The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-07-14
Proposition to Organize New TeIe-
phone Company Here
MATTER TALKED OVER
Subject Discussed at Public MEETING
and Committee Named to
Consult City Council


telephone company will be organic
ed in Sank Centre. The matter was
discussed at a public meeting, held
at the city hall Tuesday evening to
hear tn report Of the Fourth of
July committee and to plan for the
county fair. After the subject was
ventilated for an hour or more, the
discussion came to a head by the
passage Of a resolution authorizing
the chairman to appoint a committee
OF five to make a thorough investi-
gaticn and take the matter UP with
the city council.
A brief resume of local conditions
is apropOs here On Monday evening
Jan. 2, 1910, the city council passed
an ordinance granting to the North
W. stern Telephone Exchange Com
pany franchise for % years. The
then existing franchise under which
the company was op rating was for
/: years, four years of the same hay
lug expired The granting of the
now franchise carried with it the
cancellation CT the old, so that, in
reality, the company was granted
an additional fifteen years of life.
Under the terms of the new fran
chise, the maximum monthly toll
for business telephones was fixed at
$3.50, residence telephones at $50.
Tie then existing rates were $500
for business and $1.OO for residence
telephone These latter rates are
still in force. The company agreed
to rebuild the system, the increas
in rates not to go into effect until af-
ter the new plant was in successful
operation. The plant is now nearly
r5built. The increased rates will be
put in operation, soon. The so-called
central energy" system, by means
OF which the ringing of the bell is
dispensed with, is not to be installed
here, the company giving as a rea-
son that it does not pay in towns
where there are less than 500 tele-
phones in operation.
The ordinance granting the COM
pany % year franchise was passed
Oh the evening of Jan. 2, 1910, by
a vote of 8 to 2, Alderman Irish,
Richards and Pangburn voting in the
affirmative, and Aldermen Boutell
and Miller in the negative, Alderman
Bergman being absent.
F. E. Minnette, at that time may
CT, vetoed the ordinance. At a spe-
cial meeting of the council, held Tues
day evening, Jan. II, 1910, this veto
was read, and the ordinance pass d
over the veto, by a vote Of 4 to z.
All members of the council were pre-
S mt. and Aldermen Irish, Pangburn
Richards and Boutell voted in the
affirmative; Aldermen Miller and
Bergman voting in the negative.
A few weeks ago, D. B. Templeman,
promoter of telephone companl S,
arrived in Sank Centre and has
since that time b en- working on a
proposition to form local company
and give the public service at lower
rates than the Northwestern is now
furnishing or propos to furnish,
under it's new franchise. Tuesday
night Mr.. Templeman laid his prop
osition before the me ting. The pro-
position is to form local company,
each user of a telephone to invest
small amount, the stockholders to
elect a board of directors who shall
conduct the business. The rates guar
anteed by Mr.. Templeman are not
to exceed $500 year for residence
and $500 year for business tele-
phones Mr.. Templeman went into
details and answered many ques-
tions. Several of the business men
spoke on the question, among others
being F. E. Minnette.
Mr.. Minette was very emphatlc
in his remarks. He denounced the
action of the city council. in repeal
ing the old franchise and granting a
new one The proposed raise in
rates Mr.. Minette considered an out
rage and he proposed to enter his
vigorous protest right then and there.
He averred that he did not want to
die and have any of his children say
that their father had consented TO
an unfair and unjust proposition like
the new franchise and the raise in
rates. Mr.. Minette became impas-
stoned and spoke for some ten min