Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-03-30
FINISH GREATEST YEAR
The Union Telephone Company of
This City Hold Annual Meeting
LIKE Commission CONTROL
Alma Concern Is one of Which Citizens Should
be PrOud-Have Strong Local Support

The regular annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Union Telephone
company was held at the Wright
house March Is. A large number of
stockholders were present, between
seventy-five and one hundred persons
being in attendance. The principal
business of the meeting was to listen
to the report of the secretary for the
fiscal year ending February IS, 1911,
and the election of a board OF direc-
tors
The report of the secretary of the
interesting 10 the stock holders in that
it showed that the past year has been
the best one the company has seen.
The growth in the extent of the bust
ness done. due to a large increase in
the number of subscribers. is remark
able, especially when it is considered
that the growth is all in old territory,
no new fields having been entered in
the last year A glance at the statis-
tics furnished 10 the stockholders
shows this growth: The number OF
phones in use in Alma, for instance,
has increased during the last year by
nearly fifteen per cent, and since 1906
by twenty-five per cent Similarly
has there been growth at Ashley.
Bancroft and so on down the line
At Edmore there arc nearly four times
as many Union phones as in 1906.
OwosSo shows a gain OF thirty per
cent. St Johns and Ithaca have almost
doubled, and so on.
While this is extremely gratifying
to the Union company's stockholders.
it is also a source OF satisfaction TO
Gratiot county and Alma people in
particular, as the company is practi-
cally a local concern. having its main
offices here While there have been
rumors emanating from the lower
part OF the state that the company
contemplated removing its general
offices to Owosso, there is no fact
whatever on which TO base any such
statements.
The subject OF commission control
OF public utilities was discussed by
the secretary in his report The
Union company is strongly in favor
of compission control as is every
company competing with powerful
trust Its view Of the subject may be
gained from quotations from the re-
port. In one place IT says This
company came into existence as a
weak competitor of powerful mo-
nopoly 1t met with stubborn opposi-
ton, but won the confidence of its
patrons and enjoyed steady growth
and prosperity" Again;
The question OF commission con-
troll of all public utilities is being
widely discussed and should receive
careful study and consideration by al
i'll any way interested in corporation,
furnishing such service. Several states
have already enacted statutes creating
such commissions. The reciprocal re
lation existing between the public and
generally recognized and should be
productive of mutually beneficial re-
suits The public is entitled to good
and efficient service at fair and equi-
table rates The utility corporation
is entitled to compensatory rates and
charges excessive rates in one place
that it may give away service where it
desires to destroy competition. The
utility corporation should strive to
&c economically and efficiently perform
its functions. The state should with
equal care and responsibility conserve
and protect alike the interests of the
subscriber and the stakeholder. We
believe that a commission composed
of honest and able men pledged to a
recognition of this broad principle OF
Justice and equality would be of great
practical benefit to all concerned"
An improvement of Importance was
also discussed
Zone of the most important devel-
opments in the telephone field during
the past year was the building of a
large automatic telephone exchange
in the City of Chicago. This plant is
now in the course of construction and
will have upwards of 10000 telephones
in service by May !, 1911. Arrange
ments are being made whereby this
exchange will be connected with the
long distance lines of the Independent
Telephone System and will result in
great benefit to the operating COM
panies in this state"
The secretary complimented the
company on the loyalty and efficiency
of its officers and mana9Srs in highest
terms. That the stockholders have
confidence in the present management
and policy of the corporation was
L. minced bu the facf that the forrAer Al.