Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-20
TELEPHONE MERGER PLANNED

Continued from First Page)
ment of Colonel Bills. He said that COM
rnittee was at work securing the sanction
OF the bond holders, of which there were
1900 in this country, and that the financing
Of the Omaha company was practically as
sured. He said that the Independent tAle-
phone men of the United States were get
ting back of the movement and were going
to see to 1t that Omaha has a splendid in
dependent telephone system.
1T is no promotion scheme" said the
speaker. IAN the necessary money is in
sight and, with the consent of a majority
of the bond holders, work of extension will
begin at once"
other Cities Demand 1t.
Nebraska has 10000 independent tele-
phones" added Mr. Woods" and Omaha
is too important point on the Independent
map to let backslide. st. Joseph has a
new Independent exchange and many other
good cities near here and they all demand
that Omaha have a big plant. Lincoln
needs good plant in Omaha and all the
state needs it,
The committee on\ reorganization which
is securing the sanction of the bondholders
consists of Frank H. Woods of Lincoln,
Edison Rich, Frank b. Johnson and Lysle
l. Abbott of Omaha and Fred w. Stearns
OF Chicago. Mr.. Stearns represents the
bondholders to the extent OF about $500, ,0OO
| in California and Mr. Abbott represents
bondholders to about the same amount in
| Washington and Oregon.
Mayor Dahlman welcomed the telephone
men to Omaha. gave them all the keys
they needed and Colonel Bills of Lincoln
then responded. C. J. Carlow Of Column
| bus, president OF the Nebraska association,
! in his annual address. told of the strides
Independent telephones had been making
| in the state. Hc~
West Does own Financing.
Colonel Bills said in his response that the
independent telephones were bound to in
crease because. they were occupying the
time and attentiop, Of the common people
We have ,paih tribute to the finanelers
of Wall street Tor thirty or forty years,
said Colonel Bills. Insurance and tele-
phone money has poured into New York
until it is the financial center of the world.
The west has plenty of money and 1t is
| now financing its own insurance oompanies
and telephone companies There are over
100000 telephones In the United States,
representing an expenditure of over S4OO-
900 900. There are 10000 Independent tele-
phone companies. All are booming. The
long distance business out of Lincoln in
creased 2S0 per cent last year. In Nebraska
there are 10000 Independents telephones, In
Iowa 100000. in Missouri 200, 600 and in Kan.
sas 10000, making 100000 phones which
should be connected with Omaha"
Big Independents at Convention.
Prominent telephone men from all ovel
the United States are in attendance a
the convention. J. b. Hoege of Chicago
former ex-presdent OF the national assocla
tion, and Theodore Carey of Macon
Mo-, also former president, are here as
well as the present president and secre
tary of the national association, F. II
Woods of Lincoln and NJ F. Savage o.
Champaign, III.
Over 100 delegates to the convention o
Iowa independent telephone men arrive,
from their headquarters in Council Bluff
Wednesday morning TO meet with the Ne
braska men and also to visit the larg
exhibits which the manufacturers ar
showing.
theater party was given at the Boy
last evening to the wives Of the visiting
delegates.