USA > Massachusetts > Tracing the telephone in western Massachusetts, 1877-1930 > Part 26
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Gilbertville first received telephone service over a line from Ware in 1892. In 1895 an exchange was established with 15 customers in a business block on Main street, according to Topics.
When Eldora Johnson first went to work as an operator in Ware, in 1897, the services of but one girl at a time were re- quired, and there were less than 100 subscribers.
Miss Carrie E. Hoppe, who was living in Palmer, started her career in the Traffic Dept. as an Operator in 1900. The Mana- ger at that time was Hattie Plumley, who came from Green- field, Miss Hoppe said.
Topics reported that Daniel J. Connor was the first tele- phone man stationed at Palmer, in 1902. He began work with the Telephone Company at Greenfield on Nov. 11, 1896.
Hampden was furnished with a small village type switch- board about 1905, with Matthais Casey serving as Agent. Hampden had no outside telephone connection until it got this office. Mr. Casey's house was on Main street, diagonally across from the Catholic Church towards the 'Center.' He was called the "Mayor of Hampden."
Ralph Eldridge was appointed Manager of the Palmer ex- change in September, 1905, and remained until October, 1907, when he was transferred to Brattleboro. Previously Ralph had been Chief Operator at Greenfield. He first went to work for the Company at Shelburne Falls, where he learned to operate a switchboard in the early days.
Telephone Topics made its first appearance in May, 1907, and Monson received honorable mention in this issue: The Monson exchange has the best farmers' line development of any exchange in the Western Division. Every single highway
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
leading from the center of the town has a telephone line run- ning out several miles. Miss Nellie R. Parker, who has operated this exchange for several years at her residence, has been quite ill and will probably have to give up the business.
The August Topics continued with the subject: The Mon- son exchange has been moved from the old quarters in Miss Parker's residence to larger rooms farther uptown, in Hymen and Litchtens building near the bank. As soon as the new three-position board arrives and has been installed, Monson will have as nice a telephone exchange as many places of several times its number of inhabitants.
Charles W. Chamberlain, Chief Inspector at Holyoke, was appointed Manager at Palmer in September, 1907, taking the place of Ralph J. Eldridge.
In October, 1908, Miss Alice Warriner was appointed Chief Operator of the Warren exchange. About a year later a new farmers' line was run to South Warren, and ten subscribers secured, part of which had been waiting about four years for service.
George H. Garfield was mentioned in the November Topics as the Manager at Ware.
On the evening of July 17, 1909, the operating force at Ware bade good-by to their old office and gladly marched to their new quarters, located at 97 Main Street. The new magneto board which is made up of two three position sections, has four positions equipped, two for toll and two for local work. A rest room has been provided, which is highly appreciated by the operators.
The Palmer Exchange had its first PBX working very successfully in February, 1909, as the division force from Springfield, with the local force, installed a PBX No. 1, with eighteen stations, at the Wright Wire Mills.
Mrs. Esther E. Sullivan was appointed Agent at Gilbertville in 1909, and continued in that capacity until Myron E. Rich- ardson, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, dialed the first call on Sept. 25, 1940.
Gilbertville's plight on Christmas day, 1909, was related in Telephone Topics: The building, in which our central office
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was located, was totally destroyed by fire at 8 A.M., as well as all our central office equipment.
At 1:40 P.M., an emergency 80-line switchboard was loaded on a Boston & Maine train arriving at Gilbertville at 4:07 P.M. Work of fitting up our new central office quarters was begun at 4 P.M., in the parlor of a boarding house and at 2:30 A.M., De- cember 26th, we were ready to operate the board, when it was found that the switchboard induction coil was defective. A new one could be taken from one of the spare positions in the Ware switchboard, but there were no cars running that late and a team could not be secured at that time of night. Next morning there was a severe snow storm and it took about four hours for a car to get through to Ware and back again, that usu- ally takes one hour. The coil, a No. 10 induction, was installed and service given at 10:30 A.M. Sunday, December 26th, the subscribers being without service for a total of 261/2 hours, ex- cept that during the time all the pay stations in Gilbertville were cut into Ware toll lines. Much praise was given to F. R. Clark, General Foreman of Equipment as well as the Super- visor of Supplies who shipped the board so promptly from Boston, also to all our own men who worked all night in the storm and cold in order to restore service.
In March, 1910, Miss Ernestine M. Dutilly, Chief Operator of the Palmer Exchange, was appointed to the same position in the Northampton Exchange. Miss Dutilly, a native of Palmer, was engaged as an Operator Dec. 23, 1905, and was promoted to Chief Operator in January, 1908.
Miss Nellie G. Monahan was selected to take Miss Dutilly's place as Chief Operator.
The training of an operator, Miss Dutilly said, consisted of equipping her with a head-set and letting her listen in and watch an operator at work. At the end of two weeks, they changed places for a week, whereupon she received a diploma.
Edward B. Blanchard, a pay station agent, accepted the position of Class "F" Agent at the Barre, Mass., Exchange.
On Nov. 12, 1910, the Palmer office was moved from the Lynde Block, where it had been for nine years, to the new Post Office building on Main Street. The Telephone Topics stated that the new quarters are a great improvement, as the Com-
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
mercial, Plant and Traffic Departments all have separate of- fices, while in the old office these departments were all in one room.
On Jan. 20, 1911, the Palmer office of the Western Union Telegraph Co. was moved from the Boston and Albany depot to the office of the New England Telephone Co. on Main Street.
After the burning of the Gilbertville exchange building, a switchboard was hurriedly installed in a boarding house. Man- ager Chamberlain now found more suitable quarters and on July 1, 1911, the telephone office was moved to the building completed by the George H. Gilbert Manufacturing Co., at the Square. Mrs. Esther E. Sullivan had been Agent since 1909.
Miss Anna E. O'Connor was appointed Clerk in the Man- ager's office at Palmer, November, 1911, succeeding Miss Flor- ence M. Healey, resigned.
These telephone stories appeared in Topics:
A Beverly operator asked a subscriber: "Is this M," and re- ceived the reply; "No, this is Susie, 'Em' is upstairs."
Operator: "Number, please?"
Subscriber: "I vas talking mit my husband und now I don't hear him any more. You must of pushed him off de vire."
The Monson Central Office was moved to new quarters on the second floor of the Norcross block in June, 1912.
In 1913 Miss Mary A. Murphy resigned her position as Chief Operator of the Monson Exchange. Miss Murphy worked as an Operator for a year, when Miss Nellie Parker, with the help of her sisters, Sadie and Lizzie, conducted the Agency. In 1907 it became a Company operated office and Elizabeth Parker took the position of Chief Operator for a short while. Then Miss Murphy was appointed to the post. The reason for Miss Murphy's resignation was her approaching marriage to Wil- liam F. Langan, of the Northampton Cable Department.
Miss Sadie Lyons was appointed Chief Operator of the Monson Exchange, having been an operator there for some time.
Palmer was the recipient of a new type of switchboard, ac- cording to Topics: On May 12, 1917, the service of nearly
Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts 315
700 telephone subscribers in Palmer was instantly transferred from the present magneto switchboard to a new Common Bat- tery board, the latest type. One of the most welcome innova- tions is the introduction of divided ringing on two and six party lines. The new switchboard will have positions for eight operators to work at one time, four of whom will handle local calls and four toll calls to other exchanges.
Ten years ago there were 210 subscribers in Palmer, five years ago there were 435 and now there are almost 700. From the Palmer central office there radiate 29 trunk lines as follows: Brimfield, three lines; Monson, six lines; North Wilbraham, two lines; Springfield, seven lines; Stafford Springs, one line; Ware, three lines; Warren, three lines; Worcester, four lines.
Grace MacDonnell reported for work at the Palmer business office Feb. 11, 1918, and she became well known as a Service Representative.
Laura E. Whitney entered the Palmer business office Nov. 8, 1920, where she was instructed in the Commercial Practices by Manager Chamberlain and Miss MacDonnell. A vacancy oc- curred in the Westfield Office and Laura accepted the position as of June 17, 1922.
The names of three Warren telephone ladies were learned from a vacation item: Miss Mary Burke, Miss Mildred Little- field and Mrs. M. E. Curran, night operator.
W. S. Knox was appointed Acting Manager at Palmer after the death of Manager Chamberlain.
George H. Cheney became Manager at Palmer in Novem- ber, 1922, succeeding W. S. Knox, who was transferred to North Adams as Manager. Mr. Cheney had served in various positions in the Commercial Dept. He was also a newspaper reporter in Pittsfield before entering the Company. Until his promotion, he was Assistant to Manager Stedman at North Adams.
Madeline Lavender entered the telephone business as an Operator at the Warren Office on April 30, 1923, and was ad- vanced to Junior Supervisor in a little less than a year. She later became Chief Operator.
Eugene P. Lowell was appointed Wire Chief of the Palmer
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Exchange Area in April, 1924. "Gene's" work with the Com- pany started in 1903, when he was employed in Waterville, Skowhegan and Lewiston, Me., until 1906. He was then made Wire Chief at Waterville, and in 1908 he accepted a position as Chief Electrician at the Harvard Medical College at Cam- bridge. He returned to the Company in Boston in 1910 and soon was transferred to Springfield as a Test Man, advancing to Central Office Foreman prior to his Palmer transfer.
On Dec. 3, 1924, Ralph H. Hoit was appointed Manager at Palmer, succeeding George F. Cheney, transferred to West- field. Ralph is a native of New Hampshire-Goffstown. His first work in the telephone family was in December, 1917, as General Inspector in N.H. for the Plant Dept. After filling several minor positions, in the early fall of 1919 he was ap- pointed Chief Clerk for the Division Supt. of Plant at Man- chester, and in August, 1920, he became Right of Way Man for the N.H. Division.
On June 1, 1925, Dora A. Dowd was advanced from Assist- ant Toll Chief Operator in Springfield to Chief Operator at Palmer. Miss Dowd entered the service at Springfield July 21, 1907, and her previous experience as Operator, Toll Super- visor, Toll Observer, and Assistant Chief Operator makes her well fitted for her new position.
Matthias Casey, who was the first Agent of the Hampden Exchange about 1905, resigned his position and was succeeded by Mrs. Hazel M. Burleigh on Dec. 31, 1924. The fine spirit of the telephone agents was demonstrated in his letter of resigna- tion, in which he thanked the Company for its courtesies and co-operation in the past and very kindly stated that he is will- ing at any time to do what he can to further the Company's interests in the town.
Sam: "Say, Mose, what am you-all doin' now?"
Mose: "I'se an exporter."
Sam: "An exporter?"
Mose: "Yep. The Pullman Company dey done fire me." Railway Life.
The Topics of Jan., 1926, reported the following: H. J. Lucier is the new Manager at Palmer where he succeeds Ralph
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
H. Hoit, who has been transferred to Greenfield. "Jack" is a Western Division man, Northampton being his home town. He entered the telephone service in August, 1924, as a Com- mercial Representative at Springfield. While serving in that capacity he made numerous friends for himself and our Com- pany.
Keith F. Fletcher, Office Manager at Springfield, was the next Manager at Palmer,-in May, 1927. He had successfully served as Commercial Representative in North Adams, Great Barrington and Greenfield prior to accepting the Springfield assignment.
It was indeed gratifying to read of the recognition accorded a Night Operator, which was reported in Topics of February, 1928:
"In recognition of the co-operation shown by David B. Smith, Night Operator of the Palmer office, the board of en- gineers of the Palmer Fire Dept. presented him a handsome silver loving cup on December 16. The presentation was made by M. Scott French, Chief of the Dept. The following letter which was also presented to Mr. Smith, is self-explanatory: "The Palmer Fire Dept. has long ago recognized the wonderful help you have rendered the members and, for that matter, the fire district, in the manner in which you call the men of the department who are served by telephone. Your thoughtfulness and your desire to co-operate with us in giving phone alarms to so many men has been a great help in saving property, especially in the case of numerous chimney fires which come over the phone.
"It is a pleasure for us to recognize, in a small way, our ap- preciation of your service to your employers and the town of Palmer. We herewith tender you a silver loving cup, suitably inscribed, with best wishes for a Very Happy Christmas."
Mr. Smith had served as Night Operator in the Palmer Office for thirteen and one-half years.
E. Warner Eldridge was appointed Manager of the Palmer Exchange Sept. 23, 1929. Warner started in the business May 5, 1905, as a relief operator for the Needham, Newton and Wellesley exchanges, at the age of sixteen. Soon he became
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Night Operator of the Needham office. In 1910 he came to Springfield as a Service Observer, reporting to Fred White. He was transferred to the plant Dept. as a Clerk for John Armstrong, Wire Chief, in 1913.
On Oct. 14, 1918, Warner entered the Commercial Dept., working as a Coin Box Collector for Manager Sanborn, and Jan. 10, 1921, he arrived at the position of Commercial Repre- sentative. When the Springfield Commercial Office was placed on a two-unit basis about May, 1924, Warner was appointed Manager of the Walnut office. The River and Walnut Unit plan was given up in a few years and Warner resumed his pre- vious position until his Palmer appointment. His wide tele- phone experience and likeable personality well fit him for his new post.
The Eldridges have held the North Wilbraham Telephone Agency since 1916, Mrs. Eldridge having looked after the operating duties. The office grew from about 120 subscribers when they took it to about 500 when they relinquished its management in 1930, a year after moving to Palmer. They were succeeded by David Dunham, who entered the telephone business at North Adams in October, 1907, and became Man- ager at Great Barrington Dec. 28, 1918.
A move of the business office is recorded in Topics of Jan., 1931: The new Palmer business office is conveniently situated on the ground floor of the building adjacent to the Central office.
This new office is equipped with new efficiency type desks done in light oak. The equipment has been arranged both for the comfort and convenience of the customers, and the better administration of the work of the office.
Manager E. W. Eldridge, Cashier Grace MacDonnell and Service Representative Sophie Janick are enthusiastic about their new office. The office was situated in the second floor of of the Caryl Block for twenty years; but the new appointments more than make up for pleasant memories of the old.
CHAPTER 24
Westfield Exchange Area
MOST of the subscribers were unaware that the New England Telephone and Telegraph Co. came into possession of the Bay State Telephone Co. on Oct. 19, 1883. Manager Messenger continued to greet his customers in the same cordial way, and, to all intents and purposes, it was the same organization.
A tart item graced the columns of the Westfield Times and News Letter of Oct. 1, 1884: "F. G. Messenger, Manager of the telephone service in this town, is to be transferred to North- ampton about the middle of this month. Mr. M. understands his business and the service has been quite satisfactory under his management. Probably, Westfield will be saddled with some 'green horn' in his place."
This item may have produced the desired effect for the next week's edition carried this final salvo: "The telephone man- agement have evidently thought better of it and reconsidered their action in transferring Mr. Messenger to Northampton. They ought to have learned by this time that it is best to let well enough alone."
On the other hand, complimentary articles appeared now and then like this one: "We are pleased to note the prosperity and increasing popularity of the Springfield Daily Union, as evidenced by its recent enlargement and improvement in every way. May Editor Shipley live long and be happy, and may the shadow of the Union never grow less, and we don't think it ever will under his management."
A slightly discouraging note appeared in the Times and News Letter of Sept. 16, 1885: "Those who have been hoping
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
the telephone rates would some time be reduced so that it might pay to subscribe for one of them have hoped in vain, as notices of the advance lately made all along the line have been sent out among the local subscribers. A good many of the local takers will undoubtedly consider it a luxury and order it out. But we shall see."
There came a time, however, when Westfield had to lose its "popular Manager," Frank G. Messenger. He succeeded W. H. Coleman as Manager of the Northampton Exchange in 1887. Whereupon, Anson B. Norton, a former Operator, was ap- pointed Manager of the Westfield Exchange.
Manager Daley officiated after Mr. Norton, and he was re- ported in the Times and News-Letter of Feb. 7, 1894, as having suddenly departed the previous week,-not an unusual occur- rence.
The next month's issue contained a more cheery item: The office of the local telephone exchange has recently been deco- rated for the first time in many years and the appearance of the room has been greatly improved.
An item, reminiscent of good food and conviviality, ap- peared April 18, 1894: The new Park Square Hotel will be opened to the public next week.
The Times and News Letter proffered further conciliatory comments: "Manager Angier, of the local telephone exchange, is proving himself to be the right man in the right place, and he is doing all in his power to increase the efficiency of the service. A new long-distance telephone booth has just been put in the office, and now comes the most important addition in the shape of a new and modern switchboard, which takes the place of the old style, clumsy board that has done service for many years. Another great improvement is an additional line between this town and Springfield, so that hereafter two subscribers instead of one can talk with parties in that city."
In 1896 the Company moved its offices to #12 and #14 Parks Block, 2nd floor. This building was located on Elm Street between Church and Arnold Streets, adjoining what is now Landans Store. It was recently destroyed by fire.
Harry A. Fowler embarked upon the telephone business Feb. 15, 1897. He was born in Brooklyn June 13, 1876, three
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
months and six days after Alexander Graham Bell patented the "Electric Speaking Telephone." He came to Westfield in 1888, and when he became 21, he entered the employ of the Tele- phone Company. He worked as Central Office-Man, Installer, Repairman and Testman.
Manager John D. Angier continued as Manager until 1897 or 1898 when William A. Wood took the position, at the same address.
George B. Church was appointed Manager at Westfield in 1900. The Dec. 13, 1918, issue of the Westfield Evening Jour- nal describes his earlier life: "Mr. Church was born in Great Barrington, coming to Westfield in 1894 to be Night Operator at the old office, then in Parks Block on Elm Street. In 1897 he went to Pittsfield in the employ of the telephone company, re- turning to Westfield in 1900 to be Manager of the local office.
A Class F exchange was established at Huntington in 1902, with 12 subscribers, according to a later Topics, and Wm. P. Ring said that it was located at the Cross Drug Store. Mr. Ring reported that a trunk line was run from Westfield to Becket and, at first, public telephones were placed in stores, which later became the sites of Class F exchanges. It was not unusual to have two or more of these agencies operating on this one trunk line, with several subscribers connected for good measure.
William P. Ring was transferred from Springfield to Westfield in January, 1905, as a Combination Man. He joined the Company in Springfield June 22, 1903.
About 1905, Class F Agency exchanges began to be estab- lished in smaller communities and the following was learned from Mr. Ring: The first exchange in Blandford was of the magneto type and was located in Mr. Peeble's store. The first Agency in Southwick was opened in Charles Reed's store, and the one at Chester occupied Keefe's store. Becket, which was then part of the Westfield Area, had its agency quarters at McCormack's store. These store keepers served the public in a telephone capacity when not attending to their customers. A switchboard, in some cases, was put in the proprietor's living quarters, which were usually in the same building, and was
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
attended to by members of the family or by someone employed as an operator.
The Aug. 15, 1905, Hampshire Gazette speaks of another telephone extension. "Damon and Brooks have the job of drawing of poles for a telephone line between Blandford and Otis. Raymond Bradford, with men and teams, has gone to draw the poles on the line there."
The Middlefield exchange was opened in the home of Mrs. Helen Cook, the Agent, in October, 1905, where it remained until March 13, 1940, when it was converted to Community Dial.
From the Gazette, it is learned that the trolley line between Huntington and Westfield was opened early in October, 1905, by the Western Massachusetts Street Railway Co., 64 years after the advent of the steam cars through this village.
A Class F Office was established at Granville Dec. 24, 1905. The Magneto Exchange was located in Mr. Colton's store at Granville Center, up on the hill, and started with 21 subscrib- ers.
Noble and Cooley Co., the world's largest manufacturer of toy drums, through their foresight in anticipating the im- portance of this new invention, had secured telephone service from the Westfield exchange many years before, and were thus better prepared to "drum up business." In fact, this business term may have originated at the Granville Drum Shop.
The advent of 'Telephone Topics' occurred in May, 1907, and Westfield was honored with an important bit of news in that number: The Company has just completed a one-story building on School Street, Westfield, and common battery ap- paratus and equipment is now being placed. The cut-over from the old to the new office will be made early in June, and a public opening will be held a little later.
An item about the new exchange appeared the next month: "The 'Cut-over' to the new building, which is equipped with a No. I relay switchboard, was accomplished June 1st, with little or no interruption to the service. Co-incident with the transfer of traffic to the new building, the handling of toll traffic was transferred to the Springfield office, whereby the toll work is more expeditiously handled than is permitted in small ex-
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changes having a few trunks, with an outlet in one direction only. Manager Church, and subscribers generally, have ex- pressed themselves as greatly pleased with the new and modern equipment, and a much higher grade of service is noticeable. Miss Bertha M. Dodge and Miss Bernice LeBrazee were as- signed to the positions of Chief Operator and Supervisor, re- spectively, at the time the new switchboard was installed."
Mrs. Harry Fowler was a telephone girl in her own right. Miss Maude Beals started as an Operator, probably about 1895, and later became Chief Operator, replacing Emma Pease. Miss Beals, in the fall of 1906, was married to Harry Fowler.
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