HR1355

LRB094 20769 HSS 59088 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the 
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State of Illinois are pleased to recognize milestone events of 
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businesses in this State of Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, During 2006, the Home Telephone Co. of St. Jacob 
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is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Home Telephone Co. is a family business that has a 
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long-standing goal to provide the latest high-tech services to 
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area residents; the company has a history of ensuring that its 
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customers have the best services possible as soon as possible; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Home Telephone Co. was formed on July 6, 1906, 
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when 75 local residents met to expand the service beyond the 
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single phone available at a local store; the first owners of 
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Home Telephone Co. were Frank Virgin and his son, Bert, and 
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Phillip Baer and his son, Harold; the name, Home Telephone Co., 
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was chosen because the business was operated out of a house; 
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the first switchboard was located in a room attached to the 
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east side of Gaffner's Drug Store; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Today, the telephone central office is located at 
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501 N. Douglas Street; to join the nationwide convergence to 
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digital technology, a new central office and business office 
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was built in 1993; the conversion to digital technology enabled 
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Home Telephone Co. to become one of the first rural telephone 
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providers to offer digital calling features and voice mail; and

 
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    WHEREAS, As of 2006, Home Telephone Co. serves over 1,000 
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access lines in its 52 square-mile service area; the company 
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offers advanced services such as high-speed Internet, long 
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distance, digital cable television, and data storage services; 
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it still operates as a family business, now in its third 
 


 






HR1355
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LRB094 20769 HSS 59088 r




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generation; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Richard Schmidt operates Home Telephone Co. with 
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his four children, Eric, Jason, Justin, and Rachel; Gwen Kunz, 
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Bill Holman, Brian Kuhl, Terri Burroughs, Bill Flesch, Robert 
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Butler, and Nic Farley complete the team at Home Telephone Co.; 
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therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we recognize the 100th anniversary of the Home Telephone Co.; 
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and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the Home Telephone Co. as an expression of our 
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esteem and with best wishes for continued success.