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Reflections of Melvin J. Johnson:
You have had the privilege to read the actual verbatim minutes of
the organization and proceedings of the first Wind Lake Telephone
Company. More will follow.    It is impossible to quote the entire
book as lots of the meetings were only for information to the board
of directors.
It appears that through the minutes of the book of records that
Rev. Otto E. Schmidt and Dr. Chas. Flett were most of the
instigation to form the Wind Lake Telephone Company. According to
the records, they ran a good honest form of business. Those that
handled any money or accounts had their book audited by an auditing
committee to see that everything was right.
During the auditing of the books, everything was right          and
balanced, except a question was raised why two pages in the
chairman or president's book were removed.      Suspicions started
that possibled the Pastor was not paying his honest telephone bill.
Why did the President of the Company or the Pastor of the Church
remove the first two sheets of the book?
The auditing committee called the President or Pastor before the
board and was told that his book balanced, but a question was
raised why the first two sheets of the book were removed.
President Schmidt asked the board to come with him to Ed Malone's
office.    (Ed Malone was the organizer and publisher of the
Waterford Post. He was also a brother of Dr. Malone of Waterford).
Ed Malone explained to the committee that Rev. Otto E. Schmidt came
to his office one day to purchase a book of records.      Ed Malone
stated that he stocked all kinds of record books but that he was
out of the kind of book that President Schmidt wanted. "I told him,
however, he had a book of his choosing but that it had been started
to be used and then abandoned.    But if he could use the book, he
would remove the used sheets and give him the book for gratis."
Problem solved.      Oh, I think of so many hard feelings and
heartaches over gossip of false accusations.       Some people say
forget it. "Never!" Some people will carry it with them to their
grave.
I think of people in high government offices, especially Pastors,
Priests, and all people that had anything to do with the public.
I write from experience.    I have served Norway Township, Racine
County, and my church for over 60 years.        I know what false
statements or gossip can do to a person. However, it any of those
statements are true we better be prepared to defend our actions.
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