THE REPUBLICAN

January 5, 1886

 

“HELLO !”

THE TELEPHONE WILL COME TO WAUPACA.

Other Towns will “catch on” next.

 

            Mr. T. D. Stone, of Ripon, representing the Wis. Telephone Company met a number of the Waupaca business men at the rooms of the W. B. M. Association on Tuesday evening.  He was satisfied right form the start by the feeling and substantial encouragement given there on that evening that Waupaca wanted the telephone, but he was aware of one thing, Waupaca would not get it without a personal solicitation and the autographs with $$ marked after every name.  The company asked no bonuses or donations but they had to have an assurance of business on the part of our people by their pledging to take so many dollars worth of tickets or coupon books that represent “current funds” to pay telephone service.  Last night Mr. Stone was satisfied that from the subscriptions representing nearly all of the business men of the place, the Telephone Co. would order him to proceed at once to distribute the poles so they could be set and wires strung as soon as the frost is out of the ground in the spring.

            It is not yet decided just from which point the line will start from to reach Waupaca. It may go from Brushville to Weyauwega and then here.  It will depend how much encouragement will be given in Weyauwega, and then again it may be the company will build from Appleton or Neenah to New London and then via Northport and Royalton to Waupaca via Manawa and Ogdensburg or via Weyauwega.  It will all depend how much aid can be secured.  There is one thing sure, if the people respond liberally in the purchase of the company’s toll books Waupaca county will not remain out in the cold all summer.  The line will be extended to Stevens Point after it gets here.

            Mr. Stone is very enthusiastic over Waupaca and its business men, and he is more than pleased with the Business Men’s Association and their pleasant suite of rooms for business and pleasure. He believes, as in this case that it is just the place where any enterprise can have an inception and with the harmonizing influences that this association gives to worthy projects, it will be the means of grand results for Waupaca city.  He says he never saw a town of the same number of inhabitants that could equal us for push and enterprise; and if we improve our resources – water power, transportation facilities, etc. we will be able to show double the number of inhabitants before the next census is taken.