Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-07-29
.vouchsafsd. but II II known that all
authority will center In the persona Of
the postmaster.
TELEGRAPH stamng MAY be Used.

the postmaster.
Telegraph Stamps May BIO Used.
While nothing DEFINITE has been re-
ceived here, It Ia known that the
government cohtemplates CONSOLIDATE
ing the accounts and funds OF the
wire companies into the accounting
system of the post office. and that 9
plan il on foot which will result in
all moneys collected being trans
ferred to the post office which Will
also make all disbursements for the
It was said today that the system
provided will ultimately conclude in
formulating q plan for the issuance
of telegraph stamps which will be at
tached to messages as postage stamps
are now attached to letters. Such
stamps will be sold at I'LL offices and
postal stations, and no money will be
paid over the counter for kilograms.
Regarding telephone service, 1t
seems Impossible to adopt q similar
system, but 1t is thought that the gov
eminent will insist on the establish
ment of a strict cash basis.
AS far as Is known at this time, h
telegraph offices will operate as usual,
and apparently business will be con
tinued as heretofore so that the pub
lie will 20 feel tho changes tmmedi-
ately. The extent to which the wire
traffic will be revolutionized is a mat
tor Of guess-work.
Council Meets Tonight.
The action of the government has
been one Of the deciding factors in
favor of calling a special meeting Of
the city council for tonight. The tele-
phone situation will once more be
discussed in an effort to have final
- ~Al~~ y xp IAn Ia SnrnNI IN o@roV1otn
physical consolidation of the two 10
cal lines.
Discussing the matter, w. s.. Whit
man, chairman of the telephone COM
mittee, said that the disturbance of
business generally occasioned by the
war and the extraordinary demands
created by the construction of the
different environments, etc, has seri-
ously affected the supply Of switch
boards and other telephone equip
ments: 1t will be impossible to obtain
switch board and equipment for a
consolidated exchange at Grand
Forks in less than n year. and it
will require six months additional to
install the equipment; so that the
best estimate at the present time is
that consolidated local service a not
be obtained short Of Is months.
There can be a sufficient uniflca-
ton Of the exchanges for the toll
business In probably q week or ten
days, so that as soon as the council
grants permission for the Tri- State
to sell Its exchange to the Northwest
ern, unified toll service can be obtain
ed within 10 days. that is in about 10
days time Tri-State subscribers car
use Northwestern toll lines and vice
versa.
The question Of tho Tri-State fran
chise will come up for definite settle-
ment at the special council meeting
this evening.
Business Men Act.
A luncheon was given at the Fred
erick hotel this noon by the board Of
directors Of the Commercial club. and
a number Of local business men were
invited to attend for the purpose Of
taking part In IL discussion regarding
tho present stage Of the local tele-
phone situation.
At the close of the meeting it was
unanimously agreed to endorse wholly
the efforts made by the Tri-State
company to obtain the permission of
the city council to have its franchise
rescinded so as to enable the COM
pany to sell its property in this city
to the Northwestern company. A re-
port of the meeting and the steps
taken there will be presented to the
council tonight