
peal to all Of them today for vindi-
cation) that he was then passing
an ordinance for a local telephone
exchange franchise-and that by
this undetermined device he secured
a perpetual telephone franchise
which he has subsequently sold to
the Northwestern Telephone Com
pany for a valuable consideration.
| say this is certainly a remarkable
statement, confession, bravado, or
what else anyone may call. When
| read it l determined it should not
pass unchallenged. If Dave Tall
man imposed on me that evening
when we passed that Ordinance No.
I60, when he pleaded kindly to the
council to pass that ordinance to
give him prestige elsewhere for his
telephone company-if he then and
there imposed on me>with his $500
lawyers script, knowingly and wit
tingly imposed on me and the 9TH
ers of the council to give him per.
petual franchise to the streets OF
$ Willmar-1 for one want to know
it.
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