The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-15

President n. A. Patterson in Brief
Review of Past Events.
PREDICTING BRIGHT FUTURE
II. c. HotaIing's Happy Remarks;
Fine Talk BY D. N. NeiII,
RedWing.

- RedWing.
From Tuesdays Daily.
Development of the Mankato Citi-
Gems Telephone company, its past
were the predominating features of
the annual meeting of the stockhold-
ers held last night. o.. ... T..
Fully $50 stockholders of the coin,
pany attended the annual meeting
and banquet held in the parlors of
the st. Johns Catholic church. The
meeting was taken up with reports
IF success, humorous talks concern
'rg the telephone business, and in
teresting information about the op-
Grafton of telephone system.
However 1t seemed as though this
was Of secondary importance, for
the banquet prepared by the Ladies'
Harmonic Society of st. Johns
Catholic church, was a delightful
feature of pleasant and profitable
evening. To say that the banquet
was an ordinary success would be
putting it in mild terms. The Ia
bles had been previously decorated
with clematis. daisies and maiden
hair ferns, while the walls were
draped with flags of the United
States. The tables were both unique
and attractive in their decorations,
which spoke we'll for the ladies. Be-
fore partaking of the eatables, the
Rev. Father Hughes pronounced the
invocation. --- -..... ~
The menu prepared and served
ss Oyster Cocktail = ..-.
Turkey Dressing
Cranberry Jelly
Mashed Potatoes Giblet Sauce
Ice Cream Assorted Cake
Coffee
The Business Session.
Following the banquet the tables
were cleared and the business ses.
sion began. President H. A. Patter-
son presided. Secretary and Treas
urer w. D. Willard then read the
minutes of the preceding annual
meeting held in 1911, which were
accepted. In opening the business
session, President Patterson express.
ed his appreciation at seeing so many
women present and was glad to see
that they had taken such an interest
In the company. . ...
The various reports of the diff.
ferent officers were then read, that
of President Patterson being the
first. His report will be found on
page two. -. .-.. ...- ...
Following this report, that of Sec
was read. In his report he explain
ed the figures of the standing OF
the company, which had been print
ed on the menus. He said that the
capital stock had increased only ST.,
200 during the last year, partly be
cause the company had allowed the
farmers to take small holdings OF
$50 each. He gave the total earn
ings of this year and last year.
His financial statement is given
above. ,. .......... ...
Report Of Manager Ferguson.
Manager P. M. Ferguson's report
showed number of interesting facts
which the farmer as we'll as the
citizens and all stockholders would
do well to bear in mind. In his re
port he explained the party line tele
phone. ....r... .....a.. ..- ...-...
Mr.. Ferguson reported that there
had been a net gain of 235 tele
phones since 1910, with 2,579 sub
scribers at present, giving one tele
phone to every five persons. Durins
the year, the average number O
telephones used numbered 2,433
The revenue, he said, per station
amounted to $1S.74, but with al
operating expense of $9.43 each
making gain of 1891 or abou
fifty per cent per station. The mum
Der of calls daily totaled 1880 o
about .6,O22,500 per year. He sait
that the telephone had been fount
to be no longer a luxury but
necessity; and that some extensive
changes in the office had also bee,
made to enforce his previous state
ments. Formerly two operators han
died the farmer line calls and fou
connections were necessary to com
plete the circuit, but now one or
orator does the work and only tw,
connections are necessary. Thi
makes q decrease in the operatin,
expense of about $40 a month il
salary alone, besides giving bette
service.
Motorcycle Factor.
Mr.. Ferguson also stated that tn