USA > Massachusetts > Tracing the telephone in western Massachusetts, 1877-1930 > Part 12
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
The following incident may have occurred in Williams- town: College Professor to student: "This is the fifth time in the last two years you have been granted leave of absence to attend your grandfather's funeral!"
"I know," deprecatingly admitted the graceless young scamp, "but it isn't my fault, is it, if my grandmother will marry again?"
Mr. Gardner, Manager of the Western Division, left Pitts- field Feb. 5, 1883, and George C. Millard, formerly of North Adams and then Manager of the Pittsfield exchange, took his place.
A note in the Republican of Feb. 26, 1883, set forth the assurance that North Adams would be connected with Ben- nington by telephone in the spring. However, as was so often the case, the telephone officials' wish was 'father to the thought,' and it wasn't until about two years later that this looked-for event occurred.
A broader telephone service was mentioned May 17th by the Transcript: "The telephone office has commenced doing a message business, and now subscribers can have messages sent to non-subscribers."
The telephone people kept in mind artistic effects when en- gaging in construction work. "The telephone company will build a tower on the Bank building to allow a more compact and graceful entrance for the telephone wires to their office."
The Republican, a little later, announced that this tower was nearly completed, and that the town then had over 150 stations. General Manager Downs had just sent instructions to extend the line to Troy immediately.
The Bay State Telephone Co. managed to complete an- other important toll line, according to the Transcript of Oct. 4, 1883: "The North Adams exchange is now in connection with Albany via Pittsfield. Doubtful if line will be built to Troy this winter." The failure to proceed with the Troy line, as directed by General Manager Downs, can only be explained by a decision to let the New England Telephone and Tele- graph Co., whose organization was about consummated, per- form the pleasant task of building the line over the Taconic Range.
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The final combination of New England telephone com- panies occurred Oct. 19, 1883, and further information about the telephone affairs of North Adams, under the management of the New England Telephone and Telegraph Co., will be found in Chapter 16.
ADAMS EXCHANGE
The telephone exchange in Adams, being a branch office of the North Adams exchange, was not accorded frequent men- tion by the newspapers. Many of the things that were reported in connection with the North Adams exchange applied to the Adams branch office as well. It has been mentioned that North Adams, a few years before, comprised a part of the town of Adams.
Prior to the sale of the Western Mass. Telephone Co. to the Bay State Telephone Co., the telephone manager of the Adams exchange was Edmund G. Flint. It is presumed that Mr. Flint continued in this position after Joel C. Clark was appointed Manager of the new Western division, with headquarters at Pittsfield. The new company created, among others, a Worces- ter division, a Springfield division and a Western division. This latter division, at its beginning, had only three exchanges -Pittsfield, North Adams and Adams.
Telephones were put in the Freeman office; L. J. Follett's residence and a telephone line was run from T. A. Mole's house to his farm. Also, according to the Transcript of June 14, 1883: "Telephones have been put into Dr. Riley's office, Dr. Holmes' office and F. H. Burt's house. There are now 67 telephones in town, an increase of 15 since January 1st."
It appears from the following Transcript excerpt of August 30th that Edmund Flint was no longer the telephone manager here: "Manager Taylor has added 10 telephones to the local exchange, which now numbers 70 instruments."
The consolidation of the Bay State Telephone Co. and several other companies brought about the New England Tele- phone and Telegraph Co.
The Adams Exchange, with several others, was made a part of the North Adams Exchange Area. It thus becomes necessary
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to include the affairs of the Adams Exchange with those of North Adams, which will be found in Chapter 16.
GREAT BARRINGTON EXCHANGE
The Western Massachusetts Telephone Co. did not fulfill its hopes of installing a telephone exchange in Great Barring- ton. Nevertheless, the town was not entirely without the bene- fits of telephone service. According to the History of Great Barrington, by Charles J. Taylor, and published by the town in 1928: "Private enterprise installed the first telephone line in 1879 between the Berkshire Woolen Mills and the resi- dences of Parley A. Russell and George E. Russell. The circuit also included Lillie's (now Harper's) drug store and the resi- dence of George A. Tuller."
The Berkshire Courier, a weekly newspaper published by Clark W. Bryan and James A. Bryan, states in its June 30, 1880, issue: "Work on the new telephone line between Great Barrington and South Egremont is to be commenced at once, and when constructed it will be utilized by the South Egre- mont and Great Barrington Telephone Club, of which W. E. Phelps of South Egremont is Secretary and Treasurer, and W. B. Peck and W. C. Dalzell of South Egremont, and F. H. Wright and J. Fred Whiting of Great Barrington, are the Committee to look after the construction of the line, which will be worked under the sanction of and in connection with the Western Massachusetts Telephone Co.
"The Central office (meaning here a business place where the proprietor sends out for parties or delivers messages) in Great Barrington will be at Whiting's Drug Store, and at South Egremont at the post office, with instruments at the Mount Everett House, Dalzell's carriage works, and at some private residences."
The Courier of July 21, 1880, reported: "The new line of telephone is now open for business. Rates for transmission of messages from Great Barrington to South Egremont, 10 cents; from South Egremont to Great Barrington, including de- livery, 15 cents."
The Bay State Telephone Co. took over the Western Massa-
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chusetts Telephone Co. September 13, 1882. A Western Divi- sion was organized, with headquarters at Pittsfield, the Gen- eral Manager being Joel C. Clark.
In the spring of 1883 this new Company turned its attention to lower Berkshire. The March 7th Courier told of a line that was to be extended from the Lee exchange to Stockbridge, thence to Glendale, where there has never been a telegraphic line. Among the subscribers in Glendale will be Chaffee and Callender paper mill and the F. W. Adams woolen mills. Two weeks later telephones were being put into several places in Stockbridge.
May 23, 1883, the Courier published an article well calcu- lated to charm the readers' eyes: "The Bay State Telephone Co. now have their line all completed to Great Barrington and their connections nearly all made. They have met with a better reception, in regard to new subscribers, than they ex- pected, and when they have connected on with the Egremont line, as is intended, and also the private line here, the instru- ments in use will number 30. The exchange has been estab- lished in rooms in the Sumner Building, and an attendant will be stationed there day and night, which will enable the subscribers to be waited on promptly at all times. The work done by this company hereabouts, is first class, the structure being especially well built, and, in fact, everything pertaining to the business has been done in a first class manner. C. G. Thomkins, who is the General Manager for Berkshire County, has had the general supervision and has been ably seconded by Mr. Melvin Hutchins, the Superintendent of Construction. The lines now work in 1st class shape with all the points of connection to the north, the tests being of the most satisfactory kind. The town has been divided into 24 circuits with two to four subscribers on each circuit, a list of same being given below."
Number 1 .- Dr. Large, office and residence; John Brewer & Sons', lumber yard; G. A. Tuller, Collins House.
Number 4 .- Dr. F. P. Whittlesey, office; S. A. Sanford, market. Number 5 .- Western Union Telegraph office.
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Number 6 .- Houghtaling & Pomeroy's store, Monument Mills, C. R. Crane, office and house, all of Housatonic.
Number 8 .- Berkshire Woolen Company; George E. Russell, residence; Parley A. Russell, residence.
Number 9 .- F. T. Whiting & Son, store; Dr. W. P. Small, office & residence.
Number 10 .- J. A. Brewer, store; E. D. Humphrey, store.
Number 12 .- C. H. Lillie, store; Dr. Samuel Camp, office.
Number 13 .- Peck & Harrington, store; Mt. Everett House,
Dalzell & Co., and A. A. Benjamin, all of South Egremont. Number 15 .- Miller House; Berkshire Courier Office and Clark W. & J. A. Bryan.
Number 16 .- C. J. Burget, store.
Number 17 .- E. D. Brainard, residence.
Number 21 .- M. D. Richardson, house.
Number 23 .- H. T. Robbins, house.
Number 24 .- R. I. Taylor, store; C. H. Eddy, store; A. S. Fassett, store.
Melvin Hutchins, the Superintendent of Construction, started his picturesque career in 1869 building telegraph lines. "On October 9, 1882, (he later related) I entered the employ of the Boston and Northern Telephone Co. as a line foreman. I was transferred to Pittsfield early in 1883 and built the Pitts- field-Great Barrington line and opened the first exchange in Great Barrington. In those days, we did everything in con- nection with installing an exchange, setting the switchboard and soliciting subscribers. I stayed in Great Barrington until December, 1884, when I came to Springfield."
The next item, May 30, 1883, indicates that the Great Bar- rington exchange was opened soon after May 23rd: Miss Cal- lie Gallup is now one of the operators of the Telephone Ex- change in this village, assisting young Mr. Knapp, who has been in charge of the exchange since its establishment.
The new exchange met with a favorable reception, and four new business customers were made known: Egbert Hol- lister, store; Dr. W. P. Atherton, house; C. W. Norton, store, and H. J. Mignerey, store.
The Courier of June 20, 1883, contained an optimistic
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article: "Poles for a new line were set between North Egre- mont and John A. Cone's farm, which after reaching Cone's Corner, will come into town on Telephone Company poles and be put on the exchange. The line is being built by E. K. Corthell, the engineer-in-chief of Buffalo & West Shore rail- road, who spends his summer vacations in North Egremont. It is expected that a branch line will be built to Alford, out past the Elisha Tobey place, where Dr. Richard Beebe will build a line from his house to meet it. The Messrs. Dalzell & Co., intend to run a line from South Egremont to Hillsdale, N.Y., which will there meet a line that is now being built from Hudson, N.Y., and will probably, in time, come into our ex- change, furnishing great accommodation."
The last construction work performed in South Berkshire by the Bay State Telephone Co. was the setting of poles and stringing the wire from Great Barrington to Sheffield, which was reported working splendidly July 25, 1883.
The Lee office, at this time, was a branch of the Pittsfield exchange.
The population of Great Barrington in 1880 was 4653: the Village itself being 2341; Housatonic Village, 1112; Van Deusenville, 146; and the rural areas, 1054.
In 1842 the coming to the town of the Housatonic railroad effected a great change in the business of the village. The Housatonic system included only the line from Bridgeport to Pittsfield, 111 miles long. In 1892 it was merged in the N Y, N H, & H.
Housatonic is a manufacturing center. The Monument Mills, incorporated in 1850, and absorbing the Waubeek Mill in 1871, have for many years been the most important manu- facturing industry of the whole town. Beginning with the production of cotton warps, they have become noted for the Manufacture of Marseilles counterpanes. This Company bought the Glendale Woolen Mill property and erected the second largest power plant on the river, according to C. J. Taylor's history.
Second to the Monument Mills in importance are the paper mills. B. D. Rising Co. acquired the property of the Owen Paper Co. in 1900.
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Two recreational items are taken from the Courier: A large party from the Mt. Everett House, South Egremont, indulged in a hay ride to Gibson's Grove at Lake Buel. Four horses drew the merry party, who remembered the Courier office with a good old-fashioned cheer, as they went through this village.
The Housatonic Railroad will begin to run excursion trains to Coney Island and Rockaway about the 15th of June.
The Courier also reported that the Williams Academy, Stockbridge High School, has a full quota of pupils this term, numbering 56.
The Berkshire Courier was founded by John D. Cushing of Lenox, who issued the first number on the 16th of October, 1834. Mr. Rogers purchased his interest in 1865 and sold to Clark W. Bryan January 1, 1879. Mr. Bryan was formerly with the Springfield Republican.
The Bay State Telephone Co. ended its career October 19, 1883, when it became a part of the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company. A continuation of the events occur- ring in South Berkshire will be found in Chapter 17.
GREENFIELD EXCHANGE
The Western Massachusetts Telephone Co., which had started to organize an exchange at Greenfield, was taken over by the Bay State Telephone Co. before that auspicious event occurred. Soon the Bay State Telephone Co. divided its large territory into divisions, and appointed Joel C. Clark of South Framingham, the Manager of the Western division, with head- quarters at Pittsfield. This division included the Pittsfield, North Adams and Adams exchanges and several prospective exchanges, of which Greenfield was one.
There appeared to be a more confident tone, however, in the article appearing in the Greenfield Gazette and Courier of Oct. 9, 1882: "H. R. Miller, of the Western Telephone Co. (Western division), has come to town for the purpose of establishing a telephone exchange which will be connected with Shelburne Falls and possibly other places in this vicinity. Greenfield is a little late in introducing the telephone on
Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts 145
account of the former division of territory between the com- panies. The recent consolidation makes it feasible to take in Greenfield with other places, and we dare say the telephone will be found to be as much of a necessity here as elsewhere.
Mr. Miller's appearance in town was for the purpose of canvassing for subscribers. He succeeded in procuring 25 sig- natures, which were 5 short of the goal. Another stimulating article appeared October 23rd in the Gazette and Courier: "The Bay State Telephone Co. has a large amount of work to do before cold weather but Greenfield has waited so long that it is felt it ought to have an exchange this season, and if a sufficient number of patrons can be obtained during the coming week a large force will be put on and this place will be connected by local lines with Shelburne Falls, Turners Falls, Millers Falls and Deerfield, and the trunk line extended from Northampton on the south and from Orange on the east, placing us in connection with Northampton, Holyoke and Springfield, and Orange, Athol, Gardner, Fitchburg and Worcester and points east at once. If it can be done before cold weather, Brattleboro will be reached, which will give a connection with Bellows Falls, Hinsdale, Winchester and Keene. If an exchange is opened here, no pains or expense will be spared to make the system indispensable to the business interests of the place."
The preceding article produced the desired effect, for an item in the Nov. 3, 1882, Republican gave this news: "Agent Burt of the Bay State Telephone Co. has engaged poles for a line from Shelburne Falls to Orange, the central exchange be- ing located at Greenfield."
This item was followed by one in the Greenfield paper of November 13th, stating that the above work was being rapidly pushed, and that the office of the company will be on the fourth floor of the Pond Block. (Later called the Burnham Block.) The hope was expressed that the wires would be extended wherever necessary in the center of the village without the use of unsightly poles. No suggestion was made that the poles be painted, as they were in some places.
A pole line to the south was also the aim of the management -weather permitting. This undertaking was made known by
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the Republican on November 21st: "There is some prospect that Greenfield may be connected with Springfield by tele- phone during the winter by way of Northampton, as poles have already been bought for part of the route, and the work is to be pushed as rapidly as possible."
A report on the East-West pole line job was given in the December 4th Gazette and Courier: "The poles are up for the telephone wires between Greenfield and Shelburne Falls, the connection East has been made, with the exception of 'a short space between here and Montague City."
The Republican on December 14th reported that men be- gan today to string the telephone line from Greenfield to Hat- field, which will connect Greenfield and Springfield by tele- phone.
The telephone line to Northampton was completed Jan. 2, 1883, according to the Republican, and instruments were be- ing put in the offices of subscribers. "Within a week the ex- change will be in full operation. A 50-wire switchboard has been put into the office in the Pond Block, and it will start off with 50 or more subscribers."
The following article of Jan. 17, 1883, in the Republican, leaves no doubt that the central office was finally working: "Telephone connections were made yesterday with Vermont by way of Shelburne Falls. Connections are now made in all directions except Turners Falls, which will be connected in a few days. A woman operator now manages the switchboard at the exchange. Nearly 40 instruments have already been put in the village and more will be placed in operation this week."
An article in the Gazette and Courier of January 22 (pub- lished weekly) contained other points of interest and gave a list of the 43 first subscribers:
Allen, S. Sons, hardware Am. House, D. S. Simonds Bruce Bros., depot rest'nt Court House Crosby, D. W., bakery
Deane, Dr. A. C., office Drew, J. V., bakery
Reed, C. N., grocer Sheldon & Newcomb, h'dw Stratton, T. B., (M. Falls) gro- cer Tilton & Co., books & station- ery
Troy & G'f'd fr'ght depot
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
Express, U.S.C., office Express, E. & N. E., office First Nat. Bank Gazette & Courier office G'f'd Reformer, office Howland & Lowell, d'g'sts Hull, A. N., coal yard Hull, A. N., office Kent, S., stable
Keith, Chas., grocer
Luey, L. L. & Son, grocers Lamb, J. E., grain
Miller, H. L., market
Payne, C. N., druggist
Pond, F. A., clothing store Renth, S., cigar manf't'er
Williams, Dr. F. W., dentist Williams, G. D., Atty. at law Washburn, Wm. B., house Wiley, S. L., house W. U. Telegraph office Wiley & Russell Mfg. Co. Walker, Dr. A. C., office Wells Bros. Mfg. Co. Co-operative Mfg. Co. Day, Chas. J., office Rogers, Geo., house Watson, H. D., house Russell C. P., house
Seaman, W. H., office
Fisk, Dr. C. L., Jr., office
The first telephone Manager was F. E. Bowker, who took up telephone work in 1882. He was first engaged as a member of a construction crew which connected several iso- lated exchanges by means of a light pole line and a no. 10 iron grounded circuit extending from Orange to Worcester through Gardner. Early in the year 1883, he was transferred to Greenfield, where he assisted in completing the installation of the first exchange and became its first manager.
Charles A. Jones was listed in the Business Directory as the telephone operator. The location of Pond Block was given as Main Street, opposite Court Square. It was later referred to as the Burnham Block.
An aftermath of this historic event was reported by the Gazette and Courier: "Dwellers in buildings to which tele- phone wires are attached have to get used to the strange sounds produced. One man got up three or four times the other night because he thought the house was on fire. He could hear, as he supposed, the roaring and cracking of the flames, but after repeated search concluded that the telephone wires disturbed by the high wind were the cause of his alarm."
Joel C. Clark had been arranging a new schedule of rates, basing them on the distance from the central office, the num-
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ber of instruments used and other details, which would make a reduction in some cases. The part pertaining to the number of instruments is elucidated in the Republican: "Arrangements will be made so that those who have telephones at their houses as well as at their places of business will have a reduction from the usual rates."
The Greenfield telephone exchange was reported as having 43 subscribers Jan. 22, 1883, and telephone connection was made two days later with Turners Falls, which contributed to the increase of subscribers to fifty. Little had been done in the way of canvassing in the outer districts, as it had taken a great deal of work to get the through lines completed. News items regarding telephone activities in these outer districts now began to appear.
The local paper reported on Jan. 29th that the Millers Falls Co. have a telephone in their office, and there is one for pub- lic use in T. B. Stratton's store. Also that the telephone works to the great satisfaction of the patrons, and added, "Some one at the middle town of Shelburne says Dr. Duncan should put in an instrument. It might be of much use to the doctor, as well as his neighbors and patients." An extra telephone wire for local business was put on between Shelburne Falls and Coleraine.
The Gazette and Courier of Feb. 12, 1883, reported that the telephone for public use in Tilton & Company's book store, Turners Falls, was being used a good deal and that the Farren House is soon to be connected with the telephone ex- change. C. Arthur Peck, druggist, also of Turners Falls, was anxiously waiting to have a telephone put in his store.
A spirited item in the Gazette is quoted: "A Greenfield man joined a sleighing party to a neighboring town the other day and had such a good time that he drove home with another man's horse."
The March 12, 1883, Republican reported that the head- quarters of the Supt. of the Boston & Northern Telephone Co., J. B. Hunt, were transferred from Bellows Falls to the Green- field Exchange office.
An important toll line project was mentioned in the Repub- lican of April 25th: "The Bay State Telephone Co. is ex-
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tending its line north from Greenfield through Bernardston to Brattleboro." A week later it was announced that the com- pany would run their lines to Brattleboro via South Vernon instead of North Bernardston, as at first contemplated, and that the poles were set up to Bernardston.
Montague was mentioned by the Gazette of June 18th: "The public telephone is open for business at the post office. Mr. Nims has a private one at his mill."
Heath was signalized by an event reported in the Republi- can of June 19th: "Postmaster Bolton gives Heath its first telephone, running a line from his store 20 rods to his mother's residence."
Ashfield was on the point of emerging from its isolated condition. The Republican of June 26th stated that the tele- phone line to Ashfield had been completed to Buckland, and that the office (telephone for public use) is to be at Bradford's store. The Gazette followed up on July 2nd with the informa- tion that the wire was now on the poles in Ashfield, and that it ought to be in working order very soon.
The telephone business must have been quite satisfactory to warrant the following action, reported in the Republican of June 22nd: "The telephone exchange will be open hereafter from 9 to 10 Sunday morning and 4 to 6 in the afternoon." It wasn't until January 6, 1884, that the telephone exchange was kept open all day Sunday.
Private lines were occasionally installed. E. Lester, of Mil- lers Falls, had one which connected the post office with his house.
Northfield was finally provided with the benefits of tele- phone communication. The Gazette and Courier of October Ist thus described it: " 'No telephone communicates' is no longer true of Northfield. The line was completed and the 'hullo machines' placed in operation last Wednesday. At pres- ent the only instrument is in the post-office, but there is prob- ability of others being put in."
Whately celebrated the introduction of two telephones within its confines sometime in early October, 1883. An in- strument was put in the store of Eugene E. Wood, near
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