Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-17

N. D.. WEDNESDAY, AP
contract has been more than justi-
fled BY the saving OF coal.
Bridges.
The bridges across tie Red river
are connecting links between the
counties Of Grand Forks and Polk
and between the states Of North Da-
kota and Minnesota; they are neces-
sary and essential portions Of inter-
state highways, and II; 10 most unjust
bear the burdens Of their upkeep and
maintenance. "a.
Y is about so years since these
bridges were constructed, and they
rmust. very soon be replaced; it was
necessary to close the Minnesota
Poine bridge for about 80 days dur
ling the last winter, and the repairs
made thereto are merely temporary.
. The city of East Grand Forks, the
county of Polk and the state of Min
nesota ought to contribute their share
toward the repairing Of these bridges,
and in default there Of it is. quite
possible that serious thought should
be given az to whether OF not we
ought to. construct one or more toll
bridges.
Fire Department.
This is one of the most important
departments of the city n is in,
purchase Of the new and additional
apparatus has brought It's equipment
up to the highest standard; the Off
GERS and members of the department
are fearless and active, and under
Chief Fitzgerald the management
has been most efficient.
Health Department.
The health of the city has been
excellent, and this has been due in
NO small degree to the service r1n-
! dered by the board Of health and
the. food inspector, Mrs. r. A.
SpragueG who have i~ntelligently and
faithfully enforced the health laws
and ordinances within the city; the
duties laid upon the board Of health
are onerous and require great patti
ence. fidelity and persistence.
can illustrate the Importance of
these duties no better than by call
ing your attention to the act that
before the enactment and enforce
ment of the milk and cream ordin-
ances the infant mortality was very
high. averaging from 20 to 26 per
cent of children under = months,
| III SOAoS, iASCl n pC1AoA VI u q
few years, the mortality in the same
class has been reduced to not to
exceed 4 per cent.
Telephone Systems.
In my message a year ago I called
attention to the very unsatisfactory
service given by the two telephone
exchanges in this city and resulting
largely from the duplication of SER
vice with it's increased expense and
annoyance.
A special committee to consider
this question was created by the
council consisting Of five. members
three of whom were aldermen; this
committee has given painstaking care
to it, and l accompanied thehc COM
mittee In visit Of investigation ia
the railroad commissioners of Min.
nesota n wisconsin,. as we'll as ia
the cities of Owatonna, Lacrosse and
GAINESVILLE.
A number of , conferences were
held with the principal officers OF
the Northwestern and Tri-State ex.
changes. reports Of which. with the
iother activities of the committee
have been made to you,
This question of the elimination OF
the extraordinary expense entailed
upon communities by the duplication
of telephone exchanges has been one
of increasing importance all over the
United States; the necessity arising
out * the war for Acdpomy in al
things. brought this as Well as many
other Questions to "a point. @s
r. I'm 4alifornia~an and New York. and
perhaps in other states. efforts were
I,madeT by the state authorities to re.
duce this expense by consolidation OF
eliminating n company, and divid.
ing and distributing the territory:
1.-The savings accomplished thereby are
Emany and great and are to the a
vantage not only of the subscriber
but also to the nation at large; TIE
subscriber obtains the same servic.
for practically one-half the expense
while the OF the cOuntr.
are. economical by the elimination o.
duplication in construction, extension
and. maintenance work by the ex
changes: this saving, in the aggregate
is enormous.
In appreciation Of these things tn,
committee, under the guidance OF
of this year took up the possibilit!
Of such an agreement between TIL
two companies in this icty, but be
fore the negotiations had proceeded
for. the railroad commissioners o
Minnesota instituted proceeding
looking to the division and distribu
ton of the territory in that stat
between the two companies and tn
elimination of competition thereby.
The condition in this city is natu
rally dependent upon the condition.
in Minnesota and the company t
(which al allotted the northern por
ton of Minnesota ought naturally t
maintain the exchanges in this city
In addition. II competition in tol
business between this city and TIL
Twin Cities was eliminated by tn
ruling of the Minnesota railroad com
mission, then the company surrender
ing its toll line between bere an
the Twin Cities was practically elm
mated from the operation Of an e.
change here.
We are informed that the negotia
tons in Minnesota are progressing
satisfactorily and hat there is ever
prospect for a successful solution o
the difficulties naturally encountere'
in so vast an enterprise; the saying
in maintenance and construction
alone. we are told. will amount t
many millions Of dollars annually.
II the Minnesota solution is adopt
ed it will naturally mean the elimi
nation of the Tri-State company from
Grand Forks: the; Tri-State compan
holds a franchise from this city cord
154 pc. 272) granted, in May, 100.
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