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


President H. A. Patterson, in his
address to the stockholders of the
Mankato Citizens Telephone com
pany, gave an interesting historical
review of its organization. He said:
For the benefit of those who
have more recently become stock
holders in the Mankato Citizens
Telephone company, at the risk OF
firing those who are familiar with
the story and for the purpose OF
justifying the inception of such an
organization, l want to take this
occasion to briefly review it's history
before this large gathering Of inter
ested members.
about the year 1897, smartins
under the then high rates of $4 per
month for business and SO for resi-
dence phones of the Bell company
who enjoyed monopoly in the To-
cal field and aggravated by poor
service and the incivility of its
management, n committee was ap
pointed by the Mankato Board OF
Trade with instruction to visit St
Paul and secure, if possible the gen
eral management, of the Northwest
ern Telephone company relief from
the then existing intolerable condi'
tons. After listening with painful
silence to the, committees report
and requests, Mr.: ~Wainman some.
what politely told. them to go to
to go way back and sit downfall
they were running their own bust
ness and would brook no interior
ence. The result of the commit
tees report, on, its, return-was to
most effectually prepare the ground
for the seed of secession and revolt
which terminated in and OCCASION
ed the organization of this splendid
local enterprise the following spring.
', Have Learned a. Lesson.
"Since that time tfIe Bell Tele'
phone company. as well as other
public utilities aud corporations has
learned ,toSsyalue and respect pub
lic.- relati gaIaarall sagreed
by;arhege Companies TINT the day is
passed when public relations can
be strained with impunity and that
every effort should be made to pre-
serve the entente coHdiale which is
so difficult to attains he main OBJ
stacle in tile way et, gaining public
confidence IA direet ems eduence OF
ancient disregard for public opinion.
After % winter s,.. agitation. and
study of the question: Inscriptions
} to stock were soliciteda and on March
IA, 1898, the first meeting of stock
: holders was held. Judge Lorin
: Cray was chosen temporary chair
man, and J. B. Meagher, temporary
secretary. Twelve directors were
elected, who in turn chose Judge
Cray, PRESIDENT; Fred Kron, vice
president and J. B. Meagher, secre
tary and treasurer. The president
then appointed Messrs. Patterson
Funk and Plymat a committee to
draft articles of incorporation, when
was done and the Mankato Citizens
Telephone company became a real
ity. Subscription to stock though
many were small, denoting the haz
: ard with which the people looked
) upon an enterprise which was tc
' encroach upon the field occupied by
the powerful Bell monopoly Whicn
7 up to about that time had enjoyed
the protection of patents reserVlne
to them the exclusive right to con
? duct telephone business. When
: ready to close, contract for the con
struction of plant, the directors
found the stock subscriptions fal
short of the requisite $4,000, and
: that in order to launch the enter
prise each must increase his amount
l from two shares or $50 to twenty
shares, or $500. which was done
and the contract let.
5 Shares Were Issued.
"On March IS, 1899, the first an
: nual meeting was held at winch
time there was issued 1853 shares
r of stock, a total of $9,S25. Inc
> managers report showed 1S6 busi
) ness and eighty-seyen residence tele
;, phones in operation. total Oh zt'
l at rates of 81 and $1,25 per month
5 as compared with 125 instruments
! in operation by the Bell the Prev
e Gus year at rates as has been stat
r ed. of 81 and So. This SHOWING
: was made notwithstanding the North
r western company Immediately lower
ed it's rates and adopted the many
} tactics for which it was notea "
2 resent our. intrusion. Among 'hen
: was the Offering of free telephones
' in residences to SUBSCRIBERS %
l business phones which practice mas
; been continued to the present oay
i "On November 16, 1899. Judge
) Cray resigned as president after III
| ing his office most capably ana the
vacancy was filled by the elecuol
) of DR.. ]. H. James, who served the
, company most faithfully and efficient
: " until 1906. During his ADMINS
: tration the old ring.down system
! was replaced by the modern centra
energy plant installed in the Dullu
!: ing erected and owned by the com,
pany on Jackson street. since l'o'