USA > Massachusetts > Tracing the telephone in western Massachusetts, 1877-1930 > Part 29
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
are now occupying their new quarters. Assistant Manager French and Special Agent Connor have moved their offices to the second floor of the Company building, and Cashier Carter has moved from the east side to the west side of the first floor.
E. M. Stannard, formerly switchboardman, was promoted to Chief Operator in the Springfield exchange in August, 1907, succeeding Frank C. Buck, who was appointed Maintenance Foreman.
Further PBX news was given in the Sept., 1907, Topics: A new two position No. 1 PBX has been recently installed in the large department store of Meekins, Packard and Wheat at Springfield (corner of Main and Hillman). This is the first board of this type to be installed in this city, being equipped with lamp signals throughout. They are at present running fifty local lines and five trunks to the exchange, with an ulti- mate capacity of 120 lines and 30 trunks. Boards of this type are soon to be installed at the Stevens-Duryea Automobile Co. and Stevens Arms and Tool Co.'s plants.
Frank Spencer was appointed to the position of Auditors Chief Clerk in the Western Division in November, 1907, C. H. Hoit returning to the Boston Office.
Feb., 1908, Topics-Charles E. Davis was appointed Head Switchboardman at Springfield on February 11, 1908. "Charlie" started his telephone career Jan. 26, 1906, in Nashua, N.H., installing central office equipment. He worked for William T. Durfee, General Foreman, in Portsmouth, N.H., and in several Maine communities. After helping with the Worcester "Park" cutover in January, 1907, he went to Brockton for a year.
May, 1908, Topics-Percy H. Cobb, the new XA Clerk in the Western Division, has already become very popular with all his associates in Springfield on account of his sunny disposition and willingness to help. Mr. Cobb is an authority on most any feature of the XA work, as demonstrated before a Chief Operators meeting recently.
The Operating Reorganization, which took effect August 1, 1908, established the three different departments-Com- mercial, Plant and Traffic,-and brought about many changes
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
in personnel. F. G. Daboll, who had been Division Super- intendent in charge of all functions of the Company's business, was now appointed Division Commercial Superintendent. R. H. Keller and F. P. Valentine were named Division Plant and Traffic Superintendents, respectively. The Spring- field District heads were L. B. Stowe, Commercial Manager; A. McAuley, Plant Chief; and R. O. Nickerson, Traffic Chief. Additional appointments were Melville Hutchins, Plant Divi- sion Foreman; H. L. Jones, Construction Engineer; F. R. White, Springfield Chief Operator; H. L. Sanborn, Manager, Springfield Exchange and Chief Clerk to the District Man- ager in place of W. H. French, who was transferred to Plant, as District Foreman.
Edward M. Stannard, Chief Operator at Springfield since 1907, was transferred to Bangor, Me. as District Traffic Chief in July, 1908. At the farewell party, a few remarks were made by Miss Loretta Kennedy, local Chief Supervisor, expressing the best wishes of his many friends, and presentation of gifts followed. Topics observed that Mr. Stannard has a splendid record of getting results, and a successful administration of the service in his new assignment may be forecasted for him.
Fred R. White followed E. M. Stannard as Chief Operator of the Springfield exchange. Mr. White, according to Topics, entered the telephone business on May 2, 1902, as a night operator at Boston for the American Telephone Co. He was there five years, during the latter part as chief clerk for Roland Clough.
On May 1, 1907, he was transferred to the New England Co., and went to Lowell as Chief Operator. In July, 1908, he was given his present assignment.
Miss Ida Cross was appointed the first District Clerk of the Traffic Dept. Aug. 29, 1908, under R. O. Nickerson. She went to work March 1, 1900, as an Operator in the Springfield ex- change and after serving as a Toll Operator, was promoted to Toll Supervisor Sept. 3, 1905.
Dec., 1908, Topics-The first regular meeting of the Spring- field Chapter of the Telephone Employees Association was held at Graves Hall on Wednesday evening, December 2nd. T. H. Nicholson of Boston delivered a lecture on Types of
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
Switchboards and Associated Circuits, which was very instruc- tive and was listened to with the closest of attention. After the lecture a short business meeting was held, and Messrs. Denver, Jones, Shaw and Bliss rendered several instrumental selec- tions. A curious telephone instrument, gotten out by W. J. and Henry Denver back in the "dark ages," was exhibited and caused considerable comment and discussion. Permanent offi- cers are: President, Charles W. Lemont; Vice-President, R. O. Nickerson; Secretary and Treasurer, Wm. H. French. Enter- tainment Committee, L. B. Stowe, Ralph Denver, A. C. F. Carter. 45 out of the 57 men present joined the society.
W. E. Bevins, formerly Chief Operator at South Fram- ingham, was transferred to the Traffic Dept. at Springfield.
S. W. Baldwin, Manager at Bellows Falls, resigned in Janu- ary, 1909, to accept a position as Chief Clerk to the District Plant Chief at Springfield. He will be succeeded by H. W. Buzzell, formerly Chief Operator at Laconia, N.H.
"Tommy," asked the visitor, "what are you going to be when you grow up to be a man?"
"I'm going to be an Arctic explorer," responded the bright little boy, "and now will you give me a quarter?"
"Gracious. Tommy, what do you want with a quarter?"
"I want to get five ice-cream sodas and find out how much cold I can stand."-Topics.
The work of transferring the subscribers' accounts from the exchanges of Dalton, Great Barrington, Lee, Northamp- ton, Pittsfield and Stockbridge to the Springfield Accounting office was completed Feb. 24, 1909, which afforded satisfaction to the managers of these exchanges.
Miss Loretta Kennedy, of the Springfield exchange, was promoted from the position of Assistant Chief Operator to that of Chief Operator in February, 1909. This advancement placed Miss Kennedy in charge of one of the largest exchanges in the Company's territory.
Miss Beatrice F. Barnard was advanced from the position of Supervisor to that of Assistant Chief Operator.
Homer Harris, on March 1st, took up his pen to become the official Draftsman of the Division Plant Engineers.
Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts 351
May, 1909, Topics-Charles E. Davis has been appointed Chief Clerk to District Plant Chief McAulay of Springfield, in place of S. W. Baldwin.
L. V. Gillis, formerly Manager at Southbridge, was trans- ferred to the position of Chief Clerk in the Division Plant Superintendent's office at Springfield in July, 1909. Libius started as a Groundman at Ipswich in 1901. He was trans- ferred from Foreman of Maintenance at Salem to Manager at Southbridge in November, 1906.
Aug., 1909, Topics-Mrs. Mary C. Shannon, who has been in the Auditing office at Springfield for five years, lately as Assistant Chief Clerk, has accepted a position as Chief Clerk in the local operating room.
District Cashier Carter of Springfield had a Wales adding machine of the latest type installed in his office,-the begin- ning of mechanization,-which need was illustrated by a story in Topics:
New Steno: "I've added up these columns ten times, sir."
Boss: "Good for you."
Steno: "And here are the ten answers."
Rufus E. Davis arrived in Springfield Halloween night, 1909. He started to work in 1902 as a night operator in Frank- lin, N.H. for the Citizens Independent Telephone Co. When he completed school, they gave him a job as Installer, Repair- man, and whatever they happened to need. March 16, 1905, he was hired by Charles L. Stone, of the New England Com- pany, and joined an Installers' floating gang, working in Eastern Mass. and New Hampshire.
About 1924, according to "Rufe," the Company bought six bicycles, and he propelled one as far out as Forest Park and the North end, carrying coils of wire on the handlebar, tools in the rear; and sometimes he even balanced a ladder, borrowed from somebody near his work. The firemen used to tie one end of a long wire to his bicycle and the other end to a post or tree, and go into 'stitches' at the sight of his abrupt stop and flying materials.
Raymond O. Nickerson, who had been appointed Dis- trict Traffic Chief Aug. 1, 1908, in connection with the Re-
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
organization, resigned his position to go into business for himself. At one time he was Toll Inspector for the whole New England territory. He had been in the employ of the Company fifteen years.
Oct., 1909, Topics-The many friends of H. P. Chapman were pleased to learn of his promotion and transfer from the Lewiston District to the District Traffic Chief's position in the Springfield District. Mr. Chapman was very popular in Maine.
Freeman K. Ostrander, Jr. started in the Commercial Dept. Nov. 16, 1909, holding two positions, besides attending High School. From 1 to 4 P.M. he was office boy for District Man- ager Stowe and Manager Sanborn, and from 5 to 9 he attended a row of pay stations in the Bridge Street Building. There was a small switchboard there, and the young apprentice plugged a cord in a jack connecting him with the toll board, placed the call, plugged the other cord in a jack connecting with a booth and collected the money from the pleased customer.
In November, 1909, Walter W. Farrington was appointed an Installer in Springfield. "Hap" began his career as a Night Operator in 1905, when attending High School at Livermore Falls, Maine. This exchange belonged to the Maine Tele- phone & Telegraph Co., and upon graduation, they advanced him to combinationman,-installing, repairing and inciden- tals. In 1907 Walter went to South Framingham to work with a floating gang that was installing common battery offices in place of magneto,-Greenfield being one. Walter said that these floating gangs were broken up after the three depts. were organized in 1908. He was given a chance to come to Spring- field, after enjoying a vacation down East.
Dec., 1909, Topics-The foresight and wise judgment of the Company's officials is again proved by the manner in which the district and local managers have entered into their new duties in the solicitation of directory advertising. The work under the new plan was begun November 15th. The Spring- field District was the first to undertake the work and a good showing was made up to the time of Mr. Stowe's recent illness. The hearty co-operation that the Advertising Department has met with in this work is extremely gratifying.
Jan., 1910, Topics-Prior to Jan. 1, 1910, the financing of
Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts 353
the Revenue Accounting Dept. was done by the Commercial Dept. On this date funds were advanced to R. P. Jones, Chief Clerk, Revenue Accounting, and all the revenue accounting offices hereafter are to make requisition on him for funds needed.
Service Inspector William A. Stoddard has been assigned to the work of Private Branch Exchange Inspector in the West- ern Division. Mr. Stoddard has met with success at the start, the subscribers welcoming the supervising that he is able to give. Benefits are sure to result both from the standpoint of the subscriber and the Company.
Horace E. Roby, formerly relief night Chief Operator in the Boston Division, and until recently night Chief Operator in Springfield, was appointed Chief Clerk in the Springfield exchange in March, 1910.
Miss Inez E. Kelly joined the Company on March 7, 1910, as an Operator in the Springfield exchange.
Miss Gertrude A. Rogers had been made night Chief Op- erator in the Springfield exchange, succeeding Horace E. Roby.
The following changes in the Western Division Traffic be- came effective April 18, 1910: Ralph W. Plummer, Supervisor of Traffic, to District Traffic Chief at Lewiston; Fred R. White, Chief Clerk, to Supervisor of Traffic; Wesley E. Bevins, Service Inspector, appointed Chief Clerk.
The June, 1910, Topics reported that the Chicopee ex- change was cut over to a common battery system. A four-posi- tion No. 10 board replaced the old magneto board. The cut- over was unique in that the new board was placed in commis- sion at 4:30 in the afternoon instead of late at night.
Homer J. Hebert came to Springfield in June, 1910, as Foreman of Central Office Equipment. "Beau" started with the Company at Worcester, June, 1906, installing central office equipment, and his boss, W. T. Durfee, wishing him to get some experience installing telephones, sent him up to Maine and Vermont,-in the dead of winter.
Nov., 1910, Topics-Miss Lena E. Blush has been ap- pointed branch exchange supervisor in the Springfield Dis- trict. It will be her duty to visit private branch exchanges,
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
of the operating force. consisting of their locker room, rest room, hospital room and their kitchen and lunch room.
"The top floor will contain the toll operating room, the toll test-board, and on the front the offices of the Plant dept. The offices of the District Manager, Manager and Cashier are still at the old location on Bridge Street. Suitable notice of change in quarters will be issued by the Company when such change occurs."
Frank C. Buck was made District Wire Chief at the time of the new building.
The formation of the Telephone and Telegraph Society of New England was completed in April, 1911, by the merger of the Class A section of the Telephone Employees' Association and the Telephone Society of New England. The new Spring- field Chapter Directory for 1911-1912 was as follows: Presi- dent. W. E. Hodge; Vice-President, W. E. Bevins; Secretary, Fred R. White; Treasurer, F. C. Buck.
Papers and Meetings Committee: Libius V. Gillis, Chair- man; John H. Armstrong, John W. Forssen, George W. Hay- den, Alexander Proctor.
Educational Committee: Horatio G. Brown, William F. Fribbs, Eugene P. Lowell.
Membership Committee: Henry P. Chapman, Chairman; Daniel W. Baird, Patrick J. Begley, Harry S. Bills, Daniel J. Connors, Willis B. Fay, Harry A. Fowler, Charles B. Kelley, Curtis L. Lynch, Harry E. Oakes, Nelson C. Pardee, Harry S. Sanborn.
The Knox brothers, Charles H. and Claude L., entered the telephone business about the same time. Harry started in the Springfield Commercial office in July, 1911, canvassing for regrades; while Claude chose to be a draftsman in the Division Engineers, Jan. 1, 1912, but soon changed to a Field Engineer.
Mrs. Anna E. Wilbur came to work for the Company in October, 1911, reporting at the Revenue Accounting Dept.
HER FATHER: "I hope you appreciate that in marrying my
daughter you are getting a very big-hearted and generous girl."
YOUNG MAN: "I do, sir. And I hope that she has acquired those fine qualities from her father."
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
The Jan., 1912, Topics reported that Miss Rose A. Carlin was promoted from Senior Operator to Local Supervisor in the Springfield exchange.
Mary A. Nelligan, formerly District Cashier of the Pittsfield District, has taken a position as Division Cashier, Plant Dept., Springfield, Mrs. Mary E. Nugent taking the Pittsfield posi- tion.
Donald H. Sawtelle was transferred from Vermont to Springfield April 1, 1912, as Line Assigner, reporting to Sea- bury R. Colby, Head Line Assigner. "Don" started with the Company in Brattleboro, as a Clerk in the Wire Chief's office on May 30, 1911, and was given a holiday that Monday. As a clerk he performed the duties of testman, line assigner, and whatever else was needed. Line assigning then was done by scrutinizing a set of cable cards.
Frank McInnis, Construction Engineer of the Springfield District, resigned April 1, 1912, to enter the real estate busi- ness in Springfield. He has been in the service of the Company for about twenty years and leaves many friends and associates who wish him success in his new venture. His position will be filled by L. V. Gillis, formerly Chief Clerk for R. H. Keller, Division Supt. of Plant, and Mr. Gillis' vacancy will be filled by Percy Cobb, Division XA Clerk, whose position will be taken by Ernest M. Batchelder of Boston.
The Springfield Commercial force, in May, 1912, consisted of the following persons, according to a historical notation by Etta L. Jones,-who joined the department early that year: Frank G. Daboll, Division Manager; Harry R. Painter, Chief Clerk; Mollie Morrissey (later Bradley), Stenographer; Lovell B. Stowe, District Manager; Helen Roberts (later Larkin), Stenographer; Harrison L. Sanborn, Manager; Etta T. Rice, Cashier; Eleanor F. Healey, Assistant Cashier; Beatrice Mar- shall and Miss De Montigny, Cashier's office; Henry Denver, Contract Agent; William Shaw, Contract Agent; Albert C. Starr, Dirctory; Mrs. Clara E. Pepper, Service Order Clerk; Nellie C. Hurley, Service Order Checker; Etta L. Jones, Service Order Writer; Charles H. Denver, Collector.
Jan., 1913, Topics-William J. Denver, who was retired from the position of Assistant General Manager on Dec. 1,
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
1912, died in Florence, Mass., on January 18. The burial took place in Springfield.
Mr. Denver's connection with the telephone business began in August, 1877, when he was appointed Agent of the Bell Telephone Co. in the Hampden and Hampshire Counties. In January, 1879, as Agent of the Western Union Telegraph Co., he established the first telephone exchange in Springfield.
On Aug. 1, 1885, he became Assistant General Manager of the New England Telephone Co., and for 27 years, as an officer of the Company, his life was bound up in its welfare.
Part of a resolution from the Board of Directors to his family follows: "During his service upon this board, Mr. Den- ver did not fail to win our respect, our confidence and our warm regard. We desire by this record to express our appreci- ation of his high character, his rare kindness and his long and devoted service to the Company."
Miss Loretta L. Kennedy, Chief Operator at Springfield, was transferred to the Division pay roll about Jan. 1, 1913, to make special studies pertaining to the training of students and supervisors.
Miss Teresa M. Corridon succeeded Miss Kennedy as Springfield Chief Operator.
Miss Edith H. Harkness, Holyoke Chief Operator, was ap- pointed Springfield Toll Chief Operator in February, 1913, to take the place of Mrs. Daisy C. Tryon, resigned.
Charles W. McCoy resigned in August, 1913, to go with the Traffic Engineer in the Providence Telephone Co.
Nov., 1913, Topics-The brand new two-million dollar Municipal Group at Springfield, the auditorium seating four thousand, was filled on the evening of Nov. 18, 1913, when Thomas A. Watson delivered his address on the "Birth and Babyhood of the Telephone," before the Springfield Chapter of the Telephone and Telegraph Society of New England. Mr. Watson was introduced by Springfield's Mayor, John A. Deni- son. The large gathering, among whom were Mayor Rivers of Chicopee, Mayor White of Holyoke, Superintendent of Schools J. H. Van Sickle, Vice-President H. S. Hyde of this Company, and numerous members of the city governments of Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and surrounding towns, to-
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
gether with pupils and teachers, as well as a large majority of the business men-evinced every indication of their apprecia- tion of Mr. Watson's talk.
A new telephone building, which was to provide more com- modious quarters for the stock room, in charge of Storekeeper Hansen, and a well equipped garage, with housing capacity for all the district and division cars, was completed in Decem- ber, 1913. The second floor will be arranged for district fore- men's offices, and tool rooms, etc., for installers and construc- tion men. (This stock room was at 114 Liberty Street, between Dwight and Chestnut, just west of the present Crucible Steel Co's. building.)
Dec., 1913, Topics-The first annual masquerade party given by the Springfield Chapter was held in Apollo Hall, De- cember 3. The occasion was graced by the attendance of three officials of the Company, R. H. Keller, Division Plant Supt., F. G. Daboll, Division Commercial Supt., and G. A. Hayden, Division Traffic Supt. Prizes were won by Miss Lillian B. Crosby of Westfield, best woman's costume, Puritan: Miss Elizabeth Carlin, funniest woman's costume, Irish washer- woman; Frank Rogers, best man's costume, German prince; R. A. Palmer, funniest man's costume, clown. The following committee had charge: F. R. White, Chairman; C. E. Lyons, J. H. Armstrong, H. S. Bills, H. L. Jones, H. E. Oakes, Miss Anna Westphalen, Miss Mae Milbier, Miss Nellie Dunn.
Donald H. Sawtelle was transferred Oct. 5, 1914, from Head Line Assigner to the Division Engineers office as Chief Clerk. Harry Jones was the Division Engineer.
At a meeting held April 20, 1915, the Springfield Rifle Club was organized and the following officers elected: President, A. S. Page; Vice-President, W. N. Messenger; Secretary, F. K. Ostrander; Treasurer, D. H. Sawtelle; Executive Officer, C. H. Knox.
Allen C. Fitch, in 1915, was made Assistant Division Traffic Engineer in Springfield. He started as a Night Operator in North Adams in 1901, and in two years became Chief Op- erator. He went to Springfield in 1908 as Service Inspector and in 1911 was made Assistant Traffic Chief.
A field day at Pratt Field, July 17, 1915, was held by the
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Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts
Western section of the Telephone and Telegraph Society, which was attended by 1400 employees, their families and friends. The Henry S. Hyde baseball cup was a great stimulant to the members of the baseball team but the classic was won by the Worcester team. The girls' baseball game was won by Pittsfield. George Pelton was first in the men's singles tennis, and Loretta Kennedy won the women's singles tennis match.
George H. Hicks entered the plant dept. in September, 1915, as a helper to Fred Beebe. Mr. Beebe was a House Cable Installer, doing prewiring in apartment blocks. When George got a little older-he was only sixteen when he started-he was given a position installing telephones.
March, 1916, Topics-Harry W. Dickinson, Supervisor of Motor Vehicles in the Western Division, is leading the special class in automobile instruction at Springfield. Harry entered the employ of the Company Dec. 1, 1905, as an Instru- ment Installer at Worcester, and in two years became a Gen- eral Inspector. Later he was utilized as a mechanic and driver, when motive equipment came into use. On Sept. 28, 1915, he was transferred to Springfield in connection with trucks, cars and power tools.
In April, 1916, Walter W. Farrington was appointed Wire Chief of the Westfield Exchange Area. "Hap" supervised the installation of the common battery board at Amherst, and has been a substation Inspector and local Testman of the River Exchange since coming to Springfield.
Sept., 1916, Topics-River, Walnut and Orchard Units.
With the delivery of the next telephone directory, the Springfield exchange will be split into three central office units which will be named River, Walnut and Orchard. There are 14,000 subscribers and 21,000 telephones connected to the Springfield switchboard, with 200 subscribers and 260 tele- phones connected with Indian Orchard, a total of 14,200 sub- scribers and 21,260 telephones in the city. Subscribers, now listed under the heading "Indian Orchard," will be listed under Springfield heading with the central office name Or- chard prefixing the number. Orchard numbers will not be changed. About 18,000 telephones will be connected with the new River central office and about 3,000 with the Walnut
H. WILLIS EMERSON
PHILIP N. DINSMORE
HAROLD B. RANSEHOUSEN
HARRY E. OAKES
CARL A. HILAND
FRANK J. HEALY
Y
EDWARD M. STANNARD
HET
NET
ET &7
AT &T
BIET &7
THE SPRINGFIELD 'COMPANY BASEBALL LEAGUE' TEAM-1915
Sitting, left to right: Goldie Bowler, Babe Steere, George Downs, Jimmy Gross, Bill Messenger. Standing: Carl Butler, John Bun- yan, Manager Jim Hickey, Ike Steere, Charlie Davis, Hap Farrington, Jack Burnham.
Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts 361
switchboard. Sometime ago the Telephone Company pur- chased the Springfield News property at the corner of Worth- ington and Dwight Streets, and the work of tearing down the building is now going on. Eventually the Walnut switchboard will be placed in the new addition. When the addition to the present switchboard is completed there will be room for 98 local operators and 8 information operators to work at one time, handling over 125,000 calls of all kinds every day.
Jan., 1917, Topics-Margaret D. McCarthy, Supervisor of rest quarters in the Springfield exchange, was appointed local Chief Operator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Edna L. Shurtleff, recently married. Miss Shurtleff has been in the Springfield exchange since March, 1913. Miss McCarthy entered the service in July, 1907, and since that time has stead- ily forged ahead. Her popularity has never waned and her ever-ready smile and pleasing disposition have always won countless friends.
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