Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1908 [PAGE 109]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1907]

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

81

the Bell Company to do what they can to prevent losing* custom upon the inauguration of the new automatic exchange of the Home Telephone Company. If the offer be accepted, as I hope it will be, all present Bell telephones might be discontinued, as soon as the new service is properly established, but I recommend that the telephone in the president's office be retained, as an independent means of reaching the Bell office, especially in view of the large amount of long distance business transacted from the president's office. Our present payments to the Bell Company for local service amounts to $258 per year, and their proposal, together with retaining the president's office would be $234, a saving of $24, together with the extension of the service to all present or future stations of the University private exchange. Of course if we extend materially, more trunk wires would be needed, but as practically all of important offices are now connected, additional telephones would be of the nature of inter-department service rather than any great extension of the down-town business. This offer does not exclude our connecting with the Home Company's automatic, although the Bell manager wanted to make this restriction. I believe in as full telephone service as possible, and it will certainly be a great convenience to have but a single instrument on one's desk for communication with both companies. I do not know of any other place where this is allowed. As a trustee's meeting is to come next Tuesday, I hope this may be passed then. Very truly yours,

MORGAN BROOKS,

Professor of Electrical Engineering. The board then took a recess until 2:00 o'clock p. m.

Afternoon Session, March 12, 1907.

When the board met after the recess the same members were present as in the morning.

PRESIDENT'S SALARY.

On motion of Mr. Abbott it was voted that the president's salarybe made $10,000 a year with the same allowance as heretofore; to-wit, the use of the president's house, with heating, light, and water, also the keeping of three horses. President Kerrick stated that he must be at home for the night, and withdrew, having first asked Mr. Abbott to take the chair for the rest of the meeting.

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