Show b R aa ft 4 Jy i 4 1 JI A Y vI vV v- v I V fr it j jit 1 lili r k Midland Telephone Company president J. J W. W Corbin relates progress of the Moab area communications system over past 40 AO years year as he sits at his desk in iIi Background Report Boom Created Problems in Business As Well as Governmental Areas J J. J W W. Coln president of the il Midland and Telephone Co was born in Moab il a year after his father J J. J N N. N Corbin Corbin Corpin Cor- Cor pin bin founded the towns town's i first newspaper the Grand Valley Nalley Times now The Times Independent His father was also founder of the areas area's first communications system the laSal Mountain Telephone Company now The rh Telephone Company Mr Corbin first worked with his fathers father's telephone company as a lineman in 1916 and after his death took over of oftie oftie tie te company Under his the telephone company has increased from a telephone telephone tele tele- phone system to over fn In addition to such modern facilities as microwave radio radio radio ra ra- ra- ra dio and TV signals TWO Iwo CRITICAL PERIODS During his half halt century of service Mr Corlin Corbin has seen his hs his company through Moats two most critical economic upsets One when the town was at its lowest ebb the other when it wasat wasat was wasat at Its peak The first crisis occurred during the depression of the early when most of the nation was out of food and were out of money Mr Corbin couldn't collect enough cash to pay his help and he and his family moved into the Center Center Center Cen Cen- ter Street telephone buildIng building build build- ing for tor cheaper operation The 25 per month rent they got from their home ome helped tide them over Mr Corbin worked lines by day and operated the thes s s by night his wife wile Ila ha la took over the switchboard each day A Afew Afew Afew few cash customers helped pay one 40 per month girl girt assistant The rest of the Midland Telephone users paid their accounts with a aside aside aside side of beef or a sack of pott po- po tt toes toes But they pulled the company com com- company pany through and as the Corbins look back on those days they marvel that the they were lucky enough to live in Moab l At least no one in the Valley went hungry The next crisis the Telephone Telephone Telephone Tele Tele- phone company weathered was quite the opposite Jt It started In the early a n few tew months after Charles CharlesA CharlesL A L Steen made his tamed tame l 1 uranium strike near Moab BOOM TOWN PROBLEMS T The e cry of ot uranium set setoff setoff off a boom equalled only by bythe bythe bythe the gold rushes of ot the previous prey ious century Moab tilled filled with n new nv v residents and the the Center Street building Company has grown from telephone system to 1500 1600 since he took over in early telephone company equipped equipped equipped equip equip- ped to handle calls per day v was s wondering what to do with 15 1500 There There were were only only 5 long distance circuits east and and west calls had to be ac ac- ac cep d d on a waiting-list waiting basis Sometimes several days went by before a customers customer's customers customer's customers customer's cus cus- tomer's call could be com com- Midland nd es worked the clock around Installing new lines and the force Increased in increased increased In- In creased from 10 to 65 Still Stilla a party 4 business service line was as good as they could offer and customers were lucky to get one of those Outside the city lim lim- limIts limits its all lines were kept at a 10 party 10 party minimum To help help- relieve the emergency emergency emergency em em- a buzzer system was established to limit all an calls from 3 to 5 minutes giving other party line users users users use use- rs a chance t to use their phones Western Union facilities supplemented telephone service service service ser ser- vice and took care of some of the boomtown business and a new plant and building were constructed in 1955 Had Haa Mr Corbin visualized ed his company's problem theres there's little do doubt bt he would have declined the nomination nomination nomination nomina nomina- tion a few months previously previous previous- ly as Mayor of Moab As It was he was elected in 1953 before anyone realized the Steen discovery would greatly great ly Iy affect the town and found himself himsel coping with Moab City ity pra problems lems as enormous as those of his own busi busl ness CITY PROBLEMS TOO The Population Increase from 1200 to well over In a few brief months affected affected affected af af- all areas of city business business bus bus- iness and lack of funds prevented Immediate cor cor- with excessive Interest Interest interest Inter inter- est rate which tided them over until rate low government government govern govern- ment money and grants could be found There were water and water line shortages and each new housing development development develop develop- ment brought demands for tor hookups which couldn't be met Sewage disposal was a problem at one time the former m mayor recalls raw sewage flowed down the gutters gutters gut gut- tens of First West No one will ever know how the city escaped an But they rose to the challenge challenge chal chal- lenge annexed new areas lured In builders to construct con badly needed homes acquired water put In a sewage disposal system an and t weathered the boom in a aIT an n IT inner mner which has amazed th 1 nation Even the roomers at a I. I boarding house who complained complained complained com com- about a neighbors neighbor's crowing rooster were ap- ap pleased Unable to talk the owner into luring the noisy fowl into a pot of chicken and dumplings Mr Corbin bought the rooster i Mr Corbin marvels now that Moab's uranium boom was such an orderly one People were just too busy to make trouble he recalls When the boom struck k Moab Moab Moab Mo Mo- ab City's City law lao force consIsted consisted ted of a city marshal city marshal Identified lied fled only by a silver star on his breast Subsequent appointment of of deputies and anda a city police force marked the beginning of the uniformed uniformed uniformed uni uni- formed system in Moab I IThe TRAVEL COUNCIL DUTY The Telephone Company managers manager's other contributions contributions contributions to his city have been a little more relaxed than his Mayors Mayor's reign He has been beena a of the Utah Travel Travel Travet Tra Tra- vel vet C Council since appointed by Governor J J. J Bracken Lee 16 years ago and has served served served ed under two subsequent governors He has seen the Council Increase from a budget bud get git of per year to Its present 15 million budget budget budget bud bud- get to publicize the state He believes without doubt tourism Is one of the biggest big gest businesses that could possibly come Moab's way The area is publicized over-publicized at present considering the lack of roads to scenic areas but Moab could corner more visitors if they would proVide pro pro- Vide more evening enter enter- There is a critical need for hometown stage plays public square dancing and almost any relaxing entertainment entertainment entertainment en en- for Canyon Canyon- lands visitors to enjoy after alter their days day's tours The Chamber of Commerce slide show Is a step In the right direction as is th the wonderful wonder wonder- ful Lions Club Riverside Park Mr Corbin says He lie also advocates Immediate late attention to the proposed propos propos- ed Mill Creek water project It could be a saver life-saver for culinary purposes and double double dou ble for tor irrigation usage But Buta a reservoir as a tourist recreation recreation recreation re re- creation facility almost tops the Creeks Creek's potential value Steps must first be taken for a logical monetary est est- mate The last U U. U S S. S Engineers Engineers Engineer's Engineers Engineer's Engine Engine- ers er's 10 million dollar figure is out of the question CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY Mr Corbin is past pred president dent and charter member of the Moab Lions Club served as chairman CI of the Red Cross for tor 14 years ears and andis is a member of the Masonic Mason Iason ic Ie Lodge He lie is also a trustee of the Community Baptist Church and has served as chairman of all its building programs over ove the past 20 years ears Ills His civic efforts might be challenged by those of ot hisH his H e. fe She has been an untiring un un- untiring tiring worker in ln many areas and her service to Moab City is a story within itself The couple have two daughters daughters daughters dau dau- Helen a nurse and wife wile of Moab Postmaster Russell Carter and Dorothy Dorothy Doro Dora thy wife of ot Dr Stanley Clark Jr of Provo One son Wally is now Vice president and general manager of ot the Moab area of at Midland Telephone and overall district manager for tor forthe forthe the company Their oth other r son E. E P P. lives in Monticello Monticello Monti Monti- cello where hero he is general manager of the Monticello Blanding Bluff muff and Dove Creek Colorado districts |