Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-05-20
PHONE co. WILL
SPEND BIG sum
Iowa Telephone Company to Rehabil-
itate System In Audubon-Much
New Work Already in
Progress


With an item ranging between
$4,000 and $4,000 the Iowa Tele-
phone Company takes a place among
the principals which are making the
year 1915 famous for Audubon by
construction work along industrial
lines. In the light of the numerous
other improvements and commercial
undertakings in the town, this large
expenditure by the telephone comp
any is likely to be somewhat over
looked, nevertheless it's value to Aud
ubon is incompatible and it consti-
tutes an item of moment in the his
tory of local public service industries.
The town of Audubon may well
point with pride to the rehabilitating
work now being done by the tele-
phone company. Two large gangs
have been busy during the past week
rebuilding the toll line and removing
the poles on South Park and laying
the cable underground. An appro-
priation of $4,000 was made some
time ago to complete the work con-
templated by the company. AS the
work progressed it became apparent
that more work was necessary to put
the plant in such working order as
would give to the patrons of the Aud
ubon exchange such service as it was
justly entitled to.
Yesterday morning Frank Elgan,
District Manager of Council Bluffs,
II. G. Conger, Commercial Supt., and
Frank Gaffney, special agent, of Des
Moines came to Audubon to interview
the business men on the subject of
service. They were not long m dis
covering that we should htAW better
service and they at once decfded that
1t would be necessary to appropriate
at least $4,000 more to rebuild the
outside work.
The rate for service in Audubon
is far below the average and in order
for the company to maintain a first
class plant it may be necessary to
raise the rate, and the amount of
money to be expended here will de-
pend largely upon the change in the
rate. The company is not attempt
ing to increase the rate to reimburse
them for money already put into the
plant, but they feel that the rate
should be increased at least to the
amount where it will pay interest on
the new money that will have to be
put in to insure better telephone SER
vice. However, the increase in rates
will not exceed soc per month for
certain classes, and would not be-
come effective until the new construc-
ton would be cut into service.
Many of the business men who
were interviewed seemed willing to
pay an increase in rate provided we
could get the proper kind of service.
No change is to be made in the SER
vice in the county and in the future
as in the past. we will continue to
enjoy the connection with Extra. The
gentlemen who p ere here assured us
that they intended TO give Audubon
a plant that would compare most fav-
orbaly with towns of the same class
and ALI of the construction work will
be done with the idea of connecting
it to any type of equipment that the
company might be called upon to take
care of the increasing business. In
all probability it will be necessary
for the Iowa Telephone Company to
install a new and modern swithch-
board, and while this has not been
definitely decided upon, the matter
is under consideration, and this will
also likely depend upon the extent of
the increase in the rate.