USA > Massachusetts > Tracing the telephone in western Massachusetts, 1877-1930 > Part 16
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Elmer A. Wagner, former Sales Supervisor in the Spring- field Commercial Office, has been appointed District Advertis- ing Supervisor of the Pittsfield and Vermont Districts, Feb- ruary, 1928.
J. J. McCarthy, former Plant Engineer for the Pittsfield District, was made Plant Engineer for the Vermont District in September, 1928. "Jim" started work in the Engineering Dept. at Springfield and was later transferred to the Northampton District and then back to Springfield.
"Tom" W. Hyland, who has been Worcester District Main- tenance Supervisor for the past three years, was transferred to the Pittsfield District in October, 1928.
An April, 1929, item tells of the No. 12 test board being moved to the Howard Building on Fenn Street to make room for additional toll switchboard, which was to be installed on the third floor of the Pittsfield Exchange Bldg. on Pearl Street. Wire Chief Henderson and his force were occupying en- larged quarters adjacent to the District Plant and Engineering offices in the Howard Building.
Telephone life wasn't "all work and no play." August, 1929, Topics describes this outing: The Pittsfield Business Office force enjoyed a flat rock fry on June 10, on West Mountain. Allan S. Morton and George F. Cheney were the chefs and provided a menu of steak, sweet potatoes, fried onions and the fixings. All plates were found empty in due course of time, and games were enjoyed until dark.
Those present were: Harold B. Ransehousen, District Mgr .; George F. Cheney, Manager; William M. Hoggan of Green- field, Joseph A. Sneed, Allan S. Morton, John F. Enwright, Helen Cheyne, Olive E. Cole, Catherine Mandell, Agnes Nel- ligan, Blanche Olmstead, Mae Powers and Lydia Silliman.
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Robert D. Fuller, New Hampshire Manager, was called to Pittsfield as the new District Manager in October, 1929.
Harold B. Ransehousen left the District Managership at Pittsfield to become Division Sales Manager for the Metro- politan Division.
A golf professional, hired by a big department store to give golf lessons, was approached by two women-"Do you wish to learn to play golf, Madam?" he asked one. "Oh, no" she said, "it's my friend who wants to learn. I learned yesterday." Cur- rent Events.
Despite the wintry weather in the Berkshires in January, 1930, District Foreman Hyland's crews were rapidly pushing ahead with the setting of some seven hundred poles and three hundred and fifty anchors in connection with the big Pitts- field estimate recently authorized. Leon Coons and Harry Lucas put down twenty-seven six-foot holes with the earth boring machine one forenoon recently, which is not so bad in Pittsfield's clay and rocky soil.
Jan., 1930, Topics-William H. O'Brien of the Department of Public Utilities spoke interestingly on the relations be- tween his Department and the Company. More than 150 em- ployees of the Pittsfield District attended the get together. Mr. O'Brien told of his experiences abroad, including his visit to the Peace Conference in Geneva. His talk was made interest- ing by his many entertaining and witty stories.
George F. Cheney, Manager, presided and Robert D. Ful- ler, District Manager, introduced Mr. O'Brien. Miss Carmella Bachkowski entertained with vocal selections.
May, 1930, Topics-New Pittsfield Building
Getting ready for the new dial telephone office at Pittsfield will be a big job. Before the new office is placed in service, in the fall of 1931, nearly $1,250,000 will have been expended by the Company for the new building, the new dial equipment, for changes and additions to the cable plant and for replacing more than 13,000 telephones with the new dial instruments.
Excavation work at the corner of Federal Street and Wen- dell Avenue is completed and construction of the new build- ing has begun. About October 1st the building will be com-
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pleted and soon thereafter the installation of dial equipment will be started. There are now over 13,300 telephones in Pitts- field.
The new building will be built of brick with limestone trimmings, supported by reinforced concrete, and will be of the Georgian type of architecture. It will cover a ground area of about 160 x 70 feet.
In the basement there will be provision for a cable vault, power and heating plant and battery room.
On the first floor there will be the business office with an attractive lobby leading to the elevators and the stairway. In the rear of the first floor there will be a room containing re- peaters.
On the front of the second floor there will be District offices for the Commercial, Plant and Traffic Depts. The entire third floor will be utilized for the dial equipment.
The operating room, sitting room, lockers, quiet room, kitchen, lunch room, and Traffic Dept. instruction room will be on the fourth floor.
June, 1930, Topics-Frank D. Henderson, Wire Chief, Pittsfield Area, is appointed District Maintenance Supervisor. Mr. Henderson is especially well qualified for his new job. He entered the employ of our Company in April, 1912, as night operator at Athol. Transferring to the Plant Dept. at Fitch- burg in 1916, he successfully passed practically all the plant examinations from Class "C" Installer to Class "A" Testman within the next five years and was Testman at Fitchburg until 1923, when he was transferred to the Division staff at Spring- field.
In 1924 he was acting Wire Chief for a few months at Green- field, going from there to Great Barrington in the same capac- ity, where he remained until coming to Pittsfield in 1926.
C. D. Gould was appointed Supervising Cable Foreman in the Pittsfield District in June, 1930.
June, 1930, Topics-Luke E. Dean, of the Division Plant Supervisor's staff, succeeds Mr. Henderson as Wire Chief at Pittsfield. He is no stranger to the Pittsfield District, having served as acting Wire Chief for two months and made period-
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ical trips through the District in connection with installation methods.
Mr. Dean was first employed by the New York Telephone Co. Installation Dept., in 1907. He transferred to the Illinois Bell in 1908, returning to New York in 1909 as PBX Installer. In 1913 he was transferred to the New England Company at Springfield where he served as substation PBX Installer and Repairman and District Inspector, going to Fitchburg in 1923 as Wire Chief. In 1925 he returned to Springfield as Division Station Installer and then Maintenance Supervisor in the force of the Division Plant Supervisor.
C. D. Gould, Splicing Foreman, was transferred from Fitch- burg to Pittsfield to join the enlarged cable force in May, 1930. He started as a Cable Helper at Fitchburg in 1921 and was made a Splicer in 1922. When Foreman Baldwin was transferred to Worcester in 1928, he was appointed Splicing Foreman at Fitchburg.
Robert W. Murdick was appointed Manager at Pittsfield Oct. 1, 1930, succeeding George F. Cheney, transferred to the Central Division as Results Supervisor. "Bob" had been serv- ing as Manager at Montpelier and prior to that, had acted as Commercial Representative in Springfield, Greenfield, Rut- land and Burlington.
CHAPTER 16
North Adams Exchange Area
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THE New England Telephone and Telegraph Co., having been launched Oct. 19, 1883, assigned the exchanges in Berk- shire County to its Western Division, with headquarters in Springfield, and appointed Frank G. Daboll as Superintend- ent. William H. Stedman continued to occupy the position of Manager.
The fire alarm system, devised by Manager Stedman, had been adopted Sept. 13, 1883. Twenty telephones were to be installed in boxes attached to telephone poles throughout the town, and the Springfield Republican of Nov. 13, 1883, re- ported the work as practically completed. This project neces- sitated the running of quite a few additional wires, which caused many people regret to see so many poles and wires in .the main streets.
An historic event was reported in the Republican of Nov. 15, 1883: "It is probable that the new standard time will be adopted in North Adams Sunday and arrangements will be made to have a whistle blow when it is 12 o'clock by the new time." This item did not pertain to daylight saving time but to the establishment throughout the nation of time zones about fifteen degrees wide, which are referred to as Eastern time, Central, etc .; and it behooves the traveler to change his watch an hour as he passes from one zone to another.
The subscribers were deprived of their telephone service one Sunday, when the Company put in a new Watson switch- board. The reason for this Christmas gift-it occurred Dec. 23, 1883-was that the exchange had then reached a total of
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
155 subscribers, 62 more than there were a year ago. This con- stant growth was attributed by the Republican to the satisfac- tion given by the management.
Those who are familiar with "Sted's" neatness and artistic temperament, will not be surprised at reading this item from the Republican of March 26, 1884: Manager Stedman pro- poses to prohibit posting bills on the fire alarm telephone poles, which have lately been painted."
In keeping with its practice in other exchanges, the Com- pany granted the telephone operators a ten days' vacation without any reduction in their wages, which caused consider- able rejoicing.
Dangers were encountered in those days of horse drawn vehicles, according to this excerpt in the Republican: "As General Superintendent Wheeler of the New England Tele- phone Co. and Manager Stedman of the local exchange were riding down Jackson Street the other day, the horse began kicking and Mr. Wheeler jumped from the wagon striking on his head and injuring himself severely.
The North Adams telephone quarters were moved to the corner of Main and Holden Streets in the Blackington Block in 1889 with two 50-line switchboards. One year later a three position multiple board, the first in New England, and the first metallic lines were introduced.
Allen C. Fitch started as a night operator in 1901. Two years later he had climbed to the position of Chief Operator.
Late in 1899 a movement got under way for a local exchange in Williamstown, but action was delayed because some were for it and others against. The objectionable feature to it was the disfigurement of the streets with unsightly poles. In Feb- ruary, 1902, the New England Telephone Co. presented a plan whereby it sought the privilege of erecting such poles as were necessary on Cole Ave., Water, New, and North Streets, a portion of South Street and perhaps Southworth Ave., but Main Street was not to be included. The Company would run its lines, when possible, in the rear of the houses.
The plan was favorably received and the Company dis- patched Agent L. Foss to conduct a canvass. He soon secured
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the requisite 50 names and kept on soliciting to make the ex- change as large as possible.
The North Adams Evening Transcript next announced that a franchise was granted to the Telephone Company by the Selectmen March 27, 1902, which was signed for the Com- pany by Jasper N. Keller, General Manager. Previous nego- tiations were conducted by F. G. Daboll, Division Supt., M. Hutchins, Supt. of Construction, E. W. Pelton, and L. Foss- all of Springfield.
The Williamstown exchange was opened Sunday morning," June 1, 1902, in a small room on the second floor of the Dan- forth Block on Spring Street. The number of subscribers had already reached 100, which required the services of two operators.
The Transcript added, "The exchange will include 2 auto- matic telephones very soon, two having been ordered. People talking through the telephones will deposit their money in receptacles made for that purpose instead of paying Mr. Noel or Waterman and Moore."
In 1903 a line was run to South Williamstown, and in the next few years permits were granted to place wires and poles along the streets and out into the rural districts.
"July 8, 1905, North Adams was placed on a par with the largest city in the country in respect to its telephone equip- ment." So stated the Evening Transcript of July 10th and thus continued: "Engineer George Call, who had charge of the work, sang out 'All ready'; the men pulled the strings, jerking out the coils; Manager W. H. Steadman at the same mo- ment threw a small switch, and a new common battery switch- board was in operation. There were about 900 subscribers.
"Among the officials present were: Charles Herzig, Assist- ant Supt. of Construction; F. R. Clarke, Supt. of Boston office; J. S. Morse, Foreman of instrument work; A. Flister, same; K. P. Lippincott, Chief Service Inspector; E. E. Rams- dell, who has had charge of the testing of the cables, and S. F. Parker, Service Inspector."
George W. Duxbury joined the construction crew as a groundman in August, 1905 in the erection of telephone poles, working with G. Murray White and L. B. Streeter.
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
With the advent of Telephone Topics in May, 1907, a more intimate knowledge of telephone affairs was made possible.
In July, 1907, No. 12 copper circuits from Burlington to Rutland and from Rutland to North Adams were nearly com- pleted.
David B. Dunham went to work in North Adams in Oc- tober, 1907, as a Collector. When the practice of collecting was abolished, he became a Contract Agent.
The Jan., 1908, Topics featured an article on Manager W. H. Stedman, most of which information has appeared before. It was brought out that the present quarters were still at the corner of Main and Holden Streets in the Blackington Block and occupied the whole second floor, with the exception of two rooms. There were 37 employees, including 20 operators, on the pay roll. The central office had 57 trunk lines, 457 local lines and 27 pay station lines, and handled over 8,000 calls each day and was a switching point for east, west, north and south.
A characteristic of the Manager was disclosed in this article: "Every one who knows "Sted" is familiar with his hobby for neatness and cleanliness and with his anti-cigar views, and woe betide the luckless college student or person who ventures on the premises with a lighted cigar. His exit is more hurried than dignified."
Miss Cora Button took the position of Assistant Bookkeeper at the North Adams exchange, in place of Florence Graham, resigned.
The Operating Reorganization took effect Aug. 1, 1908, whereby three different departments were established,-Com- mercial, Plant and Traffic. The new heads of the Pittsfield District were as follows: H. E. Hughes, Commercial Manager; George L. Call, Plant Chief; Thomas Ewart, Traffic Chief.
The Nov., 1908, Topics reported that Miss Fannie Dodds has taken the position of Chief Operator at North Adams, made vacant by the transfer of Allen C. Fitch to Service In- spector for the Pittsfield District.
Feb., 1909, Topics showed the progress being made in the telephone business: "Workmen are placing the cables in the
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
underground conduits at Adams on several streets. This will remove a large number of overhead wires.
"The books and exchange sheets of the Adams and Wil- liamstown exchanges have been taken to the Auditing office at Greenfield, to be followed next month by the North Adams books."
An item from Topics tells of a method to transmit local news. "The new farmers' line extending from Williamstown to South Williamstown district, was installed August 12th with sixteen subscribers." 1
On such a line, news might get a little mixed, as in this Topics story-
Mother (to little daughter returning from Sunday School): "Well, what was your lesson about this morning?"
Little Daughter: "A man named Solomon."
Mother: "And what did you learn about Solomon?"
Little Daughter: "The teacher said he had 300 wives and 700 cucumber vines."
Nov., 1909, Topics-Miss Agnes Bovie has been appointed Supervisor at North Adams to succeed Miss Florence Welton. Miss Florence Eldridge has been appointed night operator in place of Miss Bovie.
George W. Duxbury was promoted to Line Foreman for the Construction Dept. in 1910, in recognition of his service and ability.
Miss Edith M. Nicoll, formerly Chief Operator of the Wil- liamstown Exchange, has resigned and is to be succeeded by Miss Gertrude A. Walden, who was formerly local operator in that exchange.
Canvassing continued unabated. Topics told of Solicitor Dunham, of the North Adams Exchange, taking nearly fifty contracts, a PBX No. 2 being placed in the Boston Store, and orders for two more about ready for signatures.
The Flying Squadron, in charge of Henry Levy, was making a canvass of Adams, North Adams and Williamstown, accord- ing to Topics: "One day Special Agent Levy was trying to con- vince a photographer that a telephone would be a good in- vestment. He had about exhausted his persuasive arguments
WILLIAM H. STEDMAN
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
when the photographer made the proposition that if the Agent would have a photograph taken he would sign a contract.
"Levy was game. He wanted the business. He gathered his force, the photograph was taken, and the contract was se- cured."
In July, 1911, Topics reported that many contracts were being taken in North Adams for special lines under the re- duction in rates. A cable job had been engineered involving 920 feet of 400 pair cable, 1100 feet of 180 pair cable and 560 feet of 90 pair cable in under-ground conduits in anticipation of the changes in service.
In January, 1912, a No. 2 branch exchange was installed in the new North Adams Transcript's building on Bank Street by F. D. Viens.
This sales activity was evidently profitable. "The Com- mercial office at North Adams has been refurnished with an entire new equipment of desks, chairs, and filing cases, and is said to be the best appointed office in the division."
Thomas F. Boyle, special agent from Springfield, was in Bennington securing rights of way for a new toll line from North Adams to Shaftsbury, Vermont.
Harold Ransehousen, the same month, took a position as a collector and contract agent at North Adams, under the watchful eye of Manager Stedman.
W. E. Cain's residence in Savoy, where a Class F exchange was located, was struck by lightning and nearly destroyed; the cable, wiring and switchboard being badly damaged.
Something of a more exciting nature was reported by Top- ics of Aug., 1912: "A fire destroyed four large blocks in North Adams early in July including the Empire Theatre, Empire Block, Sullivan Block, and the Wilson House, the latter being only forty feet from the telephone exchange, which was saved by the excellent work of the firemen.
"All of the operators were called, arriving at the exchange at 3 A.M. and did not leave their positions until the fire was under control. Although the heat was intense and both gas and electric lights were turned off, they were at work in total darkness, except the light from the fire.
"At the switchboard, side by side, operators, inspectors,
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
and linemen were answering calls. The Commercial Dept. had all reports, books, and cash packed up ready to move at a moment's notice. Men and teams were ready to remove as much of the furniture as possible. Asbestos blankets were placed over the windows of the operating room to keep out the fire and heat, but not one left his or her post."
Telephone Topics printed a piece taken from the North Adams Herald: "Jim", the old buckskin horse owned by the New England Telephone Co., gave his fellow employees a scare yesterday afternoon about 5:30 o'clock. The old horse, who has been with the company so long that the employees consider him one of its most valuable assets, was being driven up High Street hill. The load was rather heavy and the three men were walking and giving the old fellow a lift over the rough places. Finally "Jim" began to back and did not stop until he went over an eighteen foot embankment and landed, wagon atop of him, on the roof of a chicken coop. From there he rolled off the roof between a fence and the side of the coop. The linemen worked feverishly to get the wagon and harness off the old horse and were greatly relieved when they found that he was not injured. Truckmen were sent for and found it necessary to tip the chicken coop over and tear down part of the fence before they could get "Jim" and the wagon out. All the time the men were working, "Jim" lay on his back with his four feet pointing skyward waiting for the men to get him out of his precarious position. He was uninjured save for two small cuts on the breast and the wagon was undamaged aside from a broken shaft. The harness was cut to pieces by the men in their efforts to liberate their "fellow employee."
John T. Mclaughlin and Kenneth S. Weeks, of the Engi- neering Dept., were engaged during Sept., 1912, in making a cable distribution study of the North Adams Exchange.
Tuttle and Bryant Co. had a number D branch exchange of ten stations installed in their new department store in Feb- ruary, 1913.
Topics tells of the Williamstown cut-over: "On Saturday night, June 6, 1914, the telephone central office in Williams- town was removed from the 2nd floor of the Danforth Block to new quarters on the ground floor of the same building. The
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
new central office will be operated by the Common Battery system. On the new switchboard there will be room for three operators to work at one time. There are now over 500 tele- phones in Williamstown and about 2,000 calls are handled every day, of which 200 are incoming calls from other ex- changes. In 1903 there were 102 telephones in the town and five years later this number had increased to 211, since which time the number has more than doubled."
North Adams was having a Common Battery switchboard installed on the third floor of the new Transcript Building on Bank Street in August, 1914. A force of men under G. R. Martin of the Western Electric Co. was doing the work.
Adams, at the same time, was also having a No. 10 Common Battery system installed by a force of ten men under W. H. Ahl, of the Western Electric Co. The new office was in the Armory Building on Park Street. It was cut over Oct. 3, 1914.
In the fall of 1915, an "automatic" pay station was estab- lished on the "Mohawk Trail" on Florida Mt. by Manager Stedman, just 1000 feet above North Adams, but two and one half miles from the central office by road. One Sunday 1446 autos passed that station, a great many stopping.
The Telephone Topics imparts the information that on Aug. 30, 1919, Miss Gertrude A. Walden, Chief Operator at Williamstown, resigned to be married, after eleven years of faithful and conscientious service for the Company. She was succeeded by Miss Agnes N. Hastings, who was promoted from Junior Supervisor.
The Commercial force in the North Adams office in Sep- tember, 1920, consisted of W. H. Stedman, Manager; George F. Cheney, Commercial Representative; Sadie C. McIntyre, Cashier; Mary D. Mauser, Clerk. G. Murray White was the Wire Chief.
Miss Sadie C. McIntyre, Cashier, soon changed her name. The auspicious event occurred on Nov. 15, 1920, and she has been known since as Mrs. Clyde Carley or Sadie Carley.
The Jan. 1921, Topics reported that Miss Minnie E. Austin had been appointed Chief Operator of the North Adams ex- change, to fill the vacancy caused by Mrs. Gatslick's resigna- tion.
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"Miss Austin started her telephone career in February, 1907, and by steady application and consistently good work has reached the position of Chief Operator of her exchange. By the way, she is very, very modest, and absolutely refused to have her picture taken for Topics."
"Mrs. Francis Gatslick, who has been with the Company since 1902, resigned on Nov. 6, 1920. She has filled the position of Chief Operator at North Adams for the last twelve years and has been a most capable and efficient one. Under her guidance the North Adams office always has been at the top."
The June, 1921, Topics reported the passing of a former telephone girl: "Mrs. David B. Dunham, wife of the Manager at Great Barrington, passed on recently. Mrs. Dunham, for- merly Cashier at the North Adams exchange, had been in the employ of the Company for twenty-three years. Entering the Company in September, 1895, she continued in its service until January, 1919, when Mr. Dunham took up his residence in Great Barrington.
"Mrs. Dunham had a very charming personality and was loved and held in the highest estimation by all who knew her."
On March 30, 1922, the Richmond Hotel suffered a disas- trous fire. The alarm was sounded shortly after 11 P.M. and, as usual, the switchboard was flooded with calls. Many opera- tors came back to duty voluntarily, and soon the public was being well cared for. Members of the Plant Dept. gave valuable assistance in furnishing ladders and in doing volunteer work. Miss Minnie Austin, the Chief Operator, was on duty soon after the alarm was sounded and did commendable work at the switchboard.
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