New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-05-07
CONSIDER HIGHER
TELEPHONE RATES
NEW ULM TELEPHONE co.
TAKES STEP AT ANNUAL
= MEETING.
RESIGNATION OF MANAGER
KOHN AND TWO LINEMEN
ANNOUNCED.

President Fred Pfaender of the New
Ulm Rural Telephone Company at the
annual meeting of the stockholders of
the company held last Thursday at
Schell's hall, explained to those present
that it had become necessary to consider
the raising of the phone rentals The
cost of operation and maintenance had
increased nearly $4,000 during the past
year, due to higher pay for operators
and working force, he said. He further
reminded the stock holders of resolu-
| ton passed at the last annual meeting
authorizing the directors to raise the
rates, but, he said, they had not done
| so up to this time.
After a lengthy discussion of this
matter, participated in by Alex Russell,
Philip Liesch, O. M. Olsen, F. H.
Retzlaff and manager Kohn a resolu-
ton was adopted which again authorizes
the directors to raise the phone rates.
They can not do so, however, without the
sanction Of the State Railroad and
Warehouse commission and as long as
! the lines are under control of the Federal
| government, that also has something to
ay in the matter.
| Many Con- plaints.
There were many complaints about
poor and inadequate service in the
country districts. Jos. Altman of West
! Newton stated that the service in that
locality had been far from satisfactory
blaming the work of the linemen es-
pecially for the trouble. He was second
ed by Anton Hellmer and during the
afternoon session John Havemeier of
;Courtland and others also complained of
the poor service in their town.
designations are Mailed.
This criticism, which was mostly di-
rected against the employees of the
company, caused Manager Otto R. Kohr
and Herbert Grussendorf and Herman
Schleuder, two inemen of the company
to hand in their designations, to be
effective June 1st. Mr. Kohn has been
with the company for eleven years. His
two main reasons for resigning at this
time are that he is tired of being sub
jected to somuch criticism which, he says
is wholly unjust considering the fact
that as long as he has been with the COM
| pany he has given his work his undivided
attention, not only during regular work
ing hours but also evenings and even
Sundays, and second that he believes
his salary wholly inadequate consider
ing the service rendered.
| The two hnemen Herbert Grussen-
! dorf and Herman Schleuder also resent
the strong criticism directed against them
and feel that under the circumstances
they ought not to continue in the en-
ploy Of the company. Mr.. Grussen-
dorf has been with the company for the
past nine years, while Nj. Schleuder
was in their employ for the past two years.
Both men describe the work of lineman
as hazardous and filed with various
handicaps unknown to the general public
| New Direct ors.
The president was authorized to
appoint twelve election judges and named
the following: O. NJ Olsen, JOS Wilt
scheck, J. M. Haubrich, Mich. ]. KInk-
hammer, John Manderfeld, Jr., Fred
Sehr, John Wilfahrt, Leon. Vetter, Alb
Huelskamp, Anton Hellmer, Fred. Stolt
John Carols.
The election of the board of direc
tors resulted as follows: New Uln1-
Fred. Pfaender, AID. G. Bierbaum, F. H
Retzlaff, Jos. Wiesner, VIM James anc
Fred Hamann; Cottonwooi-Math
Rock and JOS. J. Sperl; Milford-Aug
Backer and Fred. Rolloff; Sigel-Johr
A. Sellner and H. A. Hillesheim; Court
land-Henry Mueller and Mic. Rein
hart; West Newton-Math. Walser anc
VIM. Palmer; Lafayette John Huels
skamp and Fred Wellner