USA > Massachusetts > Tracing the telephone in western Massachusetts, 1877-1930 > Part 9
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Thus the Palmer exchange came under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Telephone Co.
The newspapers were not adorned with comic pictures, but this deficiency was made up, in part, by occasional witticisms and humorous jibes such as these, taken from the Journal: "The style of dressing hair with the ladies now is about nip and tuck between the door knob and pitcher handle patterns. -The Monson milkmen are looking more cheerful now the the ice is broken up .- An exchange states that there are only twenty-five match factories in this country. Pshaw! There are more than that number in Palmer, and in every other well regulated town. If you don't believe it, ask the ladies."
The telephone was, no doubt, of greatest value to the medi- cal profession. This was brought out in the Journal of Feb. 4, 1882: "Telephones have been placed in Hitchcock & Co.'s drug store and the offices of Doctors Warren and Downing this week. All our physicians now have these talking instruments in their offices."
A report of the number of telephones in the Palmer ex-
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change was given in the Journal of Feb. 11, 1882: "The local telephone exchange, which was started last May with 38 sub- scribers, has grown until it now numbers 72, while additions are constantly being made to the list. Of this number Palmer has 33, Monson 26, Brimfield 5, Wales 5, Ware 2, and Three Rivers 1."
Negotiations were started at this time to erect an interstate line, which was referred to in the Journal of February 18th: "There is talk of making telephonic connections with Stafford Springs. The Mass. Telephone Co. offer to furnish and put in the wire if the Stafford company will set the poles."
The growth of the Palmer exchange necessitated a new switchboard, and the following details were learned from the Journal: It was a 50 wire switchboard and was installed during the week ending March 25, 1882, to make room for the busi- ness expected in the spring. It was twice the capacity of the old board, and did away with the bell board; thus, dispensing entirely with the ringing of bells in the office, which was so constant and tiresome with the old board. This improved board was arranged to accommodate two operators at the same time, if necessary. The central office call was now one ring instead of two. A portion of the office was partitioned off for a sleeping room, and night service was expected to be in work- ing order in a few days. It had been announced previously that E. W. Plumley, Mrs. Weeman's former assistant and now in the Springfield office, would return to Palmer as night operator, but he decided to remain in Springfield even though offered a position as day operator. Rufus Taplin was, there- upon, appointed to the noctural position, which was expected to go into effect the first week in April, 1882.
The completion of the Three Rivers and Thorndike job was reported on July 29th: "The Palmer telephone exchange has been extended so as to include Doctors Ruggles and Hol- brook and D. F. Holden at Three Rivers, and Clark & Has- tings and the Thorndike Co. at Thorndike. Connection has also been made with the wire mill. Telephones are also placed in the meat markets of C. H. Keith and D. H. Brown in Palmer village, and in Loomis Bros.' furniture ware rooms."
A note of caution was furnished by the Journal for the bene-
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fit of these new subscribers: "The telephone connection be- tween Three Rivers, Thorndike and Palmer is completed, but the patrons of the line should study the different 'calls' more carefully, that 'medicine' and 'beef' may not get so badly mixed."
In August, night operator Taplin became indisposed, and the night service at the telephone office had to be discontinued for a few days.
The following report is of especial interest, as it gives fur- ther information regarding the Mass. Telephone Co. It ap- peared in the Palmer Journal of Aug. 19, 1882: "The Mass. Telephone Co. have published a revised list of their sub- scribers which now numbers 631, divided among the different exchanges as follows: Palmer, 82; Gardner, 64; Marlboro and Hudson, 52; Clinton, 52; Milford, 49; Framingham, 47; South- bridge, 41; Orange, 32; Athol, 29; Natick, 29; Webster, 29; Winchendon, 22; Spencer, 20; Holliston, 19; Westboro, 19; North Brookfield, 18; East Brookfield, 9; Hopkington, 6; Ox- ford, 4; Ashland, 3; Warren, 3; West Brookfield, 2.
Palmer had the distinction of having the largest exchange, a tribute to the discernment and perspicacity of the people in this part of the state.
A brief description of Palmer and its neighboring commu- nities in 'ye olden days,' as gleaned from some items in the Journal, may be of interest.
The census enumerators, in the spring of 1880, reported the population of Palmer as 5505 against 4572 in 1875. The population of the village was 1420; Three Rivers, 1306; Thorndike. 1155; Bondville, 782. Other towns in the vicinity of Palmer were enumerated as follows: Ware, 4815; Monson, 3758; Enfield, 1043; Wales, 1023; Holland, 302.
Palmer was somewhat of a railroad center and a thriving textile community. The Boston & Albany gave its stockholders a free excursion to Boston to attend the annual meetings. Upon reporting these events, the Journal never failed to add a humorous jibe such as: "The ladies had a fine day for their shopping. The stockholders turned out en masse, though only about 200 actually went to the meeting ;- but it was a good day for the merchants at the Hub."
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The Otis Co.'s large plant in Ware employed about 1200, and its Palmer Mills, at Three Rivers, was equipped with 700 looms. The Boston Duck Co. of Bondville shipped nearly 200,000 yards one day. The Palmer Carpet Co. operated 20 looms and turned out 600, or more, yards every day. The Palmer Wire Co. started to manufacture wire for fence pur- poses in August of 1882. The Blake and Co. of Warren were building a 50 ton pump for Omaha.
A graphic description of the affairs in West Warren was given by the Journal: "Business prosperous, mills running full blast and the sound of carpenters' hammers heard in every direction, give the impression that West Warren will grow."
Monson's two straw shops were rushing on spring orders, and the woolen mills and quarry were having their full quota of help.
Hampden's Lacowsic Mill was busy, and its two hat mills, employing 60 hands, turned out 1200 dozen hats a day.
In Wales, there was the Wales Mill, which made shirting cloth, and the Dell Mill.
Stores remained open evenings, but in 1885 there was talk of closing two evenings in the week.
The popular forms of entertainment were: dancing at Wales Hall, with a supper served at the Tockwotton House for one dollar a couple; roller skating to the music of the Palm- er Band; sleigh rides to Landlord Segar of the Allen House, Hampden; bicycle riding; and theatrical performances, fea- turing the "original and only Wilkinsons," Uncle Tom's Cabin, and Amos Whiting Chorus,-general admission 25 cents, reserved seats 35.
The Bay State Telephone Co. now comes upon the scene, and the Palmer Exchange makes its exit until Chapter 11.
CHAPTER 8
Hampden Telephone Company Springfield - Holyoke Exchanges
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THE organization of the Hampden Telephone Co. was ef- fected Sept. 30, 1881; and the papers of the Springfield Daily Republican, coming off the press that day, contained an up to the minute report of this rather intricate transaction:
"A new telephone company has been formed and has bought out the Springfield Telephone Co., the papers being executed today. The new company is formed partly of members of the present local one and partly of members of the Central Mass. Telephone Co., whose central office is in South Framingham, taking in Westboro, Natick, and most of the towns in that re- gion. C. F. Cutler is president; C. A. Nichols, vice president; J. C. Clark, general manager; W. M. Ranney, treasurer of the new company, which is called the "Hampden." These four, with H. S. Hyde of the Springfield Company, form the board of directors. C. F. Cutler and W. M. Ranney hold the same offices in the Central Mass. Telephone Co. The new company has a capitalization of $120,000. The sale will not at present interfere with the rates and usages of the local system, but it is intended ultimately to result in a corporation covering the whole state, by the consolidation of the various small com- panies. Of these, the principal ones now are The Western Mass. Tel. Co., the new Hampden Telephone Co., the com- pany at Worcester and the Central Mass. Telephone Co., Bos- ton and vicinity being supplied by the American Bell Co.
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Under a state company the rates could be made more even, and the new Hampden company promise to accommodate this city and Holyoke better in several ways before long, and, although separate from the Central, the two will work in harmony. The Springfield Company's business has been the most prosperous in its history."
The Springfield and Holyoke exchanges now came under the direction of Joel C. Clark, General Manager, although the local management remained the same, Frank G. Daboll being the Springfield Manager and Charles B. Perkins the Manager at Holyoke.
The Springfield Republican announced Nov. 26, 1881: "The special telephone line between the office of the water commissioners and the gate-house at Ludlow is finished and communication was opened Thanksgiving day. The line is wholly independent of all other wires and works to a charm." (The city water works has been municipally owned since 1872.)
The Hampden Telephone Co. received commendation in the Republican of Jan. 17, 1882: "The Hampden Telephone Co. have distributed their revised list of all their subscribers in the county, thus giving a reference book that has long been needed. The book also contains a tariff for conversations with places on the connecting lines and instructions for using the instruments. The thoroughness with which the important towns of this section are brought into the system may be shown by the fact that from this city 67 towns and villages in this state and Conn. can be communicated with by telephone. There are today 523 instruments here, and over 300 in Hol- yoke and Chicopee."
On Feb. 2, 1882, the poles to Wilbraham were all set and ready for the wires; and on Feb. 11th, the wires were up. About a month later the Republican reported that a public telephone office is to be opened at the hotel in Wilbraham as soon as another wire is put up. This hotel was the Allis House con- ducted by Mrs. Allis, and which received this praiseworthy comment from the Palmer Journal: "The table was spread with nice things which are so characteristic of this hotel."
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The following Holyoke item appeared in the Republican that month: "Manager Charles Perkins is to put in an auxil- lary switch-board at the telephone office, which will be in charge of Miss Maggie Heidner." A happy sequel was soon forthcoming: "Telephone Manager C. B. Perkins was quietly married to Miss Maggie Heidner last evening and they have gone on a tour through the nutmeg state."
Induction or cross talk between wires on the same poles had caused a great deal of concern to the young industry. An interesting experiment to overcome this difficulty was re- ported by the Republican of April 17, 1882: "The American Bell Telephone Co. propose laying underground cables be- tween Attleboro and West Mansfield as an experiment. The cable, which is five miles long, was made at Providence at a cost of $10,000."
A few days later another item regarding this project ap- peared: "The cable was to be laid in furrows along the track of the Boston and Providence railroad, but the good farmers of the vicinity refused the loan of their oxen for ungodly Sun- day toil. The plow was accordingly attached by a beam to a locomotive and the five-mile furrow turned up as fast as the legs of the man at the plow would admit. The work will be finished next Sunday, when in all 58,000 pounds of wire will have been laid."
Holyoke received visits from old demon lightning, the same as other communities: "The telephone linemen generally have their hands pretty full after a thunder-shower, repairing dam- ages. During the storm of Tuesday evening, 36 instruments were disabled and had to be replaced, and many of the wires were out of order. Manager Perkins has not taken out an in- strument for three months because of any fault, and has added eleven new subscribers to his list within a month. The service now rendered by the local office will probably compare favor- ably with any city in the country."
The Holyoke office appeared to be favored with more pub- licity than the new Springfield office in the Kinsman's block, at this particular time. "The telephone company, tired of the rather free use made of their lines, have posted orders that
Tracing the Telephone in Western Massachusetts 107
none but subscribers shall hereafter send messages. To ac- commodate others, a phone has been put in and a pay-office established at M. A. Allen's store on High Street, and there are to be other stations at South Holyoke and South Hadley Falls."
The Republican of Jan. 15, 1881, announced that the ar- ticles of incorporation of the Springfield Electric Light Co., with headquarters at Blair & Fiske's, were to be sent to Boston for approval. Blair & Fiske manufactured lawn mowers and on Jan. 21, 1881, began to experiment with the use of incan- descent electric lamps for evening work in the factories. The first generator of the Electric Light Co. was located in the Blair & Fiske plant.
The Springfield Electric Light Co., which was capitalized for $10,000, had the following officers and directors: President, Gideon Wells; Secretary, H. S. Hyde; Clerk, W. J. Denver; directors, G. Wells, H. S. Hyde, C. A. Nichols, L. J. Powers and H. C. Fiske. These men with the exception of Messrs. Wells and Fiske, served as officers, directors, or both, of the Springfield Telephone Co., when it was organized nearly two years previously.
The Fuller and Brush electric lights were being used some- what but were too expensive for general use. A case was re- ported where two Brush lights of 2,000 candle power each would cost $7,000, not to mention the cost of a generator, which would require 33 H.P. from some source. However, the thrilling effects of this mode of lighting were described by the Republican: "The advantages of this light for evening parties was forcibly illustrated at the fancy dress party at the skating rink when the beauty of the costumes was brought out more clearly, and the general effect was altogether pleasanter than on a similar occasion at Worcester where calcium lights were employed."
These were the days when New England was laying the ground work for its future greatness. The Republican re- ported: "The Ludlow Manufacturing Co. has purchased 1,500,000 bricks, preparatory to building a new mill the com- ing spring and summer. They are now being shipped to them from Holyoke."
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Amicable relations between the Electric Light and Tele- phone companies started early: "The Springfield Electric Light Co. say that their wires are being insulated and placed upon high standards above the telephone wires, so that there is but little danger from their settling."
This same paper made known that the electric light wires have reached Walnut Street and will probably be in use by July 4, 1882.
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The first street lighting by electricity must have caused the picturesque lamp lighter some forebodings as he trudged his route of vanishing oil and gas lamps. The following is from the July 22, 1882, Republican: "There are 60 electric lamps in use in the city and each one that is burned nightly has tc be put in order just as though it were an oil lamp that needed trimming. The man in charge takes out the carbons which were burned the night before, so that their points may be ground over, replacing them with others that have been sharp- ened. The city electric lamps are soon to be provided with globes to protect them from the wind and give a steadier light. These lamps occasionally let fall pieces of burning car- bon and people who pass under them will do well to be on their guard. Bad boys have been in the habit of lowering and raising the Court-Square lamp, according to their own sweet will, and the company have placed the end of the hoisting rope in a lock-box, attached to one of the trees, to end their sport."
The Hampden Telephone Co. had a brief existence, from Sept. 30, 1881, to Sept. 1, 1882, it being merged with the Bay State Telephone Co. on the latter date. An account of the Springfield and Holyoke exchanges, under the management of this new organization, will be found in Chapter 10.
CHAPTER 9
Bay State Telephone Company
THERE was located at Lowell a very powerful group of men, which had promoted a telephone system in and around Lowell that was briefly described in the Republican of March 31, 1881: "Lowell is said to be the largest telephone center in the country, being directly connected with over 100 cities and large towns in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. One company owns 2500 telephones, pays the American Bell Co. $1,200. royalty a month, and controls over 1,500 miles of wire."
This enterprising group of men is again mentioned in the Republican of May 1, 1882: "The Boston & Northern Tele- phone Co., formed with a capital of $500,000, has sold out to a company of men from Boston, Lowell and Worcester. Its rights cover Vermont, most of New Hampshire and Essex County in Mass., with right of way into Boston. This change in ownership is thought to indicate a contemplated consolida- tion of telephone interests in Eastern Mass. outside of Boston, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, such a union bringing together $2,000,000 capital."
Then this momentous news was succinctly stated in the Republican of Aug. 30, 1882: "The Bay State Telephone Co. of Lowell has been incorporated with a capital of $600,000, William A. Ingham, President."
The following day readers of the Springfield Republican began to realize that the telephone setup in Western Mass. was due for a drastic change: "The stockholders of the West- ern Mass. Tel. Co. will have an offer from the syndicate who
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talk of buying it for about $60 a share. The capital is about $65,000 and only one dividend has been paid in two years."
Another item the same day fully convinced the readers of the imminent change: "The consolidation of the Hampden and the Massachusetts Telephone Cos. into the new Bay State Co. is purely in the interest of economy. One management will now do the work of the two companies, but it is not likely that subscribers will ever discover the change save in a new style of bill-head. The transfer of the stock to the new company will be made Friday (Sept. 1, 1882) in Boston. Most of the stock- holders in the old companies continue in the new one and some capital in the eastern part of the state is also invested."
A more comprehensive description of the new company was given in the Republican of Sept. 2, 1882: "C. A. Nichols, President of the old Hampden Telephone Co., and W. M. Ranney, the Treasurer, went to Boston yesterday to transfer the stock of the old company to the purchasers. The transfer can hardly be called a sale, but is simply a consolidation with the Massachusetts Telephone Co. under the name of the Bay State Telephone Co., which has been incorporated with $600,000 capital. The capital of the Massachusetts Telephone Co. was $180,000, and it had about 700 subscribers and 1,000 miles of wire, while the capital of the Hampden Telephone Co. was $120,000 and it had 900 subscribers. It is claimed that the consolidation will have great advantage. Neither com- pany with its limited capital could meet the demands of the people, but together, with their capital doubled, and employ- ing only one management, the facilities promise to be greatly increased. For instance, the telephonic accommodation be- tween Worcester and Boston are not now sufficient, but the new company intend to put up a fourth wire this fall between those cities and as soon as the prospect is sufficiently encourag- ing will give Boston and Springfield direct communication. It is also expected that this new company will branch out still further as soon as advisable, and buy up the stock of the other companies till it will control all the lines in the state, and pos- sibly all in New England. In fact, negotiations are already be- ing made to this end, and the stockholders of the Western Mass. Tel. Co. yesterday authorized the directors to sell the
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stock to the Bay State Telephone Co., if satisfactory terms could be agreed upon. The transfer will probably be made and this will afford Springfield still greater advantages, for a direct telephonic communication will then be established be- tween Springfield, Pittsfield, North Adams and all the other Berkshire towns in the Western circuit. It is also quite possible that by this concerted action all the important cities in the state, and perhaps New England, will be eventually connected. The directors of the Bay State Telephone Co. are very san- guine and there seems to be no reason why, with the large capital and new life infused into the business, their predic- tions may not be fulfilled.
"The consolidation will in no way affect the subscribers of the old Hampden Telephone Co., for the management and rates will remain the same for the present. The new company will probably declare a 2 per cent dividend January 1. These are the new officers: President, William A. Ingham of Lowell; Treasurer, Charles J. Glidden of Lowell; General Manager, Loren N. Downs of Lowell; directors: W. A. Ingham, C. J. Glidden, L. N. Downs all of Lowell; C. A. Nichols of Spring- field; C. F. Cutler of South Framingham; S. H. Howe of New Marlboro; T. N. Vail of Boston."
The Sunday Republican of Jan. 30, 1884, printed a lengthy article entitled "Telephone Fortunes" which was taken from the Boston Globe. It seems that most of the officers and direc- tors of the new Bay State Telephone Co. were fortunate enough to be included among those "tycoons" who had ac- quired "fortunes," and a few references to them are enlight- ening, although, no doubt, exaggerated: "Then there is the Lowell Syndicate. The principals are Charles J. Glidden, Wil- liam A. Ingham and Loren N. Downs. ... Of these men, Mr. Glidden was a telegraph operator and started the tele- phone business by getting the right for Lowell, and out of this has grown all the business of the so-called Lowell Syn- dicate. Mr. Ingham was a successful grocer and was worth perhaps $30,000 or $40,000. He furnished the first substantial aid to Glidden. Mr. Downs was the chief operator of the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Co. in Boston. The street cred- its Glidden and Ingham with now being worth $1,000,000
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apiece with perhaps three-quarters of a million for Downs."
Thomas Watson in his autobiography, Exploring Life, tells of interviewing Theodore Vail in Washington relative to his joining the American Bell Telephone Co. as General Man- ager. Watson was so sure that the Superintendent of the United States railway mail service was the right man for them that he wired Mr. Hubbard to hire Mr. Vail if he could see his way to paying him the large salary he wanted,-thirty-five hundred dollars!
The promoters of the Bay State Telephone Co. spent some time negotiating for the purchase of the Western Mass. Tele- phone Co., which was finally consummated, but at a higher price than the Easterners were at first disposed to pay. The de- tails of the transaction were reported in the Republican of Sept. 12, 1882: "The stockholders of the Western Mass. Tele- phone Co. unanimously voted yesterday to instruct the direc- tors to transfer for $50,000 their property and leases of every kind to Joel C. Clark of Framingham. Henry W. Taft was chosen to receive the money from Clark, pay the company's debts (about $6,000), transfer the stock and pay the stockhold- ers their dividend (about $90 a share). Mr. Clark takes the management in a day or two. The company passed a vote of thanks to President Bliss for his two years' service." The trans- action was consummated Sept. 13, 1882.
The formation of the Bay State Telephone Co. was now practically complete, being an amalgamation of the Massachu- setts Telephone Co., which served most of the territory be- tween Springfield and Boston; The Hampden Telephone Co., which owned the Springfield and Holyoke exchanges; and the Western Mass. Telephone Co., which controlled the ter- ritory in Massachusetts west of the Connecticut River, with exchanges in Pittsfield, North Adams, Adams, Northampton and Westfield. The Greenfield and Great Barrington ex- changes had not yet been started.
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