The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-01-25
Brief Mention Made Yesterday 20 Sell
compary's Petition, and Now
More Complete Report
is Made.
WHAT PETITION STATES
Shows That Mississippi Valley Com.
parry Has Not Been Competitor
and That system is In
Poor Shape.

IN connection with story publish
ed III Yesterdays Gate City touching
on the local telephone situation there
appeared brief mention to petitfon
Of the Iowa Telephone COMPANY ,f1led
with the city council at Fort Madison.
asking the privilege to consolidate the
Bell exchange there with the Missis.
sippi Valley. The petition is OF in
terest and follows:
Des Moines, Iowa. Jan. %. 1911.
TO the Honorable Mayor and CITY
Council of the City of Fort Madi-
son, Iowa:
Gentlemen: The Iowa Telephone
company Is in a position to acquire
the possession of the property known
rs the Mississippi Valley telephone
company In Fort Madison, Iowa. and
this is to ask your permission to con.
'solidate the exchange known as the
Mississippi Valley Telephone ex.
change with that of the Iowa Tele.
phone company. for the following rea-
sons:
First-The exchange service Of the
Mississippi Valley Telephone com
pany is practically abandoned ON ac-
count OF the damage to its plant oc-
casioned by the recent sleet storm.
Second-Tlte present owner of the
property has requested this com.
pany to remove the debris from the
streets and advise him of the prob-
able date when permanent repairs
could be made and the cost thereon.
We have removed the wreckage and
informed him that it would take at
least thirty days and cost in excess
OF 100000, after which there would
be much of the plant that would be
left in such a condition that 1t would
5e still dangerous to persons and
property should another storm visit
this locality while the plant was in
such condition.
Third There is no good reason
for rebuilding the plant of the, Mis-
sissippi Valley Telephone company at
any cost, much less at great one.
Said company is not a competitor of
the Iowa Telephone company. Meth.
err has 1t been for several years past.
There are less than ten of its patrons
who do not get Iowa service now and
they can be given the service in al
few days, with all the subscribers
with whom they formerlys received
service, and in addition those with
whom they did not.
Fourth--The owner wishes to sell
the plant, for the reason that. prior
TO the said storm the plant was unre.
munerative mot paying expenses ey.
en- He would not be justified in add
ing, therefore, any new money to the
plant under such conditions.
Sixth--From the foregoing. then
there would seem to be no further ne
cessity for duplication of service to
various telephone users, nor the
further occupancy OF streets and al.
ieys with a duplicate number OF
poles, wires. etc.
should your honorable body grant
PERMISSION to unite the systems the
iowa Telephone company will agree
70 proceed at once with the disman.
'ling OF such part of the plant as
might be found in dangerous con
dition and, when located upon streets
Or alleys where the Iowa Telephone
company now has poles, all duplicate
poles and wires TO be removed. And
upon all other streets and alleys as
Wen, except in such locations where
me Iowa Telephone company may re-
place such poles and wires, when re-
cured for use within six MONTHS
otherwise the entire plant shall be
dlsmantled. its poles. wires. except
'oll wires, taken down.
Further, the Iowa Telephone COM
many understands that the Mississip.
p Valley Telephone company is now
furnishing, without charge, one non.
duplicate telephone, with exchange
service, to the city of Fort Madison.
IN the event that the city permits the
uniting Of the telephone systems, the
iowa Telephone company will FUR
hish three additional telephones to
what the city now has from the Iowa
Ieiephone company. such additional
telephones to be furnished without
charges to the city.
All Of which. is respectfully sub.
mitted.
IOWA TELEPHONE CO.,
By Chas. r. Hall