00:12 - Whole the first thing I saw on.

00:14 - Milton shop.

00:16 - From my standpoint as a reporter.

00:19 - And I was a young reporter at the time I met him.

00:22 - Was he you.

00:24 - He was a very fine

00:25 - news

00:26 - source.

00:29 - He would.

00:30 - Give you the answers

00:32 - to the questions you had.

00:35 - He was straightforward.

00:38 - When he was honest.

00:39 - When he was approachable.

00:42 - There are many many people.

00:46 - That I have had to deal with in these fifty years that I've been where you border.

00:50 - Of.

00:53 - Who are afraid to talk to you.

00:56 - Or are arrogant.

00:59 - Where are ignorant.

01:04 - Milton was none of those.

01:12 - I became interested in.

01:14 - Cable TV.

01:16 - Which we call it the time community television.

01:19 - Because I had grown up on a farm in Ohio.

01:23 - We had no electricity.

01:27 - So we tried battery radios.

01:30 - This was in the thirties.

01:33 - A battery radio

01:34 - those of you who.

01:37 - Around at the time

01:38 - probably no.

01:39 - Did not last very long.

01:41 - And you could not afford to keep.

01:44 - Furnishing batteries for that.

01:46 - As a kid I.

01:48 - Absolutely.

01:50 - I was devastated.

01:51 - To be listening to Katy Kay Pittsburgh.

01:55 - The Sherlock Holmes.

02:00 - And.

02:01 - He would fade out.

02:02 - The batteries would die.

02:05 - And so as a kid reporter when I came to Washington the nineteen forty five.

02:10 - And covering.

02:11 - The glamorous city in this glamorous

02:14 - new industry of television.

02:16 - And I had never seen television before nineteen forty five.

02:22 - I

02:22 - still head.

02:25 - My.

02:26 - Childhood memories.

02:28 - Of.

02:30 - Radio.

02:31 - That I couldn't get.

02:32 - In when cable came along.

02:34 - And I brought it to the.

02:36 - People in the valleys.

02:39 - And then the distances

02:40 - where they could not get

02:42 - TV.

02:44 - I frankly empathized with them enormously.

02:49 - It was a

02:50 - really nothing kind of business.

02:53 - When it first started it was

02:55 - really peanuts.

02:56 - We were covering the networks we were covering.

02:59 - The manufactures.

03:01 - We were covering the big big business of.

03:04 - Television.

03:05 - Cable was

03:06 - genuinely

03:07 - nothing.

03:09 - But I sympathized with it.

03:12 - And.

03:14 - I got to know melt.

03:16 - Because he was approachable

03:17 - and he was doing something.

03:19 - About the field

03:20 - in which I was interested.

03:22 - I began to report what he was doing

03:24 - and I could talk to them I could reach him.

03:27 - And I could reach people and talk to them.

03:30 - He made them available.

03:33 - And it became a very good personal friend.

03:38 - We're still very new at the business when he would come to Washington.

03:43 - And he was stay at our house

03:44 - occasionally.

03:47 - And

03:47 - one of the

03:48 - things that.

03:50 - Zile did not mention.

03:52 - It should be mentioned about melt.

03:55 - Is his enormous

03:57 - energy.

03:59 - It was.

04:00 - Enormous.

04:03 - Give you the example.

04:07 - Stayed at our house one night.

04:10 - He and I sat up

04:11 - talking until five o'clock in the morning.

04:17 - And.

04:18 - I was exhausted and went to bed.

04:22 - When I got up the next morning.

04:26 - Begg told me that.

04:28 - At seven o'clock two hours later after we went to bed.

04:31 - Our son Dan.

04:34 - Who was two years old at the time.

04:37 - He's now forty two.

04:41 - Went into mills'

04:42 - room and

04:43 - sat on his chest.

04:46 - And look them in the eye and says who are you Mr.

04:52 - And mill.

04:53 - Played with him

04:54 - laughed with him talk with him.

04:58 - I could no more do that after two hours sleep.

05:02 - Than fly.

05:04 - This.

05:05 - Is energy and he expressed it in every other way.

05:08 - This is one of the most important things about genius.

05:12 - Energy

05:13 - he added

05:14 - on top of all other things.

05:16 - And.

05:17 - He he was one hell of a good PR man.

05:21 - He.

05:22 - He knew how to talk to reporters.

05:25 - The way to talk to reporters to tell him the truth.

05:29 - And when.

05:30 - It isn't.

05:31 - Useful to you to tell him the truth.

05:34 - I can't talk about just tell

05:35 - the reporter

05:36 - expects that.

05:39 - Those are some of the things about melt

05:40 - packet.

05:44 - I too can attest the mills energy because most of it was focused on rewriting what I

05:52 - had written.

05:56 - Milton.

05:58 - Milton named his company by his middle name Gerald.

06:02 - Because quote

06:03 - I have always been in the middle of things.

06:06 - And so has my company.

06:09 - John Reagan.

06:10 - Named his company adelphia.

06:13 - A Greek word for brothers.

06:16 - Because he and his brother Gus.

06:18 - Acquired a cable franchise in their hometown of roswell new York.

06:24 - John the name of your company should now be changed from adelphia.

06:28 - Or passaic.

06:30 - Which means sons and great.

06:32 - Because John has three sons to help John run.

06:36 - You one and a half million subscriber company.

06:39 - Spread over eleven states.

06:42 - John is a perpetual optimist.

06:46 - Risk taker and a good friend.

06:49 - That's why he is or he has always reminded me.

06:52 - Of Milton shot.

06:54 - John.

07:04 - Well that's quite a compliment

07:06 - Dan thank you very much.

07:08 - Muriel it's nice to see you and.

07:10 - All your distinguished guests here on a panel are moody honored to be here tonight.

07:18 - I think.

07:19 - I like to just focus on.

07:23 - Dirty years.

07:25 - And what

07:26 - mill chat met so many others.

07:30 - And.

07:32 - When I think back it

07:33 - was.

07:34 - Little community.

07:36 - Population.

07:39 - Twenty eight hundred people.

07:42 - And.

07:45 - No chap came.

07:47 - Carter sport Pennsylvania.

07:50 - Along with Fred lieberman.

07:53 - And.

07:55 - They wanted to introduce US to.

07:58 - Gerald equipment.

07:59 - Nineteen fifty two.

08:02 - End of discussion.

08:05 - Joe.

08:07 - Was introducing equipment.

08:09 - And they had a competitor by enron.

08:12 - And.

08:14 - We weren't sure which way to go.

08:16 - But because of mills.

08:20 - I think.

08:22 - Honesty and integrity that came across.

08:26 - And that infectious smile.

08:28 - That if any of you admitted.

08:31 - You couldn't help but just be taken in.

08:33 - By his.

08:35 - Personality.

08:36 - And his knowledge.

08:38 - So we went with Gerald.

08:40 - And then that discussion.

08:42 - Now would.

08:45 - Say.

08:47 - Well he says.

08:50 - I think you ought to charge one hundred and fifty dollars to hook up.

08:55 - Why would you charge one hundred and fifty dollars to make a connection.

08:59 - Well he says

09:00 - I think we're going to be around

09:02 - but I'm not sure.

09:04 - So we'd better get the money upfront.

09:08 - And I thought that was good advice.

09:11 - And we charge.

09:13 - Two dollars

09:14 - seventy five cents a month.

09:16 - We promise.

09:19 - Three clear pictures.

09:21 - We gave them to snowy ones.

09:24 - Remember those and we struggled and we struggled.

09:30 - But the bottom line is.

09:33 - That.

09:34 - When you talk about compassion.

09:38 - And there was no resources.

09:41 - Or places to.

09:43 - Borrow money.

09:45 - Neil chair.

09:47 - And he was struggling in his own way in the early days.

09:51 - We'd take.

09:53 - A note.

09:55 - And.

09:56 - The big trick was.

09:58 - In milk.

10:01 - We'd say Charlie says.

10:03 - Don't you ever return those notes signed.

10:06 - And I'd say well.

10:08 - That if I can help it.

10:10 - And.

10:12 - So his credit manager.

10:15 - And sly promenades would call me up and call up my brother.

10:19 - And try to deal with that.

10:23 - Note.

10:25 - And it would build bigger

10:27 - and longer

10:28 - and drag on.

10:30 - And fire me.

10:31 - I got the big call.

10:33 - Mister chef.

10:35 - He says Johnny says I kind of like those hot dogs.

10:39 - In your dad's restaurant he says I'm coming up for a hot dog.

10:42 - So he

10:43 - came to wellsville.

10:45 - And.

10:46 - Brought out the note.

10:48 - Resigned.

10:50 - But.

10:52 - I don't know how many people in this industry.

10:56 - Wouldn't be here today.

10:59 - If it wasn't for

11:00 - chair.

11:02 - In his understanding compassion.

11:04 - And along with that risk taking that he took

11:08 - not only for his business to build it up.

11:09 - But he extended that one extra dimension.

11:12 - And trusted US.

11:14 - And believed in US.

11:16 - And never.

11:18 - Pressured US.

11:20 - To make those payments.

11:22 - And.

11:23 - That lasted for a lotta years.

11:25 - And I'm one

11:26 - that

11:27 - can testify.

11:29 - And.

11:30 - Without any.

11:32 - Reservations say that if it wasn't for mil.

11:35 - In that.

11:37 - Extension of.

11:40 - Believing in me.

11:42 - And understand me

11:43 - and

11:44 - believing in the industry.

11:46 - I wouldn't be here today.

11:47 - As part of this industry because.

11:49 - We just didn't have anything to begin with.

11:52 - One interesting story is that

11:54 - later on.

11:57 - Mill.

11:59 - Was interested in buying our system in wellsville.

12:03 - And he kept.

12:06 - Trying to make appointments and we kept mentioning it and.

12:09 - One day my brother said well mr shapps going to.

12:13 - Call US up and he wants to talk about selling the system.

12:17 - And

12:18 - fine and we're not too formal.

12:21 - And my brother Gus was working the grill.

12:24 - And I were standing next to him.

12:26 - And the phone rang.

12:28 - And milk

12:29 - was on.

12:31 - And he started to Saint John he says we're interested in buying your system.

12:35 - In the background.

12:37 - You could hear one hot beef sandwich.

12:40 - Two cheeseburgers.

12:44 - And.

12:44 - Sure this discussion is trying to make a deal.

12:47 - And my brother is trying to answer him but

12:52 - at the same time to order French fries ready.

12:53 - And.

12:54 - Pretty soon the meal says.

12:57 - What's going on down here where you guys were in a restaurant.

13:01 - And my brother Gus was kind of Kenny says well we gotta make a living milk you know.

13:06 - And so

13:07 - will says you don't want to sell your systems.

13:09 - Your though.

13:10 - We'll talk some other time.

13:12 - I thought that was

13:13 - pretty cool

13:14 - and we really didn't want to sell her system

13:16 - I'm terrible about some

13:17 - system.

13:19 - One at the time.

13:20 - It was a.

13:21 - Great sense of humor.

13:23 - And he'd been elected governor.

13:25 - And I was president of the state association.

13:28 - And.

13:31 - We decided to honor mill.

13:34 - And we had just wonderful banquet.

13:37 - In Harrisburg.

13:39 - And Muriel and melt with early honored this.

13:43 - And.

13:44 - I had the privilege of introducing.

13:46 - Meal.

13:48 - As an admirer of my introduction.

13:50 - I began by saying.

13:53 - I've been looking for.

13:55 - Needed for

13:56 - a long long time.

13:58 - And like he used to look for me.

14:01 - Get a note signed.

14:03 - I've been.

14:05 - Searching for him because I have a problem.

14:08 - Then I reach down and I brought

14:10 - out the

14:10 - two oldest pieces of equipment to Gerald overhead.

14:14 - First ones they ever made.

14:16 - And I said milk.

14:18 - I paid you for these they didn't work.

14:21 - And what are you going to do about it.

14:25 - And milk.

14:26 - Said Johnny looked at him he says or auto warranty.

14:30 - And.

14:36 - So he was quick

14:38 - and smarter than I was.

14:41 - Throughout all this.

14:44 - Yes.

14:46 - Was compassionate

14:47 - understanding.

14:48 - But he was a real leader.

14:51 - And.

14:52 - When.

14:54 - The discussion was made about what happened with that bill I remember it so well.

15:00 - Because I was just.

15:01 - Struggling.

15:03 - Like so many of US.

15:04 - And every word and every piece of encouragement.

15:08 - That I read about what Mel had to say.

15:11 - Just kept me in the business.

15:13 - Because I will tell.

15:15 - Many many times I waited ten.

15:17 - Pennsylvania association meetings.

15:20 - Meet with everybody.

15:22 - Everything

15:23 - could be pretty bleak because we were.

15:27 - Fighting the telephone companies

15:30 - to cedar upper graders the broadcasters.

15:34 - The

15:34 - TV

15:35 - repair men in all over.

15:37 - And

15:38 - we didn't know where we are going to be and there was no certainty what a franchise

15:42 - was worth it was.

15:44 - Mill was truly an optimist

15:46 - visionary.

15:47 - And so just

15:49 - every time.

15:50 - He would speak.

15:51 - You would see him.

15:52 - He would just boy up

15:54 - and.

15:55 - In

15:55 - and kept me in his business.

15:57 - There was a few others

15:59 - but that was certainly one.

16:01 - And that day.

16:03 - That.

16:04 - They are going to vote on the senate.

16:07 - To regulate the industry.

16:09 - And it was a

16:10 - it was a done deal.

16:12 - And for whatever reason.

16:15 - Mr shapps said.

16:17 - I don't like it.

16:18 - And he sent out telegrams.

16:21 - To rural america to all these

16:24 - little operators.

16:26 - Didn't know what it was all about.

16:28 - But I got that telegram said you gotta come to Washington.

16:32 - I couldn't afford a trip

16:33 - when I went to Washington.

16:35 - We appeared on that floor.

16:37 - Defeated their bill.

16:39 - And when it happened it was one of the most.

16:42 - Unusual events that ever happened.

16:44 - On the floors

16:45 - of congress.

16:46 - Milt had that kind of thing.

16:49 - So when it's all said and done.

16:53 - I guess.

16:55 - The years have gone by.

16:58 - In the industry perhaps.

17:00 - Is not.

17:03 - Really appreciated.

17:06 - And I understand times have changed

17:09 - and we've been in a different era.

17:11 - But

17:12 - if there was a father.

17:14 - In this industry millsap was it.

17:16 - Thank you.

17:18 - That.

17:25 - John that was

17:26 - that was just beautiful.

17:28 - Very moving.

17:31 - She.

17:32 - She was one of the few people.

17:35 - Who never called melton by his first name.

17:39 - She called him mr shop.

17:41 - Until he was governor.

17:43 - And after that you always call them governor.

17:47 - She and her father George barco.

17:49 - Directed the cause of cable television in Pennsylvania.

17:53 - And through nc today.

17:56 - It's a national presence.

18:00 - They were close friends of the governor.

18:03 - And I speak of course of yolanda bronco.

18:06 - A woman much admired by mail.

18:08 - And much admired by Muriel.

18:12 - Days is yours.

18:22 - Memorial.

18:24 - Fellow pioneers.

18:26 - Friends.

18:27 - I don't know why.

18:29 - You didn't ask him a question.

18:40 - Tell you that there are no answers left the gaffer.

18:46 - Well I'll have to

18:47 - make the question.

18:49 - The answer.

18:52 - Everybody has said so much

18:54 - I don't really have.

18:56 - A great deal more to say.

18:58 - But I want to.

18:59 - Mention

19:00 - three different things that are kind of unrelated.

19:04 - And I want to finish up the enlarged

19:06 - somewhat.

19:07 - Unwise John regus.

19:09 - Saying to US.

19:11 - First of all I want

19:13 - many of you know that my father.

19:15 - Was in cable mostly because

19:18 - he wanted to see television.

19:21 - He was the consumer.

19:23 - Among US.

19:25 - And he was one of the few cable people I know

19:27 - that actually

19:28 - liked

19:29 - to watch

19:30 - TV

19:31 - and.

19:37 - I could tell you stories about what it was

19:40 - to work with my father because he was the most demand.

19:44 - Subscriber we had.

19:47 - And he was the most appreciative.

19:50 - But.

19:52 - His.

19:53 - His getting to know.

19:55 - The mystery shack started.

19:57 - With his interests back in nineteen fifty one

20:00 - to see TV.

20:02 - And he wanted it himself than he used to say

20:05 - I'd like our community to have the benefit of it too.

20:09 - So.

20:10 - He spent a year trying to.

20:12 - Information from.

20:14 - Our CIA.

20:16 - And he badgered these people and they weren't really interested in

20:19 - in.

20:20 - Doing this kind of work and finally someone sent him

20:23 - to Gerald.

20:25 - And I will never forget Muriel the day.

20:27 - He came back.

20:29 - And.

20:31 - I thought he would talk about.

20:33 - You know.

20:34 - Finding somebody to do what he was so interested in.

20:38 - But he said instead.

20:40 - I have met

20:41 - most wonderful man.

20:44 - I am inspired by the way this man works.

20:48 - You should see his plant.

20:50 - You should see the people that he has their.

20:53 - People from all kinds of background.

20:56 - Disabled people.

20:58 - People of all types and sorts

21:01 - and he has them working.

21:03 - Beautifully together

21:04 - he's an inspiration.

21:07 - My father.

21:08 - Saw the goodness.

21:10 - Millsap.

21:12 - And all of the other things

21:13 - he had his goodness.

21:15 - Was one my father

21:17 - loved the most.

21:18 - Now I want to say.

21:20 - There are many many.

21:22 - Anecdotes I could tell you.

21:24 - About their relationship let me say.

21:27 - Zaw you're not the only one.

21:29 - That.

21:30 - Bridge the gap

21:31 - between cable

21:33 - and.

21:34 - And his political activities.

21:36 - Because when he ran for governor.

21:40 - My father

21:41 - you know we come from Crawford county

21:43 - high bound Republicans.

21:46 - And ray shafer.

21:48 - Who was running against milt.

21:50 - In this particular election.

21:53 - Was from our county.

21:55 - And milt.

21:56 - I believe if

21:57 - I think

21:58 - I know he made a number of appearances and I think maybe

22:01 - he even.

22:04 - Opened his campaign in Crawford county.

22:07 - But

22:07 - we came out full tilt in Crawford county for.

22:11 - A mill chap

22:13 - and.

22:14 - The governor

22:15 - used the expression.

22:17 - In his campaign in our region of the country.

22:20 - Those who know.

22:22 - Ray shafer.

22:24 - And

22:25 - millsap the best.

22:26 - Prefer.

22:28 - Millsap.

22:30 - You know you hear that in your own territory and take something that we were

22:33 - delighted to do it.

22:36 - I want to take US all back.

22:39 - Most of here

22:40 - most of US

22:41 - were there back then.

22:43 - But I wanted to remind you just briefly of the fact.

22:47 - That back in nineteen fifty two when we first met millichap.

22:52 - Most of US in the cable industry were quite young.

22:56 - Milt at that time was forty.

22:59 - I.

23:00 - Bob tahltan was thirty eight.

23:03 - John Watson was thirty eight.

23:07 - The gans is and will not

23:09 - young gans but.

23:11 - Joe and.

23:13 - And.

23:14 - I'm Sean and I were in our

23:15 - twenties.

23:17 - And most people in the industry.

23:19 - Were younger.

23:21 - Than.

23:22 - Than they'd say mister chapin

23:24 - and the others that I've mentioned.

23:26 - People were about the young thirties.

23:29 - Was a young young group of people in the industry.

23:33 - And if you were in cable you had to have.

23:37 - A big streak.

23:38 - Of being irrational.

23:40 - There's no question about it.

23:42 - There was no

23:43 - reason.

23:45 - To stay in this business.

23:47 - Because number one you didn't know if you had the right to be in the rights away.

23:53 - Number two.

23:54 - There was very difficult to get pole attachment

23:59 - agreements and every single one of them.

23:59 - Said you had to get off on six

24:01 - months'

24:02 - notice.

24:03 - When anybody in their right mind put thousands of miles.

24:07 - South tons of.

24:08 - Dollars into a plant that you could get off of in thirty.

24:12 - Three months notice or six months notice.

24:16 - We didn't know about the legal basis for what we were doing.

24:20 - Our public.

24:22 - Had an ambivalent idea about US they wanted.

24:25 - The pictures.

24:27 - But they resented

24:28 - paying for it.

24:30 - Because they somehow thought this was something extra they shouldn't have to do.

24:36 - So.

24:37 - But still ladies and gentlemen you all

24:40 - who were there knows.

24:42 - Know that there was a tremendous appeal.

24:45 - That you couldn't stay away from it.

24:48 - Now.

24:49 - Into all of this uncertainty.

24:52 - With a lot of small.

24:53 - Small entrepreneurs.

24:56 - Who didn't have much.

24:58 - And by the way that technology was also something of a mystery.

25:02 - Because.

25:04 - I would say we did a lot of do it yourself.

25:07 - And it was like.

25:09 - Like her young golfer learning a golf stroke.

25:13 - When it worked you didn't really know why.

25:15 - And it was

25:17 - it was always uncertainty.

25:19 - Now into this environment.

25:22 - With all of this interest in all of this the commitment that so many of US had.

25:27 - These the unifying force.

25:31 - Was

25:31 - was vanilla melon shap.

25:34 - There's no question.

25:36 - That he gave

25:37 - US all what we needed.

25:39 - Somebody with optimism.

25:41 - Somebody with direction.

25:43 - Somebody that we knew was going to carry that technology

25:46 - somewhere.

25:48 - And beyond all this.

25:50 - If you recall.

25:51 - The industry was structured so far as

25:54 - beginning to get pole attachment agreements and.

25:57 - Also.

25:58 - As the setting up of the business entities themselves.

26:02 - This.

26:03 - Way we followed.

26:05 - What he was

26:06 - what he would do.

26:07 - In these respects.

26:09 - So.

26:10 - I want you to know that

26:12 - to my way of thinking he was.

26:14 - What put US all together.

26:17 - And what made US.

26:19 - Effective

26:20 - and in

26:21 - coming to where we are today.

26:24 - I want to say

26:25 - finally that I've often wondered.

26:27 - Where this industry would be today.

26:31 - If

26:31 - the governor.

26:32 - Had decided to stay with it.

26:35 - And I'm sure.

26:36 - We would be.

26:38 - Much farther along than we are.

26:41 - But we'll still get there

26:42 - thank you everyone.

26:44 - Three.

26:55 - I would

26:56 - like to call on the last

26:57 - member of this panel.

27:01 - It was in nineteen forty seven.

27:04 - That the first

27:05 - story on cable television or community antenna.

27:09 - Appeared in a national publication.

27:12 - It was the wall street journal that at the following headline.

27:16 - That I can still see it.

27:18 - I think.

27:22 - Christmas comes to lunsford Pennsylvania in July.

27:26 - And the story though went on to tell how a cable television system.

27:31 - Has been constructed in lunsford.

27:33 - Had been.

27:35 - Demonstrated

27:36 - downtown and thousands of people came out to see the demonstration.

27:40 - It was really a shopping day like only Christmas it had on children.

27:46 - The owner of that system.

27:48 - The guy who thought it up and put it all together.

27:51 - Was Bob talking.

27:53 - Bob is indeed one of the pioneers

27:55 - in this industry and i'd like to go up to the podium.

27:59 - Three.

28:09 - Lawyer Dan.

28:13 - I made a few more nocera and I'd like to.

28:15 - Refer to them I have often.

28:17 - Heard milk referred to as

28:19 - being a visionary.

28:22 - And I like to respectfully.

28:25 - Correct that.

28:26 - Because

28:27 - according to the dictionary a visionary.

28:29 - Fundamentally is someone who.

28:32 - Has idealist idealistic goals.

28:35 - And aims

28:37 - incapable of realization.

28:39 - However I know and admired milt.

28:42 - As a

28:43 - visual.

28:45 - He had great vision.

28:47 - Great insight.

28:48 - A vivid imagination

28:50 - and realistic goals.

28:52 - And

28:53 - I just digress for a moment because

28:55 - I heard some comments here about.

28:57 - Milsom.

28:59 - Ability to really move on.

29:02 - Maria will certainly attest to the many times.

29:06 - You will get up.

29:07 - During the middle of the night out of bed.

29:10 - And put down notes that he was thinking about in bed.

29:14 - And.

29:15 - Many of his thoughts were.

29:16 - Were.

29:18 - From those.

29:19 - Know deutsche that he had.

29:21 - Accumulated.

29:22 - During bed I will tell you another know to forgive me for.

29:25 - For nostalgia but I joined built in nineteen fifty two.

29:30 - He told me to come out to the.

29:33 - Engineering meeting.

29:35 - New York city.

29:36 - The first of July

29:38 - first of February nineteen fifty to

29:40 - meet them there.

29:41 - And.

29:43 - I went up and he should use Bob you can't get me room here in the new year the hotel.

29:47 - Show em.

29:49 - Will get a bed in here and bunk with the.

29:51 - Hagar biter and me.

29:53 - And about

29:54 - two o'clock in the morn ing everybody left and

29:56 - mill said I thought well.

29:58 - I'm tired I hope I can get

30:00 - some sleep

30:00 - melted.

30:02 - Now we can talk Bob.

30:04 - And

30:05 - relayed in bed.

30:06 - We started to talk.

30:08 - And I didn't know but I fell asleep on them

30:11 - hike our biter told me

30:13 - a year later Bob you're the first person that ever shut me

30:16 - up.

30:19 - But damn.

30:21 - Not boastfully but I am.

30:23 - I consider it my privilege to have known milk.

30:26 - And also possibly have known melt.

30:30 - Longer than anybody here this evening except my dear friend Mario.

30:36 - Some may not know the background and I would

30:38 - like to take some license for a few minutes to explain.

30:42 - To what I refer my friendship

30:44 - with them.

30:45 - Melt.

30:47 - Before television and cable

30:49 - I operated a television or radio repair shop.

30:53 - Prior to

30:53 - wealth and Ben nineteen thirty four on

30:56 - with my father.

30:57 - I went into service in.

31:00 - Nineteen forty three and out in nineteen forty five.

31:05 - And it went back in with my father and the electronic repair business.

31:09 - And during world war two I was in.

31:13 - Military service as a radio repairman attached to the field to reunion Italy

31:18 - and incidentally although I didn't know him.

31:21 - At the time didn't know milt.

31:23 - Was a captain attached to a radio broadcast group in Italy at the same time.

31:28 - But when I return from service I again joined my father and

31:31 - had the pleasure of meeting milk.

31:32 - A couple of times.

31:34 - When he'd visit.

31:35 - My shop.

31:37 - With it.

31:38 - As a manufacturer's representative with distributors.

31:41 - Milt began his career as a manufacturer's representative.

31:46 - And I hadn't had any contact.

31:49 - For some time with milk for a year or two after that until I received a phone call.

31:54 - In the fall of nineteen hundred and fifty.

31:57 - To arrange an appointment.

32:00 - With him.

32:01 - The day before Thanksgiving nineteen fifty when milt

32:04 - Mario.

32:05 - Baby Richard and.

32:07 - Baby joanne.

32:09 - Came up and spent.

32:10 - From lunch until.

32:12 - Late in the evening with me.

32:15 - And why I'd been doing was him

32:17 - using his apartment house amplifiers.

32:20 - For them.

32:22 - About to

32:23 - six or eight month.

32:24 - I would buying them from distributors.

32:27 - In the area and they finally while I was buying so many I'd go to.

32:31 - Philadelphia and

32:32 - buy him direct.

32:34 - And.

32:35 - A miracle I think you remember but green and I that names

32:39 - but green was as sales.

32:41 - Manager and the chief foreman.

32:44 - And saw by green oh sure we'll show you amplifiers.

32:48 - And.

32:49 - I.

32:50 - Modified the amplifiers to a bit because they were designed

32:54 - specifically only for.

32:56 - Picture quality.

32:58 - Sound was down and.

33:00 - I did a bit of modifications on them

33:02 - little read tuning into.

33:04 - God I'm at work

33:05 - and one day when I was down for another batch of amplifiers but green ask what what

33:09 - are you doing those things and I said well i'm.

33:12 - Told them what I was doing with them put them into.

33:14 - Into a master antenna that building it in a town.

33:18 - Oh he said they weren't made for that I said I know they weren't but I'm modifying oh

33:21 - he said we had to get a release he

33:23 - I I

33:23 - I can't tell you anymore unless you sign a release.

33:27 - I ain't no problem at all I signed a release and went on up and that's.

33:31 - When milt I guess got the I

33:33 - got hurt heard about it and

33:34 - he wanted to see what I was doing.

33:36 - And.

33:38 - Before leaving that day to go back home.

33:41 - The day before Thanksgiving and nineteen fifty.

33:44 - He said Bob.

33:45 - You got an idea here he said I'm going to.

33:48 - Change a.

33:49 - Challenge my engineering group

33:51 - to start building equipment.

33:53 - That will.

33:54 - Do what you wanted to

33:56 - be done

33:57 - and.

33:58 - Will you join me.

34:00 - I see what you mean he shall I could hire you they said Milton.

34:03 - I get the five hundred dollars that only five hundred dollars that I hadn't we

34:07 - I got five other service.

34:09 - Organizations to put some money into when it went to the bank and got two hundred at

34:13 - twenty thousand dollars.

34:15 - I said

34:15 - I can't leave them here with his

34:17 - will he say what do you work with US.

34:19 - And I had a very excellent relationship through mail suggestion.

34:24 - For about two years.

34:27 - Where

34:28 - he would have the engineering group

34:30 - build something

34:32 - set it up

34:32 - critique it.

34:34 - I'd make my comments

34:36 - either.

34:37 - Had some problems or not and.

34:39 - And sent it back until i'm.

34:41 - Just at the beginning of nineteen hundred and.

34:44 - Fifty two mil called me said Bob I want to

34:46 - come down I want to talk to you

34:48 - don't went down and he said I.

34:50 - I got a problem said I've just sold.

34:53 - A master in Terry a community antenna system.

34:57 - To em.

34:58 - Capital group venture capital group in.

35:01 - In new York city.

35:03 - And we at williamsport

35:04 - he said

35:05 - with be the.

35:06 - Williamsport.

35:07 - A one step TV would put it in there.

35:09 - And this was his first venture into.

35:12 - Doing the work himself self and then getting

35:15 - venture capital.

35:18 - He said I like you to join US.

35:20 - And

35:21 - I didn't give it too much thought that it didn't didn't.

35:24 - Have to give it too much thought because my son was graduating from

35:28 - high school that year.

35:30 - And he wanted to go to college in Philadelphia.

35:33 - I thought it was a great opportunity.

35:35 - So I said sure I'll come down to

35:37 - as my system was going along great then I had some good people in there.

35:41 - Although I continued to ownership for years in it the.

35:44 - I joined it melt and for the next eight or nine years I traveled all over the country.

35:50 - Putting in systems.

35:52 - For milk

35:53 - and.

35:55 - That.

35:57 - Was a relationship that I enjoyed.

35:59 - Enjoyed with milk over the years

36:02 - and.

36:03 - I.

36:05 - First system I ever built for him was a williamsport

36:08 - the last system built

36:09 - was in dubuque Iowa.

36:11 - It took the span of

36:12 - close to nine years.

36:15 - And when I left.

36:17 - After finishing dubuque Iowa he said when I Bob I got an idea.

36:21 - I had

36:22 - put a system in.

36:24 - In venter new Jersey.

36:26 - And I joined Gerald as chief field engineer

36:30 - and left

36:31 - as a.

36:32 - Vice president community operations.

36:35 - All all of these

36:35 - various systems that we were.

36:38 - Were responsible to capital groups for.

36:42 - Came through my desk

36:43 - and that.

36:45 - He said I am an idea he said to.

36:48 - Venters are small system

36:49 - but it's close by.

36:51 - Why didn't you take

36:52 - and kind of get lost for a year down there.

36:55 - And.

36:57 - See if you can't them a have something to do with the.

37:01 - Experimenting with pay TV.

37:04 - Remember this was back about nineteen.

37:07 - Fifty six fifty or fifty eight fifty nine sixty.

37:11 - And the bartlesville

37:12 - had.

37:13 - Been only.

37:15 - An attempt.

37:16 - And.

37:17 - And I'm embarrassed I'm trying to think of our good friend who.

37:21 - Follow the bartlesville system but he had an accident and

37:25 - and it it was a failure possibly because of.

37:28 - Him not being able to

37:30 - continue it.

37:31 - But he should go down there and.

37:33 - I think that this is a possibility.

37:36 - And I said that's a challenge Milton I would like to do it but I think.

37:41 - At this http point in time i'm.

37:43 - I've been away from home for a good many years

37:46 - traveling all over.

37:47 - And I think that I'll.

37:49 - Have to refuse it.

37:52 - I

37:52 - did let leave Gerald and.

37:54 - Continue to do consulting work.

37:56 - Independently for myself and still owned for a number of years the.

38:02 - The system in

38:03 - the.

38:04 - Scored

38:04 - but.

38:06 - I do think that.

38:07 - The only one to call to attention milsom.

38:11 - Visionary.

38:13 - Respects and all

38:14 - thank you

38:15 - I don't want anyone to take more time at this podium then attempted to read my

38:18 - introduction.

38:20 - Then.

38:28 - Before I call.

38:31 - Muriel shop.

38:33 - Is there anyone here who would like to add anything.

38:37 - Any a sense about

38:38 - Milton that was not covered here

38:40 - tonight.

38:42 - I think it was a bittersweet evening.

38:45 - And before it ends I would like to call it an urea.

39:03 - Same here.

39:07 - I cannot tell.

39:09 - You how much I am.

39:12 - Valued

39:13 - all the things I've heard from all of you this evening

39:16 - how very meaningful

39:18 - it has been to me

39:19 - to be here

39:20 - to be with some old and dear friends

39:23 - whom I haven't seen in a long time.

39:25 - It's just in very special and so I really have you done.

39:29 - A very special vote of thanks because

39:32 - if it had not been for your idea

39:34 - and your suggestion I wouldn't be here tonight.

39:37 - And I'll never forget this.

39:39 - A couple of things I thought

39:41 - I would share with you but first time I say something

39:44 - that.

39:45 - Happens in office I would travel around and make little speeches here and there

39:49 - and the thing I always believe is this is my credo.

39:53 - That the mind cannot absorb any more than.

39:56 - The seat.

39:57 - Can endure.

39:59 - So I won't have you been doing much.

40:02 - But there are a couple of things I wanted to tell you that will fill in.

40:05 - Since none of you chose to enter this quaker meeting that Dan suggested.

40:10 - First of all.

40:14 - He was an interesting man he truly wise.

40:17 - Most of US when we.

40:19 - Are in business think of some business reason

40:23 - why we would like to go on a vacation suddenly.

40:26 - Nothing all we split the other way.

40:29 - That he had always a business reason and maybe we could work in.

40:33 - A vacation rounded

40:35 - and you can understand

40:36 - that I didn't like that very much but we did a lot of traveling as a result and.

40:41 - I have

40:41 - him then to bank in absentia

40:44 - for introducing me to all of you

40:46 - but I can remember crazy things like we'd go through a town in.

40:49 - Northern Pennsylvania

40:51 - and he wouldn't be counting junction boxes on all the telephone Poles you know

40:55 - and that was very important to him

40:57 - he couldn't understand why all of our relatives who would come with US

41:01 - didn't think this was very impressive.

41:04 - Other things he did.

41:06 - We used to go to a hotel much like this Cole gross singers and he had persuaded these

41:11 - people in the catskills

41:12 - to put up.

41:13 - An antenna system there

41:15 - and one.

41:16 - Cold winter day we were there and the

41:19 - manager the place that wasn't working very well.

41:21 - So off we went up the golf course and damned if Milton didn't climb up this tower

41:26 - all the way up to fix flipping

41:28 - I'm standing down at the bottom furious thing I wish he breaks his neck

41:32 - at the same time that I think

41:34 - oh my god what if he falls off.

41:38 - Oh so you could understand I was a little bit ambivalent.

41:41 - But that was Milton.

41:43 - Now.

41:44 - Another thing i'd like to tell you about

41:47 - that nobody mentioned here and I'm surprised.

41:48 - If we talk about interactive TV.

41:51 - Way back what was it about so do you remember what year was fifty one.

41:56 - When he had dunkirk in this game gang

41:58 - build this whole

42:00 - batch of equipment

42:01 - that was going to serve as interactive TV it didn't come off.

42:05 - Because he was well ahead of his time

42:07 - we now talking about it.

42:09 - And doing it

42:10 - but there he was way back then.

42:12 - Now what was the other thing I would tell you about this is the end really what I

42:15 - want to tell you back.

42:17 - That he he was.

42:18 - A renaissance man.

42:20 - He wrote music

42:22 - he wrote plays he wrote limericks.

42:26 - He used to tell the most marvelous bedroom bedtime stories to the kids every Sunday

42:31 - morning

42:31 - I think I liked them better than the kids did I couldn't wait

42:34 - for the next episode.

42:36 - But one of the things he did was write lots of music.

42:39 - And each piece of music that he rode.

42:41 - Said something about something he felt very deeply about.

42:46 - And so I brought you one

42:47 - and the incredible thing about this one was I was looking for it and I went through

42:51 - zillions of old tapes

42:53 - and read the labels and couldn't find it an auction

42:56 - the last one I picked out I looked at.

42:58 - And

42:59 - I thought

42:59 - maybe it's got it here

43:01 - and I put it in this little machine and pressed the button and don't you know.

43:05 - That was the first thing I heard from the machine

43:08 - so then I knew I had to bring it here.

43:10 - Now I don't know how well it's going to go

43:12 - but bear with me because it tells you something

43:14 - about what he believed.

43:18 - No because you're not going to work now I'm going to hate

43:20 - you.

43:21 - A few minutes ago.

43:23 - This thing was working like.

43:25 - Is.

43:27 - There.

43:29 - And and.

43:55 - Yeah.

43:58 - It

44:19 - and and and thank every one of you.

45:35 - Wonderful wonderful evening.

45:37 - This tribute to Milton

45:39 - means more to eat

45:40 - me than any of you can do

45:42 - thank you.

45:43 - Thanks.

45:57 - Thank you all very much.

46:00 - I would like to ask all the panelists to remain here because we want to do a group

46:04 - photograph

46:05 - with Muriel.

46:07 - You might remember I started tonight by saying i'm.

46:10 - Privileged to be the president of p c t a.

46:13 - Couple of these people on this panel are former PC to year presidents and gives you

46:17 - an ideas you listen to the sense of history wire consider this to be

46:21 - such a privilege to work with

46:23 - you.

46:24 - In this position and.

46:26 - Be associated with people of this caliber in this quality and

46:29 - it's truly humbling and really an honor.

46:33 - I didn't come up during the quaker meeting thing but I do have a milt chap story even

46:37 - though I never met millsap.

46:39 - My first real job

46:41 - was for a public relations firm in Harrisburg called the Anthony j may and associates

46:45 - Muriel I'm sure you know Tony marriage is milled sparrow press secretary.

46:50 - And

46:50 - I was kind of relieved when you were through the description of milk as a renaissance

46:55 - man and in music and limericks and all those things you didn't mention poetry.

47:00 - Because I remember when governorship was in office he did publish a book of poetry.

47:05 - And.

47:06 - A special courier came down from the governor's office with a copy for Tony

47:10 - and Tony went in his office and closed the door.

47:13 - And after a while he came back out and said.

47:17 - And these are poems by the way with titles like Christmas Eve and Tel Aviv.

47:21 - And.

47:23 - I was glad you didn't mention poetry among those renaissance man qualities.

47:27 - Because Tony said

47:28 - I read every one of these poems

47:30 - and at the end kept felt.

47:32 - I felt something was lacquer thing

47:33 - and it finally dawned on me what was missing

47:36 - Burma shave.

47:38 - As.

47:42 - I left.

47:43 - That position to work.

47:45 - Like Dan in public relations I worked for a union

47:48 - representing the faculty of the state on colleges we had an executive director named

47:53 - Marty moran.

47:54 - And the

47:55 - faculty of the state oncologist had to negotiate gate

47:58 - with the commonwealth of Pennsylvania for their raises

48:01 - and Marty moran carried with him a matchbook that was a shap campaign matchbook.

48:07 - That called for free tuition

48:09 - at the state colleges.

48:11 - This was part of mill's belief that everybody should have

48:14 - an opportunity for higher education.

48:17 - That your.

48:18 - Our financial ability shouldn't be a restraint

48:21 - or a constraint

48:22 - on your ability to achieve.

48:25 - The guy I worked for happened to be from new York city a product of the city colleges

48:29 - of new York which until recently had free tuition for anybody who could get there

48:33 - they

48:33 - referred to it as the

48:35 - price of a subway

48:36 - ride would get you an education.

48:38 - And it's interesting the cable

48:40 - has evolved to.

48:42 - Be an industry so committed to education and so it's

48:45 - so delightful that we have these ties in this continuity.

48:49 - In this industry.

48:53 - That optimism

48:54 - that was mentioned by I think miss Barca.

48:58 - That milt had I hope that.

49:01 - Part of what I bring to this job is that sense of optimism because as we're looking

49:05 - to this building we're moving into.

49:07 - There was a decision made we're not going to pay for this out of dues money we

49:10 - created a foundation

49:12 - we're going to pay for it with cant tribulations I'm optimistic we are going to raise

49:15 - the money.

49:15 - To make this building work

49:17 - and.

49:18 - Though we promised Dan we wouldn't be.

49:20 - Pitching and hitting you all for funds tonight I can assure you all you will be.

49:25 - Hit for funding

49:26 - in the near future.

49:30 - In closing I would like to remind everybody that tomorrow we are recognizing

49:34 - the.

49:35 - Cable pioneers with our founders awards

49:38 - and a couple of special awards.

49:40 - And I would like to

49:42 - encourage you all to take advantage of the open bar and the hors d'oeuvres that are

49:47 - here courtesy of

49:48 - general instrument and cable services.

49:50 - Thank you very much for everything this evening.

49:53 - And.

50:18 - And.