THE NORDNESS TELEPHONE GO.

A group of farmers met at the school house near the Washington Prairie Church on April 16, 1900, for the purpose of organizing a telephone company. Erick E. Soland was elected manager and Albert Linnevold, secretary. It was decided to start building as soon as possible.

It wasn't till December 1901 that the Nordness Telephone Company extended its line to Ossian. F. W. Dessel and M. J. Carter were the first Ossian residents to put in phones, which was accomplished the same day the line reached town.

At the close of the year (1901), the company boasted of 91 subscribers. Total receipts for this year amounted to $1,176.27. Total expeditures were $1173,90, leaving a balance for the period of $2.37.

In 1905 the Nordness Telephone Company built a special wire to Ossian, Calmar and Decorah, which could be connected with the main switches. This made it possible for the other divisions to be connected directly to that line without going over any other division. These switches were made by Julius Brown. Five divisions could be directed from any switch to any subscriber.

On Feb. 11, 1905, the Nordness Telephone Company bought out divisions built by the Standard Telephone Company; one line ran from Winn Rathbun's farm in Frankville township and another to the town of Frankville. That territory soon was filled with subscribers.

On the second Tuesday of 1925, the Nordness Company purchased an undivided half interest of the Pleasant Ridge Company for $1,865.

In the fall of this year, the first underground cable was constructed in Ossian —from the Ossian State Bank to the Lutheran Church; also north to the filling station at the John Moe corner. The town now has underground cable reaching in all areas.

The three officers holding the longest term of office in this company are as follows: 0. 0. Lomen, president for 20 years; C. J. Torgrimson, auditor for 25 years; Julius Brown, director, manager and president for 30 years. Mrs. Brown was operator of a telephone central for 25 years. In September of this year (1950),

Mrs. Edna Torkelson will complete her 20th year as an operator in the Ossian office.

THE PLEASANT RIDGE TELEPHONE CO.

In late autumn, 1900, A. W. Oxley, Jos. Weitgenant and Walker DeCou organized she Pleasant Ridge Telephone Company. Mr. Oxley became its first president and Mr. Weitgenant the first secretary. The farmers' rural telephone was a new project in the community at this time. It required thought, planning and labor. The poles for the lines were native white and burr oak, cut from our local timber. Each member was required to furnish 20 poles, $29*50 in cash for one share, and eight lays labor or $10 at the option of the company. The pioneers did not falter, but labored on without thought of their time or money until they reached their goal.

The first telephones installed by this company in Ossian went to Walker DeCou, Henry Boeckman, Jos. Weitgenant and A. W. Oxley. The following day phones were installed in the homes of Beit, Daniels and Thos. Russell. The lines spread rapidly to Ossian, Castalia and north to the Elmer Rosa farm.

In Ossian an exchange system with the Standard and Nordness companies was established in the Mills Drug Store. A petition was presented to the Standard and Pleasant Ridge Telephone Companies in 191^ by their Ossian patrons to consolidate *heir lines to one central station and maintain an operator on duty for 2^ hours 1 day. A central office was established in the Frank Sobolik harness shop. During the next few years, the Pleasant Ridge firm installed many telephones in Ossian and maintained a connection with the Bell system.

On May 29, 1924, the Company purchased the Northwestern Bell exchange. The ten cent connection charge between the lines was eliminated when the two central stations were combined.