Golden West Telephone Cooperative, Pennington Co., SD

	This chapter is from "Eastern Pennington County Memories", published by 
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Golden West Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

	The first Golden West Telephone Cooperative was organized in 1916 
as a stock company in what is now known as the Big Foote Community, a 
crescent shaped territory located along the Badland wall. Mr. William 
Dillon for whom Dillon Pass is named was elected President, Mr. Ed 
Hillery, Vice President for Big Pass and Mr. George Fauske, Sec. Treas. 
for Cedar Pass. The telephone cooperative Is purpose was to connect 
with telephone service the two principle towns of Quinn and Interior.

	Both Quinn and Interior at this time were important trade 
centers. Interior had three grocery stores, two hotels with 
restaurants, blacksmith shop, a Ford and Maxwell car agency, McCormick-
Deering and John Deere machinery agency, two lumber yards, White Eagle 
and Standard bulk plants, hardware store, a dry goods store and a drug 
store, a bank, a newspaper and a doctor.

	Quinn was also an important trade center. The town had two 
grocery stores, two lumber yards, two cream stations, a bank, two real 
estate agents, a hotel with restaurant, a hardware store, the well 
known Brownie Is machinery shop, livery barn, drug store, blacksmith 
shop and a newspaper.

	As the telephone organization progressed requests for telephone 
service was received from farmers and ranchers in the Lake Flat and 
Peno Basin communities. Golden West lines were extended from Quinn.

	In 1918 the question of service and maintenance became a problem 
and George Fauske was elected manager, a position which he held for 
three years until World War I deflation struck. Not only did the 
deflation break local farmers and ranchers but businesses and banks in 
both Quinn and Interior went bankrupt. Fires completed the denuding of 
both towns. Golden West fared very little better. It could no longer 
afford a manager or systematic maintenance. The number of subscribers 
dwindled as family after family moved away, By 1930 even the line to 
Interior had been taken up. A system of subscriber maintenance proved 
unworkable and it fell to the directors to personally make such repairs 
as were needed to maintain service which they did without pay.

	By 1934 the depression of the thirties had struck a second blow, 
Golden West Telephone Cooperative was offered at sheriffs sale for 
taxes and was purchased by director George Fauske.

	George Fauske repaired the lines and again good service was 
restored, but it was short lived. In March 1937 a sleet storm struck 
devastating effects. Mile after mile of poles weakened with age broke 
and snapped the rusty wire. George Fauske sought to restore service and 
after two weeks reached Quinn. Service beyond Quinn was never restored. 
Returning home on April 19, 1937, after working on the line, George 
Fauske was killed in a car-truck accident. The family subsequently 
discontinued the service and sold the lines to community groups. One 
line was purchased by E. G. Geigle and connected to the Wall line to 
serve the north community.

	The early Golden West lines were one wire, grounded system with a 
magneto wall telephone. Each telephone had its own batteries which were 
supplied by each subscriber. A party line could contain as many as 
twenty subscribers and featured a system of code ringing. In the 
morning a general code was rung, usually five long rings which alerted 
the subscribers to the fact that the central office was open and the 
time of day. This code was also used for community emergencies such as 
prairie fires or sickness. The telephone line was built on fences where 
fences were available by nailing a 2x4 on fence post. The central 
office was open from 8 o'clock in the morning until 12:00. It opened 
again at 1 o'clock and stayed open until 5 o'clock. It again opened for 
two hours after supper from 7 to 9. On Sundays and Holidays it was open 
from 9 to 10 in the morning, 4 to 5 in the afternoon. The rent was 
eighteen dollars a year. 

	Directors of early Golden West were George Fauske, Frank 
McDonald, Ernest Helms, Sr., Carl Klingbile, E. G. Geigle, Art 
Hildebrandt and Lon Hildebrandt.

	World War II came and went and the people of the Quinn area again 
began to think of the need for telephone service The possibility of 
obtaining construction funds from the United States Government under 
the Rural Electrification Act. A meeting of interested individuals from 
the surrounding area was called on February 14, 1950 at the Tony Krebs 
home in Quinn. Ingebert Fauske, son of the late George Fauske, was 
elected chairman of the Board. Harvey Hildebrandt was elected 
Secretary-Treasurer and Alva Sims as Vice-Chairman. Others attending 
who were directors and stockholders were, Dale Keyser, E. G. Geigle 
Tony Krebs, Melvin Kjerstad, Adolph Eisenbraun, Richard Kulesza, Austin 
O'Dea and Thomas McNenny.

	The Cooperative made application for a telephone loan from REA. 
Membership sign up meetings were held throughout the area.

	On November 14, 1952 the Cooperative received its charter of 
Incorporation from the Secretary of State. Further meetings were held 
and Chairman Fauske was sent to Washington, D. C. to spur the progress 
of loan approval. Many problems confronted the directors concerning 
service and exchange areas. Eventually the A section was cut down to 
the exchange areas of Quinn, Creighton, Wall, Wicksville and New 
Underwood.

	In order to prove REA loan feasibility the cooperative approached 
the West River Electric Assoc., Inc. to aid by establishing a joint-
management agreement. A favorable arrangement was worked out and Mr. O. 
S. Soma, Manager of WREA, was hired as manager of Golden West under the 
joint arrangement.

	The A section was completed in July 1956 bringing modern dial 
telephone service to some 633 subscribers.

	As time went by the Cooperative extended its service area into 
eleven central western South Dakota counties. Exchanges were 
established at Enning, Wasta, Longvalley and Belvidere. Existing 
telephone companies and switch lines were purchased and new lines and 
equipment installed to bring modern telephone service to farms and 
ranchers.

	The Cooperative also provided service to military installations, 
Titan Missile site, Radar Bomb Scoring Site, and the Minuteman Missile 
Complexes.

	With one of the largest service areas of any independent 
telephone company in South Dakota the Cooperative found it necessary to 
establish maintenance outposts in Enning, Faith, and Kadoka. Two-way 
radio equipment was installed in service trucks to speed repairs on 
over 2000 miles of line.

	With the addition of new exchanges of directors began to take 
place. Although many of incorperators are still on the Board, Mr. E. G. 
Geigle holds the distinction of being one of the original directors of 
Golden West and still serves on the present board as Secretary- 
Treasurer.

	In May 1964 the joint management arrangement with West River 
Electric was terminated and Mr. Donald Paulsen was hired as full time 
Manager. The Cooperative moved its office to the old bank building on 
Wall's main street.

	At the February 14, 1950 organizational meeting a motion was made 
to name the company the Golden West Cooperative Telephone Association. 
This paid tribute to the original Golden West Telephone Company started 
years before. It also reflected the dedication and faith the directors 
and members have in Western South Dakota through their firm belief that 
the West is truly golden.

[Photo – Inglebert Fauske, Chairman of the Board.]

[Photo – Ruchard Kulesza, Austin O’Dea, Alva Sims, Inglebert Fauske, E. 
G. Geigle, Ohmer Cook, Earl Waterland, (absent Frank Andersen, Gene 
Pellergin).]

[Photo – Office and workers, Mrs. Gertrude Kopp, Nancy McDonald, and 
Dora Briley.]

[Photo – Central Dial Office]

[Photo – Don Paulsen, Manager]