The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1914-01-08

The Somerset Farmers Cooperative
Telephone Co. held a special meeting
Monday forenoon in the Grange Hall
at Norridgewock and their annual
meeting at the same place Monday af-
ternoon. Among the matters taken
up at the forenoon meeting was vote
supporting the following resolution:
Resolved that the company disap-
proves any offers of the New England
Telephone Company or its allies, look
ing toward a connection of our lines
with theirs; we believe any such con-
nection would eliminate competition
in the telephone business in Somerset
County, and prove disastrous to the
usefulness and financial strength Of
our company.
During the noon hour dinner was
served by Somerset Grange, and the
afternoon session was devoted to the
regular business of the annual meet
ing. The report of the auditor was
listened to and the following directors
were elected to represent various dis
tricts as follows: Ansel Holway,
Norridgewock. for Norridgewock,
Fairfield and Smithfield; j. w. Pack
ard. Skowhegan, for Skowhegan; Geo
H. Foster, Canaan, for Canaan, Pitts
field and Hartland; l. H. Ellis, North
Anson, for Starks, Anson and New
Portland; w. C. Hobart, Cornville for
Madison, Cornville and Athens; L. f.
Boardman, Solon for Solon, Embden,
Lexington, Highland, Dead River and
Flagstaff H. B. Whipple, Bingham for
Bingham, Concord, MOSCOW, Pleasant
Ridge and the plantations on the east
side of the Kennebec River reached
by the Company's lines. Other Of
ficers elected were president, J. w.
Packard, Skowhegan; Treas, S. H..
Beal, Cornyile; clerk Fred Magoon,
SOlon.
w. C. Hobart who has for some time
served the company as manager with
excellent results, was reelected to
serve again for another year. There
had been two other candidates men
toned. viz:-Eugene Danforth who re-
ceived one vote and J. B. Dornberger
who received four votes at Mondays
meeting.
Manager Hobart's report was listen
ed to with much interest and as it
so well shows the conditions of the
company and what has been accom-
plished during the year, we publish
the same herewith:
We have been able this year with
your assessments of eight dollars to
pay the fixed charges as have appear
ed upon your quarterly statements ana
all other bills incurred in time to take
advantage of all discounts allowed ano
to keep on hand as reserve up to Jan
1st. as much cash as we started the
year with; in fact, the first OF April
your Treasurer deposited Sl000.0o III
the Savings Bank, and 1t has remain
ed there to the present time.
Our first orders for materials for
improvements went to Canaan, TO ul-
vide line and line 3, wire, brackets
insulators, cross-arms, etc, and mile
of new poles, and the labor upon the
same amounting in all to $205.16.
Late in February, we found what
seemed a very desirable and econo-
mical rent for Offices in Skowhegan.
We had out-grown our construction
and means of getting to our Central in
fact, a great deal of it, was on the
Railroad right-of-way, and in such
location. and such shape that 1t
couldn't be increased. and if SO, liable
to rental for rights to remain there,
so your Directors voted at the April
meeting to lease the tenement in what
is known as the Brown block at lis
Water Street, for term of ten years,
at $3.50 per month with the privilege