New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-05-09
GROWTH SHOWN IN
TELEPHONE LINES
ANNUAL MEETING. OF NEW ULM
RURAL COMPANY REVEALS
PROSPERITY.
INCREASED RATES ARE URGED
AS NECESSARY FOR NEEDED
IMPROVEMENTS.

Ihe New Ulm Rural Telephone COM
pany shows a substantial increase in
business in the past year. This was dis
closed at the twelfth annual meeting OF
the company, held at Schell's hall last
Thursday. There were over one hundred
or about a quarter of the stockholders
present at the meeting.
There was gain of 105 telephones in
use from April Is, 1915 to April 16, 1917,
lightweight of which were in the city
and seventeen on the rural lines. There
are 1926 miles of pole lines and 545 miles
of circuit, 161 miles of which are in Brown
county and 165 miles in Nicollet, Three
and half miles of pole lines were added
during the year.
Directors Are Elected.
The meeting was called to order at
10 a. M, by President Fred Pfaender,
who appointed twelve election judges,
after which nominations of directors
were made. The meeting then ad-
journed until l p. m.
The election took place during the first
hour OF the afternoon session, the follow
ing eighteen directors being chosen:
New Ulm-Fred Pfaender, F. H. Retz-
laff, H. P. Bastian, Joseph Wiesner, A.
G. Bierbaum, William James. +
Cottonwood - Mathew Rock. and
Joseph J. Sperl.
Milford William Gluth and Fred
Rolloff. ~ r.
Contradictory Mueller and Nicho-
las Reinhart.
Sigel-John A. Sellner and H. A. HilIes-
helm.
West Newton-Mathew Walser and
l.. P. Bushard
Lafayette Huelskamp and Fred
Wellner.
Assets Have Increased.
The financial statement, which was
baum and also distributed to the stock
cellent showing. The total assets are
$88, 45l: SO, including $2,766.86 cash on
hand. The receip pts of the company for
the year were $34,537.09. The gross
earnings for the year We're So, $40. 81, OF
which $22,931.05 was for telephone rent.
This is about 1000 more than for the
previous year. The maintenance and
operating expenses were $10,803.73.
Construction from April Is, 1916 to the
same date this year, was $25,001.20; this
included the new office building which
costs $11,570.39. The company paid
dividends during the year of 81, 301.5O.
Assistant Secretary, Bierbaum an
nounced that dividend of z per cent had
been declared at meeting of the directors
held few days before the annual meet
ing.
Manager Kohn Advises Improvement
In his report to the stockholders
Manager Otto R. Kohn took occasion to
call the attention of the members of the
company to the fact that number Of
improvements are necessary that .ade.
quate service may be afforded the sub.
scrlbers. He said that in numerous
instances as many as fifteen subscribers
were on single rural line. Extra lines
ne said, should be provided to relieve
those Overburdened. He said the cos,
would be about $500, but it shoulc
have been done several years ago. HI
said he proposes to patrol all of the rura
lines and make necessary repairs, which
will cost in the neighborhood of $500
or $500.
Mr.. Kohn's report started spirited
discussion as to the advisability Of
raising the telephone rates, which are nov
much lower than any Others for similar
service in the state.
The rates made by the St. Peter
Hanska, Sleepy Eye and other com.
panies in nearby territory is $125 g
month, while here the rate remains at 81
the same as when the company was
organized twelve years ago. The Man.
kato, Cambria and others charge $3.50. -
Several of the stockholders discussed
the situation at length. Owing to the
fact that so large a percentage of the
members of the company were absent
those present did not feel that it would
be proper to take definite action or
raising rates. 1t was voted, however, tc
authorize the directors to take such ac-
ton in the matter as they deemed
necessary for the welfare of the com.
pany.
The directors will elect their officers at
their next monthly meeting which will
be held in June.
! President Pfaender announced that
the switchboard, to be installed in the
new building, built at Rochester, N. Y,
was completed and telegram just re-
ceived from the builders announced that
it would be shipped at once and is ex-
pected to arrive this week. It will take
about two months to install the new
board and make the transfer from the old
offices to the new.