New Ulm review., 1917-02-14
TELEPHONE LINES
TO BE CONNECTED
co MPETING LINES COMPELLED
TO SERVE PATRONS OF THE
OTHER.
RAILROAD AND WAREHOUSE
COMMISSION TAKES A HAND
AT OWATONNA.

SAANAASo ONAAP PcAAJ3 C1AO So1ASCI1l Op6Idl11lS
Bell telephone lines in Minnesota, must
connect it's toll lines with those of other
telephone companies in the state, when
there is a demand for such service. In
other words tive older company is obliged
to give patrons of the younger and
smaller concerns the convenience of the
| older corporation. This fact was made
plain last week when the Minnesota
Railroad and Warehouse Commission
ordered the Northwestern company to
connect its Owatonna local exchange
with the toll lines of the Tri-State Tele-
phone & Telegraph Company for the
purpose Of furnishing toll service to the
patrons of both companies. This order
was issued when the city of Owatonna
had petitioned the commission, after
the telephone companies refused to make
the connection. J.. ..., - r
Feared Business Loss. 4
The Northwestern Company con-
tended that the proposed connection
would divert large part of it's business
and revenue to competitor and further
insisted that if the connection was forced
the company must be protected by an
arbitrary charge of rs cents on each
message from and to it's local subscribers
over the lines of its competitor. The
Tri-State Company announced it's will
lingness3 to make the connection, but
objected to the 25-cent extra charge and
contended that this would deprive that
company Of a part, and maybe all, of it's
local toll stations.
Tie commission decided in favor Of
the city. The expense of making the
connection is to be divided equally be-
tween the two telephone companies, the
Tri-State Company being obliged to paw
the Northwestern a reasonable rental
for the use of it's conduits. It is also
provided in the order of the Commission
that the Tri-State Company pay the
Northwestern people service charge
of 5 cents on each ''in'' and "out'
message, the amount to- be absorbed
from the published toll tare. The
Northwestern Company is to be allowed
an>arbitrary charge of 10 cents for each
toll message moving over the toll lines
OF the Tri-State Company to or from the
subscribers stations of the Northwestern
Company. -
People Have Right to Talk.
The Railroad and Warehouse Com
mission believe the people of Minnesota
should have the right to talk over con-
Meeting lines to any point in the state
under reasonable terms which properly
safeguard the property of the telephone
companies. The state legislature has
provided for this privilege in the existing
telephone laws, which require telephone
companies to make physical connections
between toll lines and local exchanges
whenever public convenience demands,
and the connection can be made without
resulting in irreparable injury to the
telephone system.
There has not yet been any demand for
a connection between the lines of the
different companies operating in New
Ulm. Manager Otto R. Kohn Of the
New Ulm Rural Telephone Company
which operates long distance lines ir
connection with the Tri-State Company
says there has never been any demand
for connecting the lines with the North
western Company, and until there is his
company has allowed the matter to rest
He is of the opinion that in time there
will >be law enacted compelling al
telephone companies operating withi1
the state, whether such concern wish il
or not.
STALLED HERE ELEVEN DAYS