Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1909 — START IS MADE TO ORGANIZE [ARTICLE]

START IS MADE TO ORGANIZE

EVERYBODY SEEMS IN FAVOR

Of It, and Subscriptions for Stock Is Now Being Solicited In Several Localities to Get It Started In Good Shape—Organization of a Company Will Soon Be Made and Then Work Will Begin In EarnestThe first definite move toward organizing a mutual telephone company in Jasper county was begun Wednesday, when some subscyip tions blanks were started out in the country to get signatures for stock. The plan that is talked of is to organize a company with a capital stock of 150,000, divided in 1,000 shares of SSO each, to incorporate when 100 shares have been subscribed for and organize by the election of a board of directors scattered over the county so that the different sections will have representation, this board to have the entire management of the business affairs of the company, and elect a president, vicepresident, secretary and treasurer. While the capital may seem large to some, it may not be all used by any means, in which event it need not be called for. Twenty-five per cent on each share would bring in $12,500, and that amount would build and equip a great many miles of lines. Of course it might become necessary to put in a new exchange at Rensselaer if no satisfactory arrangements could be made with the old company for switchboard service, or the company might want to buy out the old company entire, If this , could be done at what the system is really worth. Also buy the country lines of Bruner and Halleck j and reconstruct them and put them in first-class condition. If an entire new system is put in all through, both in town and country, it would likely take $25,000 to $35,000 to do so, but after once constructed it would need little repair for 12 to 20 years, the life of good cedar poles. All these matters, of course, will come up later, but that the movement is going to “take” is evidenced by the amount of interest shown in the different localities visited and the way the people are puttng down their names for stock. The general opinion seems to be that we will never have good telephone service until we get a good county-wide mutual system, either build new entire or take over the old lines and put them in first-class condition and extend lines out so that every farmer in Jasper county who wants ’phone service can have it and at about one-half the jates now being charged for the "bum” service tjiey get when they get any at allThe Democrat hope? to see the time, in a few years at most, when every farmer in this county has a telephone in his home and is connected with every other farmer, every town in the county and the county seat, and if any toll service at all is charged it will be very nominal, and that only to the farthest points reached. A subscription blank is at The The Democrat office, and every farmer

visiting Rensselaer who favors a mutual company is invited to come In and put down his name for one or more shares of stock. In addition to helping along a good thing it will be a very profitable investment, we sincerely believe. No solicitation whatever has been made in town yet and will not be until the farmers have been given an opportunity to subscribe, the object being to place as much of the 1000 shares In the country as possible, so that there will be a general interest felt in the system In every section of the county, and no one person will be allowed to take or hold more than four shares. Come in and subscribe for a share or two and get your neighbors to do likewise, or sign on one of the blanks that have been sent to the country, that the work of organizing may be started with as little delay as possible.