The Denison review., 1915-03-10
PATRONS
IN CONVENTION
Continued from Page ~

Hess ii luey COuiu poosiOiy SCl out vi
it. He believed that a mutual com.
pany could be operated in Crawford
county profitably and cited cases
where this is being done. Mr.. Wood
ruff, in speaking Of the announcement
sent out by the company last week,
said that the company is being mis-
managed or else they were making a
profit. He asked to hear from any
one present who was familiar with
mutual companies and could tell how
they were conducted and whether or
not with profit.
John r. Hoist was next called upon
and he gave a very good talk. Mr..
Hoist believed that the company
should not ask the patrons to help de-
fray the expenses OF tile recent storm
and wires could be insured against
damage from storms. In speaking OF
the new telephone building to be
erected by the company, he believed
that this should cOmes0ut OF the earn
ings OF the company without raising
the rates. He believed the stockhold-
ers We're entitled to reasonable
amount OF profit. but thought that "a
so per cent increase in rates was too
much. and that a majority Of the peo-
pie would be Wiling to grant small
increase without "A mnImlr. He be-
lieved that the company had no more
right to demand increased rates than
the farmer had for asking more mon
ey for his hogs when they had lost
hundreds OF head through cholera.
Chas. Speck then addressed the
meeting and talked OF the poor service
that was being given. He told OF a
patron Of the company who had not
been able to have the use OF his phone
for several weeks. One day he heard
the bell ring and was notified that his
rent was due on the phone and re-
piled: much obliged; this is the first
time | have been able to talk over
this phone for several weeks" He
said that while the telephone company
may have losses. farmers have losses
too. but that there We're insurance
companies who would be willing to
tcarry the risk.
(a Mr. Chas. Shiyes made motion that
standing vote be taken to get the
lhentiment of those assembled wleth-
Ter raise in rates be granted or the
old rates be maintained. Before this,
motion was voted upon Mr.. Fred
Brandenberg asked for substitute
motion leaving it with the committee
which was sent to talk with the Of
ticials whether or not a raise be
granted.
William Schneider thought that the
matter might be compromised by ask
ing the company to leave the old rates
in force. but charge toll for rural calls
to towns within the county, which
service: has always 7 zen free hereto
fore. This suggesti{ ], however, did
not meet with favo Mr.. Branden-
berg again spoke and stated that he
believed that the pe0ple should be fair
with the company and ask to investi-
gate the books and if it was true that
they We're not making Il fair rate of
interest on the money invested then
they were entitled to raise the rates.
If the committee was not capable of
investigating the books, then hire an
expert .bookkeeper to go through them
together with the committee. He was
not in favor of being held up by an
outrageous price, but wanted the mat
ter adjusted He said that no one
could do without the telephone these
days and every thrifty farmer must
have it. He thought the committee
should look into the books and find
out what the income was from the in.
vestment. ~
A motion was then made that
committee of five be appointed to
confer with the officials of the com
pany. The motion was PROMPTLY sec
onded and carried unanimously. Mr..
Brandenberg then moved that those
present suggest the names and each
one be voted upon by the assembly.
This motion was also carried. The
committee elected was as follows: c.
p. Harvey, John Woodruff, Fred Bran
denberg, Chas. Specht and j.. l.. Hoff
man. There was considerable discus
sion in selecting the fifth member OF
the committee Those from Denison
present at the meeting believed that
Denison should be represented on the
cOmmitte as the Denison patrons OF
the telephone had just as much to com
plain OF in regard to the rates as did
the farmers. After lengthy discus
sion and after several names had been
suggested it was the general opinion
that Mr.. r. l.. Hoffman would be the
man for the place.
A motion was then made by Mr.. |
Harvey that the committee be in
structed TO notify the Crawford Coun-
ty Telephone company that the pat
rons OF the company We're in favor OF !
keeping their phones at the $12 a
year rate for a term OF ten years.
This motion brought out consider.
able discussion. Mr.. Shives said that |
he thought 1t should be cut to five
years for the price of material and
labor might become so high that it
would be impossible to furnish the |
service at that rate for SO long term |
Then. too, lie believed that there might |
be IL possibility that the state legis- |
lature might make law fixing the |
rates OF telephones which would be in |
direct opposition to the agreement |
proposed. Mr.. Brandenberg talked |
again in favor OF investigating the |
condition OF the company and Mr. |
Harvey replied that if the present
company could not make it pay at the |
present rates then some other COM
pany should enter the field that could !
make success of it. The motion |
finally carried to demand the old rates |
for a period OF ten years, but not un-