Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-07-30
Action of Council in Regard
to Tri-State Company
Commented On.
w. S. WHITMAN K
CLEAR
Divergent Opinions Found
Regarding Annulment of
Telephone Franchise.

The action the city council in an
1ulling the Tri-State telephone fran
chise at a special meeting last night
for the purpose of facilitating the
ultimate unif1cation of the two local
telephone systems. today called forth
q running fire of comment from va
rious sources. Many objections We're
heard, most of them were embodied
and answered in a statement issued
by w. S. Whitman, chairman of the
special council committee on tele-
phone consolidation.
Among those who were frankly
in opposition to the action of the
council was NJ. F. Murphy who said
he was disappointed at the manner
in which the deal had been handled;
he added that he feared the rates
would be considerably increased
after some time.
e. j. Lander said he had not stud
led the latest developments very
thoroughly. but had never favored
the proposition. Mr.. Lander thought
the rights of the CITY should have
been clearly established before the
council took action in regard to the
franchise matter, but admitted that
he did not feel very certain whether
ranged in any other way at the stage
which the negotiations had reached
now.
Ctty's Only Franchise.
A. G. Sorlie thought the action Of
the council a mistake because the
Tri-State franchise is the only real
franchise the city has control Of. AL
though Mr.. Sor1ie had not familiar
ICED himself with the latest details,
he said that. judging off-hand. it
looked as though the city were giving
--.~- ls- --I -~&- -.
return.
County Auditor Hans Anderson
thought the proposition all right pro-
vided the company left alone in the
local field does not bleed the city to
death with unreasonable rates. J. H.
McNicol found an opportunity to re-
iterate his belief that this was the
only way out of a, difficult situation,
and he saw no reason why the Tri-
State people should not be allowed to
transfer their property to the North
western company in view of the fact
that h Tri-State plant in Grand
Forks will be completely isolated
from all the other plants of the COM
pany.
Fred Bartholomew expressed his
cordial sympathy with present stage
Wheeler said that what the council
did was a prope thing to do; the
only reason for regret in his matter,
according to the mayor, is that the
purposes are not clearly understood.
Mr.. Whitman States Case.
Discussing the various objections to
the arrangement-some of them were
heard in the council last night-W.
s. Whitman, chairman of the special
telephone committee, late today is
sued the following statement:
THE consolidation of the two ex-
changes is to the best interest of our
city and people because:
II. Competition between the two
companies was wiped out by the Min
nesota Railroad Commissioners and
the Federal Department Of Justice;
competition was the only excuse
there ever was for two exchanges and
1t has been destroyed.
90. h Tri-State franchise is al
most exhausted; it expires in May,
1928: the Tri-State does not want and
would not accept a renewal and the
city can not force a renewal: in five
years more the Tri-State could sell to
the Northwestern without the ON
sent Of the city.