USA > Massachusetts > Tracing the telephone in western Massachusetts, 1877-1930 > Part 2
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On March 19th, 1879, the paper proferred this information:
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
"W. J. Denver has taken a back store in the Music Hall block with the entrance on Pynchon Street, opposite the entrance to the Post Office, as the headquarters of the Springfield Tele- phone Co., and will begin stringing the necessary wires in all directions today."
The Music Hall block, or Haynes Opera House, was situ- ated on the southwest corner of Main and Pynchon Streets, where the Capitol Theatre is now located. The store taken by the Springfield Telephone Co., sometimes called the Western Union Co., or Denver's Co., was evidently at the end of the building on Pynchon Street, for later, mention is made of cut- ting a hole through the west wall of the office for a window. The Western Union Co.'s office was in the Haynes Hotel block, which was on the north side of Pynchon Street, corner of Main.
The Western Union Telegraph Co. had authorized Mr. Denver to build and operate a telephone exchange. Such a ven- ture required both financial and legal assistance. It is obvious that he consulted his banker, Henry S. Hyde, President of the Agawam National Bank of Springfield. Mr. Hyde had great faith in the telephone and together they secured several promi- nent business men to become officials and probably stockhold- ers of the new company. It was reported that the Western Union Co. took $3,000 of the capital stock and ten local men put in $300 each.
The organization of this Springfield Telephone Co. took place March 29, 1879, with C. A. Nichols President, H. S. Hyde Treasurer, W. J. Denver Manager, T. M. Brown Clerk, and as Directors, C. A. Nichols, W. J. Denver, E. Morgan, L. J. Pow- ers, and H. M. Phillips.
Henry S. Hyde, in addition to his bank position, was Treas- urer of the Wason Mfg. Co., railway car builders, and Vice President of the Hampden Savings Bank. Later he served for many years as Vice President of the New England Telephone & Telegraph Co., which position he resigned in 1914, but con- tinued as a director until his death in 1917.
Charles A. Nichols had established a book publishing com- pany and was Vice-President of the 5 Cents Savings Bank and became first President of United Electric Light Co.
Timothy M. Brown was one of the leading lawyers of the
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
city. He served as City Attorney for five years, when Hon. L. J. Powers and the Hon. H. M. Phillips were mayors.
Elisha Morgan, a descendent of Miles Morgan, one of the pioneers of Springfield, became General Ticket Agent of the Conn. River Railroad Co., then entered the envelope busi- ness, and with Chester W. Chapin, President of the Bos- ton & Albany Railroad, formed the Morgan Envelope Co., later acquired by the U. S. Envelope Co.
Lewis J. Powers organized the Powers Paper Co. in 1866, of which he was President and Treasurer, and was elected Mayor of Springfield in 1878 and 1879.
Henry M. Phillips formed the Phillips Mfg. Co., steam heat- ing apparatus, was elected State Representative and Senator and Mayor of Springfield in 1883, 1884 and 1885. In 1914 he was elected Vice President of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.
William J. Denver's wide acquaintance with the local pub- lic gained him special advantages in furthering his objective. Mr. Denver was born in Springfield Aug. 18, 1841. He was educated in the public schools and at the age of 15 took up telegraphy, becoming Manager of the Western Union Tele- graph Co. in 1864.
The District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co., already organized in Conn., having received authority from the city council to conduct business here, appointed H. P. Frost, Presi- dent, and George W. Coy, as Electrician and Supt. Mr. Her- rick P. Frost possessed unusual business ability. He obtained the right from the New England Telephone Co. (not the pres- ent one) to lease Bell instruments for use in the New Haven and Springfield districts at an annual rental of five dollars.
Mr. Coy was the man who built the switchboard for the first commercial exchange in New Haven. He was a Civil War veteran, a natural mechanic, and inventor. He secured the agency for the Bell Telephone Co. in New Haven and con- ceived the idea of establishing a telephone exchange.
The pride of having two telephone companies vying for their patronage was dampened somewhat by the thought of paying two telephone bills instead of one, and it was freely predicted that one company or the other would sell out before
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
actual operations were begun. The tenacity of these rivals wasn't reckoned with, however, for the enlivening competition continued longer than expected. The newspapers, at least, profited by the lengthy advertisements, which frequently adorned their columns.
Two of these advertisements are quoted now, as they present a prospectus of their peculiar qualifications to serve the public:
"The Springfield Telephone Co. desire to assure their pa- trons and friends that they already have contracts with over one hundred of the principal business and professional men in this city for the use of their telephones, and that within a very few days they shall commence to set up their instruments and connect them with the main office. The public is cautioned against placing any confidence in the misrepresentations at- tempted to be made by other parties as to alleged exclusive con- trol of patents and also is reminded that an important advan- tage is gained by being connected with the company having the largest number of patrons and an exclusively local manage- ment.
"The Gold and Stock Telegraph Co., who make the phones operated by this Company, announce that in case any action for infringement of patents are begun against anybody using their instruments, they will, on notice and request, assume the defense. This is in view of their claim to own or control the fundamental inventions of every speaking telephone hitherto invented, constructed or patented." W. J. Denver, Manager, C. A. Nichols, President.
The second advertisement read as follows:
"The District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co. have now in use more than nine hundred telephones in Hartford and New Haven. To Springfield we are now giving the result of all improvements, making the most perfect system possible. The Western Union Co. have no right to use the Telephone and any person to whom they attempt to confer such pretended right will be an infringer. Mr. Elisha Gray, under whom the Western Union claim to be licensed, has admitted Professor Bell's rights."
By H. P. Frost, President.
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
A Republican item of April 12, 1879, shows that the Spring- field Telephone Co. was pretty near the point of getting their switchboard into operation:
"The Springfield Telephone Co. got a temporary switch- board lent them by the Meriden Company into operation yesterday, and are ready for business with and between the dozen private boxes already put in. Boxes for the other appli- cants, who number some 200, will be put in as speedily as possible."
On April 18th it was reported that this company had decided to give their patrons both the Edison transmitter and receiving telephone, and that there were then 40 boxes in operation.
April 16, 1879, is the date commonly accepted as the open- ing of the first telephone exchange by the Springfield Tele- phone Co.
The Springfield Club, at the corner of Worthington and Chestnut Streets, is reputed to be the customer to receive the first message. This, no doubt, was because the officials of the company belonged to that distinguished club and were nerv- ously waiting to see if the new contraption would work.
The District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co. did not get their exchange into operation until a little later, according to an address given by Maurice S. Sherman, Editor of the Springfield Union.
On April 25, 1879, an advertisement appeared, which gave the names of eighteen doctors and druggists connected to the District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co.'s Central Office. This is the only record published in the papers listing some of the first Springfield subscribers.
Telephones, Doctors, and Druggists
The following Doctors and Druggists are now connected with the District Telephone Co.'s central office, number 407 Main Street. The public is invited to use the telephones of this company at all times without charge.
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
Doctors
Bowles, S. W.
Corner Main and State
Brooks, S. D.
41 Vernon
Brooks, L. S.
41 Vernon
Brown, J. R.
Patton's Block
Clark, David
32 Maple
Gardiner, W. H.
155 State
Hamilton, T. E.
84 Greenwood
Hamilton, T. E.
274 Main
Hooks, John
183 State
McFarland, L.
273 State
Pomeroy, S. F.
201 State
Rice, A. R.
45 Pynchon
Druggists
Brewer, H. & J.
463 Main
Gates, E. N.
53 Main
Gates, E. O. & Co.
232 Main
Hill, G. A.
326 Main
St. John, S. Z.
Corner Main & Union
Webber & Co.
111 State
Five days later, the District Telephone Co. distributed its first list of subscribers, numbering 79. A feature of this Com- pany's service was advertised as follows: "Our system is the only one in Springfield where all conversations are strictly private. Our bells are so constructed that eavesdropping is impossible." This feature was effected by a selective signalling device which permitted the operator to ring a party without the other bells on the line being sounded-"Automatic Signal Co." being thus derived.
The Springfield Telephone Co., which was the larger of the two, contributed to the Republican's coffers with a long ad on May 8, 1879. The company was proud to state that it had 300 customers (including held orders) and "was giving them the Edison transmitter with an additional telephone without cost, thus enabling them to hear without constantly changing
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
the position of the instrument, which advantage will be greatly appreciated." Thirty-two circuits were strung through- out the city for the 125 instruments actually in use. The early telephones consisted of single-unit instruments used both for talking and listening, which necessitated transferring it quickly from mouth to ear-back and forth. Signs were posted, "Don't talk with your ear or listen with your mouth."
A quick look at the economic situation in 'ye olden days' follows. Springfield's population in 1880 was 33,340, with a high school attendance of 381 in 1877. Holyoke, with a census of 21,915 in 1880, had 110 enjoying higher education in 1878.
Local transportation in Springfield was provided by hacks and horse cars. The route of these small wooden cars was from Brightwood through North Main and Main to State Street and up State Street to Winchester Park. Also from State Street through Main and Locust to Mill Street. The suburbs were reached by train, stagecoaches, and omnibus lines.
The steamers Dexter, River Belle, and Calla made excur- sions to Gallups Grove, to Holyoke, and other places; and tugs hauled barges up the river as far as Holyoke.
Gas was the principal means of illumination, and hotels had signs in rooms for the protection of those more used to kerosene lamps-"Don't blow out the gas." The Springfield Gas Light Co. had 2100 consumers of gas and 500 public lamps. The lamp lighters plodded the streets, except on nights when the moon cast an illuminating ray. Thomas Edison had just patented an electric lamp; and on March 29, 1880, four Fuller Electric lights were tried out in Alderman Skinner's Silk Mill in Holyoke.
J. C. Parsons organized the Parsons Paper Co. in 1853, the first paper mill in Holyoke; and, when the telephone was introduced, there were 21 paper mills employing 2500.
After getting their exchanges in Springfield pretty well organized, the rival companies turned their attention to Hol- yoke-known throughout the world as "the Paper City." The Republican announced April 2, 1879, that the Automatic Company had bought the private line to Holyoke. Mr. Denver's Company had obtained control of three wires to Holyoke, which belonged to the Atlantic & Pacific
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
Telegraph Co. Half of the poles had to be replaced and new wires strung.
On April 5, 1879, the first assurance of a "circuit" appeared in the Holyoke Transcript: "W. J. Denver, manager of the Springfield Telephone Co., has obtained 25 subscribers (applicants) and will soon organize a telephone district; and the establishment of 'a circuit' in Holyoke is assured."
There soon followed an advertisement in the Transcript announcing that the District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co. are now giving the result of all improvements to the city of Holyoke, and any person using Western Union telephones will be an infringer.
On May 3, the Springfield Telephone Co. presented the following ad: "Several subscribers have special wires, which no one uses but they, as, for instance, the Springfield Club and the Institution for Savings. These can be put in anywhere for $48 per year, while a station on the ordinary circuit costs $22. The Edison transmitter is used, giving a clearness to the message which no other system furnishes. A small battery jar is put into each house where the transmitter is used. The com- pany opens an office in Chase's Drug Store in Holyoke today. At the rate the wires are going up over the city, Manager Denver thinks the people will be able to dispense with mos- quito nets this summer."
Chase's Drug Store was located in the Holyoke House block at the corner of Dwight and Race Streets where J. Russell and Co. were and still are doing business.
On May 7th, the District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co. announced it would have its Holyoke office in the Perkins' block in running order in a few days and that the men were busily employed stringing the wires.
The Perkins' block was located at 40 High Street, north- east corner of Fountain Street. Benjamin F. Perkins was well acquainted with Messrs. Frost and Coy. He was of an inventive turn of mind and had supplied them with telephones and switchboards with new features, which were made at his machine shop on Front Street.
A few days later appeared this Transcript item: "The tele- phone wirepullers are playing at "Cats-cradle" across the
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
streets. Three wires are attached to the Second Congregational Church, and one wise man has prophesied its destruction in consequence."
On May 17, 1879, an article appeared which read "the telephonians say that their 'systems' will be in operation soon." Delays in receiving wire and instruments and the scarcity of workmen knocked their predictions into the pro- verbial "cocked hat."
A Republican item of May 23 reads: "The District Tele- phone & Automatic Signal Co., having received 15 coils of wire at Holyoke yesterday, say they will have through connec- tions to Springfield by tomorrow night. They have now 50 boxes in at Holyoke, and will add transmitters to magnify the sound." This company had bought the original private line between Springfield and Holyoke and, no doubt, was going to use this to connect the two switchboards. It seems likely that the slight delay in reaching Springfield was caused by the switchboard not being ready, and that the opening date for the Holyoke exchange might have been May 24, 1879, the day they expected to have the two boards connected.
A Transcript article of May 24 gives the names of 52 Hol- yoke subscribers connected to the District Company's central office:
"The District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co., agents for the National Bell Telephone Co., commenced three weeks ago yesterday to run their wires to various points in Holyoke, and have already the following named subscribers connected with their central office.
J. W. Arnold
Chas. E. Ball
M. W. Bartlett
Holyoke House
Dr. Chas. Blodgett
Holyoke Machine Co.
H. Bowker & Co.
Holyoke National Bank
Geo. W. Burdett & Co.
Houston & Furgerson
Bush & Chase
Hubbard & Taber
Carter & Belden
S. T. Lyman
H. C. Carrington
Griffin, Kimball & Co. Holyoke Furniture Co.
S. P. Milligan
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
James P. Casey
Philander Moore
Caswell Bros.
Mt. Tom Paper Co.
Chase & Cooledge
Willis P. Norton
J. J. Chesley
Parsons Paper Co.
Conn. River Freight Ofc.
B. F. Perkins
Crafts & Frazer
E. J. Pomeroy
Dr. George W. Davis
R. T. Prentiss
H. DeBill
E. D. Shaw
J. B. Farrington
Shepardson & Lucey
James Doody
E. S. Fay
F. F. Smith John C. Smith
E. A. Fenne & Co.
H. K. Tower
F. C. Fitzgerald
Transcript Office
James Fitzgerald
Valley Paper Mill
E. P. Ford
William B. Whiting
John Gee
Windsor House
Germania Hotel
Dr. J. U. Woods
The Springfield Telephone Co., during this momentous month of May, 1879, after favoring the Transcript with their 'ad' of May 3rd outlining their plans for Holyoke, evidently contributed to the "Cats-cradle" which was woven over the streets. On May 16th the Springfield Republican reported this information: "The Springfield Telephone Co. are putting in their switchboard with 10 wires in Chase Bros. Store but it cannot be utilized until late next week. They say that 57 subscribers are secured." May 16th being Friday, late next week would be about the 23rd or 24th. On the 23rd the com- pany made connection between their Holyoke central office and Springfield, which probably was the start of their Holyoke exchange. It was using 4 Western Union wires, and leased 1 of these to Metcalf and Luther, who formerly had service on the Springfield Holyoke private line.
It would seem from the foregoing that the two companies started their exchanges in Holyoke about the same time, the 23rd or 24th of May, 1879.
Now that "the admirable system of local telephone com- munication had been introduced" in Holyoke, it was proper to have an "admirable" telephone story introduced by the
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
Transcript: Hawkins' telephone box is number four. Haw- kins went to bed early last evening with the determination of rising early. He heard the clock strike four, as he supposed, rose and dressed and looked at his watch to find that he was ready for breakfast at 11:30 P.M. Without any undue profanity toward telephones, Hawkins quietly undressed and crawled into bed.
Towards the end of May, the canvassers invaded Chicopee, and by June 6th the District Telephone Co. had secured thirty names and were putting up wire connections. In an ad of June 7th it promised to give their patrons the wonderful Blake Transmitter.
The commercial form of the Blake transmitter, beginning late in 1878, rapidly displaced the Berliner, and Edison types and was used for a long time as the Bell System standard.
Wires were extended from South Hadley Falls to South Hadley by the District Company, where there was a private line from the Holyoke Water Power Co.'s office to the top of Mt. Holyoke. At South Hadley Falls, a telephone was put in the meal store of George Collins in the Hampshire House block.
On July 13, 1879, the Springfield Telephone Co.'s Holyoke office was moved to quieter rooms across the street in the Parsons Hall block, lately occupied by the Reform Club-to a more uplifting atmosphere. The Company was evidently experiencing the same difficulty in their Springfield Pynchon St. office. "Six large windows were put up yesterday over the counter to more completely shut out the street noises and keep away intruders. A small office with two telephones is to be set off by the west window for convenience of patrons. The Company has started three new wires to Holyoke. Of the seven wires out of Springfield, one drops off at Brightwood and two at Chicopee."
Chicopee Falls is heard from August 16th, thanks to the Transcript: "The telephones have been placed in position much to the gratification of the subscribers and the town can now communicate with the rest of the world, Holyoke in- cluded." A later item confirms that this village was served from Springfield.
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
The telephone lines continued to be extended and new subscribers added. In October, 1879, the Springfield Tele- phone Co. ran another line to West Springfield as far as Mit- tineague and added 11 subscribers. This Company's new catalogue of October contains over 400 names in Springfield, West Springfield, Chicopee, Chicopee Falls, Holyoke, and South Hadley Falls. The names were printed both in alphabet- ical and classified lists. There were 64 stations working in their Holyoke office, which was in charge of W. H. H. Santy, a skill- ful telegraph operator.
The telephone linemen had some amusing experiences while putting up the wires, according to a Republican item: "One man, whose wife had given permission for the wire to be attached to the house, threatened to cut it unless it was removed at once, saying he wasn't going to be struck by light- ning. In another case, the man gave the permission and his wife ordered it down. One woman, who owned half a house which the men wished to cross, made them change the wire about an inch to get it off from her premises."
Indian Orchard was connected to the District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co.'s system in April, 1880, according to the Republican: "The District Telephone Co. have put up a wire along the Athol Railroad to Indian Orchard and have secured 15 subscribers there for instruments which will be put in within a week."
This Indian Orchard event was also chronicled by the Palm- er Journal: "We are getting high-toned. For a long time we have enjoyed greater advantages for the better advancement of business than many villages our size, and now, to crown all, we are to have a line of telephones from Springfield, with con- nections to Chicopee and Holyoke. The central office will probably be at the Athol R. R. office. (This indicates that 'cen- tral office' did not necessarily refer to an office with a switch- board). The Chapman Valve Co., the Mill Co. (the Orchard Co.) and several business men, at their homes and places of business, are to have connections. The Mill Co. will also prob- ably have lines from their counting room to each mill, thereby saving considerable leg weariness for their clerks in delivering messages."
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
Ludlow, according to the Republican of May 28th, was then in working connection with Springfield, and lines were soon to be extended to North Wilbraham.
The District Telephone Co. in Dec., 1879, extended its lines to George P. Ellison's house at Baptist Village (Elmwood), Holyoke, and the next month installed a new switchboard at their Springfield office, similar to that in their Holyoke office, and extended a line through Water Street (Columbus Ave.) to Barney and Berry's Skate Factory. Joint usage of pole lines was mentioned Jan. 30, 1880, by the Republican: "The Amer- ican Union Telegraph wires will reach Holyoke from Spring- field in a day or two on the District Telephone poles."
Improvements in switchboards were taking place. The Transcript reported on Nov., 1879, that "the Holyoke switch- board has been supplied with new bars, by means of which different stations can be reached through several wires, thus preventing much of the delay which has been necessary at times." This feature probably gave the same result as adding more cords to the present magneto boards.
The Holyoke Transcript was established in 1863; and, at the time of these happenings, it was published Wednesdays and Saturdays at 180 High St. W. S. Loomis was the Editor and Proprietor. It started its daily appearance Oct. 9, 1882.
George F. Perkins and his brother Charles B. Perkins were given especial credit for their work in Holyoke by the Re- publican of Nov. 13, 1879: "George F. Perkins, the local manager of the District Telephone & Automatic Signal Co., and his brother 'Charley', an operator, whose voice is better known than any other man's in the city, have worked the field very diligently, and made the business so far a great success. Charles spends 20 hours out of every 24 in the office, sleeping there at night with an alarm bell near his bed, so connected by an arrangement of his own invention that every call will ring it and wake him."
The Springfield Telephone Co. got a new switchboard into operation in Springfield March 1, 1880, according to the Re- publican. "It is said to be the most convenient one in the country. The operator sits in an ordinary chair and has the whole thing within easy reach, although there are now twenty-
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
five circuits in operation. These occupy a space only 27 inches wide, with room for a transmitter in the center. One move- ment of a little switch disconnects the battery and connects the operator with the required circuit, while a call from any station causes a little door to drop, revealing the number of the line. Thus all bell ringing and plugging are done away with. It allows fourteen persons to communicate at the same time and could be arranged to accommodate eighty. The ar- rangement was invented by A. G. Snell of New Haven and George F. Perkins of Holyoke, who have applied for a pat- ent."
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