CLAY COUNTY ILLUSTRATED 



57 



Looking Across Swede Grove Lake — Mensing and Johnson Farm in Distance 



on the 400 acre farm that lies along its 

 shores. Much of the land has been 

 broken up by the new owners, H. F. 

 Mensing and D. G. Johnson, of Haw- 

 ley. Corn, potatoes and grain are the 

 principal crops and a five-acre trial 

 patch of alfalfa has proven successful. 

 The farm is in Highland Grove town- 

 ship, two and one-half miles southeast 

 of Hitterdal. 



Rollag Telephone Company 



The Rollag Telephone Company was 

 organized by eight eastern Clay Coun- 

 ty farmers in April, 1904, and the net- 

 work of lines now covers the entire 

 eastern part of Clay and extends 

 into Becker and Otter Tail counties. 

 Exchanges are maintained by the com- 

 pany at Rollag and Hitterdal, and con- 

 nections are made with trunk lines 

 and local exchanges at Hawley, 

 Barnesville and other points. At Dale 

 the Lake Park system, covering a 

 large part of Becker County, is met 

 by the company's lines. 



Since the first lines were installed 

 there has been continual improvement 

 until the system now ranks with the 

 best in the state. There are 308 sub- 

 scribers on the 398 miles of lines, ex- 

 clusive of the hundreds of patrons of 

 other lines in the cities and villages 

 with which direct connections are 

 maintained. 



The authorized capital of the com- 

 pany is $25,000 and the actual work- 

 ing capital has been $10,870.00. It has 

 been a paying institution from the 

 start; and, with the exception of one 

 year, annual dividends of eight per 

 cent have been paid. The company 

 has a good working surplus in the 

 treasury ; and this year decided to set 

 aside five per cent of the gross earn- 

 ings as a sinking fund to provide for 

 any emergencies that may arise. The 

 present officers are : H. M. Tang, pres- 

 ident; Herbran Erickson, vice presi- 

 dent and A. L. Ruud, secretary and 

 treasurer. 



Scene on the Mensing and Johnson Farm, Highland Grove Township 



