Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-01-03
\. W.MllEN ARE r !.
HERE lE TO TAKE
PART IN MEET
Physical Connection Be
tween Telephone Exchang-
es Discussed at Conference

- - AF ..|N eAsg-tTEI a..st 1gS1s5LEE .V-HEA
Al conference. between city officials
and high officials OF the Northwestern
Exchange company rela--
tive to the proposed physical connec-
ton between the local telephone sys-
TENS was held today in the Office of
City Attorney Geo. A. Bangs.
The Northwestern company was
represented by General Commercial
Superintendent Guy H. Pratt Of
Omaha, Neb., Commercial Superin--
tendent l.. B. Wilson, st. Paul, Mimi,
District Commercial, Manager Frank
Bracelin, Fargo, and f. A.. Prender-
for the. Northwestern company. i.
The Committees work.
The city was represented by the
committee appointed by Mayor j.. A.
Dinnie under a resolution of the city
council adopted May z, 1917. which
provided hat the special committee
should investigate the power, authori-
ty and jurisdiction of the city to COM
pei physical connection between the
different telephone systems carried on
in Grand Forks. with the method Of
procedure therein, the compensation
therefor. and all questions connected
Herewith.
1t will be recalled that the COM
mittee made a trip to various Mime
sofa and Wisconsin cities where ply
steal telephone exchange connection
already was an accomplished fact,
and that. a report was made to the
council in the middle of october, last
year.
Telephones Installed in 1882.
In that report it was pointed out
hat the first telephone exchange was
installed in Grand Forks in 1882 by
ex-Mayor D. NJ. Holmes. IS. S. Titus.
W. G. Woodruff, Geo. B. Winship and
d. D. Webster. There are now about
five thousand telephones in use in
this city and in East Grand Forks;
these instruments. it was reported In
October, are divided almost equally
between the two exchanges. and there
were said to be between 500 and $50
Implications, leaving from 4.250. to
$500 actual telephone subscribers for
both phones.
On the strength of the facts. sub
mitted in. the report it was c%alculat-
ed that the city and citizens Of Grand
Forks are losing from $4,000 to $3.-
900 per month by reason of h dupli-
Gated telephone system, and that they
in addition receive only incomplete
service. 80
Tn-Statc Was Willing.
A series of negotiations took place
between the committee and telephone
officials, and while the Tri-State COM
pany almost Immediately declared its
willingness to cooperate with the city
in establishing physical connection,
it was found difficult to arrange any
conference with representatives of the
Northwestern Exchange.
At the last council meeting the
i to1onhnn p0Ynniftno u.QS authorized
to adopt stringent measures If neces-
sary. n it was generally thought
that If the Northwestern company
would not agree to meet the city
committee before the next council
meeting. the matter would be taken
up with the board Of railroad com.
missioners with a view to having tina
body compel the exchange to comply
withathe wishes of the community.
It appears hat that extreme steE
has been avoided. for it was said late
this afternoon, while the conference
was still in progress, that there were
good prospects of reaching an agree.
ment satisfactory to all parties con-
cerned. a. a..
Conference Still in Progress.
Further details were not availabl.
at that time as the conference hat
still. a number of important details t.
discuss, but it is intimated that thu
committee will be in a position t.
submit a pleasing report to the coun
Gil when it meet again next Monda!
evening. I'LL
During the, debates in the council
some time ago it was brought out b,
a representative Of the Tri-State com
pany that the actual wor of com
pleting the physical connection would
involve a very small expenditure TO
both companies. At that time 1t wa!
also said that a unification Of the sys
TENS would not result in any tele
phone operators being deprived o
their positions.
The consensus of opinion anon,
the citizens appears to be that physi
cal connection between the two tele
phone systems is highly desirable
and that view is d%ecisively reflected II
the view Of ,the city council as wei
as Of other municipal officials: n