The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-11-15

operation In SIX MOOCnS.
At a meeting of range residents
interested in the formation of a new
telephone system on the range with
direct connections to the larger
cities, the Range Telephone company
was organized Saturday evening al
the Fay Hotel with the following Of
ficers: A. c. Osborne, president; c.
H. Rogers, vice president; Adelbert
Trotter, secretary; Mark Elliott,
treasurer; P. R. Vail, H. o. Johnson,
c. E. Hendrick, w. B. Shaver, An
drew Grande, Virginia, J. S. Lutes,
F. S. Colvin, Biwabik, Thomas Elan
nigan, Gilbert, George w. Robinson,
St. Paul; J. c. Crowley, Jr., Supe-
rior, Wis; A. J. MacCulloch, Duluth.
The articles of incorporation were
filed with the secretary of state this
week, the company being capitalized
for $3O0,000 The papers Of incor-
poration were received yesterday.
At a meeting of the company to
be held soon plans for the building
of the new line will be arranged and
a franchise drawn up to be submit
ted to the city council. The new
concern desires a 25-year franchise,
and it is expected no trouble will be
encountered in securing it.
With the franchise granted, a toll
line will be built over either the
Vermilion or Miller Trunk road to
the head of the lakes and there con-
nected with the Tri-State Telephone
company's lines from the Twin
Cities. According to the promoters
the line to Duluth can be erected in
six weeks, while the entire range
1ystem In the three units outlined
can be installed in six months. The
first unit, which provides for ex-
changes at Virginia, Eveleth, Gilbert
and Biwabik, can be completed in
two months.
An automatic exchange system,
which does away with operators, Is
being exhibited in Room Z, Matheson
Block, and is attracting much at
tention. 1t is planned to install the
main exchange in this city in pro-
posed $4,000 office, which would
also house the main headquarters of
the concern. The promoters have an
option on choice piece of local real
estate and will exercise their privil-
ege with the granting of the fran
chise.
The proposed line will cost over
$200,000, while the other 100000
included in the incorporation plans
will be used for reserve fund and
other improvements now under con-
sideration. No overhead poles will
be used in the range city streets to
be connected by the new line, the
conduits being laid under ground.
Work will soon start on the Chest
nut street conduit to be laid on
either side OF the main thorough
fare from the Mesaba depot to Lake
Boulevard. A main line will also be
laid underground along north and
south Wyoming avenue, connecting
the poles in the alleys between Rail-
road and Virginia avenues.
The second unit provides for ex-
changes at Grand Rapids, Hibbing,
Chisholm and intermediate points,
while the last unit will furnish ex-
changes at Aurora. Ely and Tower,
giving service at intermediate
points. Capital has already been in
ferested at Chisholm, while F.. B.
Meyers, the Biwabik banker, recent
ay made a trip to Chicago to view
the work being done by the auto
matte exchanges. Local directors
also propose to visit eastern cities to
view the workings of similar sys-
tens.
The new line is being promoted by
A. J. MacCulloch, manager of the
Zenith Telephone company, Duluth,
and J. c. Crowley, Jr., Superior
Wis.,, who is in charge of the Peoples
Telephone company. Their compa-
MES are also provided with direct
connections with the Tri-State Tele-
phone company's main and branch
exchanges which will give Virginians
thorough accommodations.
The automatic exchange has
proven a revelation to Virginians,
and as the innovation is proving a
success in Canada and in several for
eign countries as we'll as in the
United States the stockholders of
the new company expect much of the
venture. The exchanges will be in
stalled by the Chicago Automatic
company, which has numerous lines
in the Windy City and other Illinois
points.