The Telephone Reaches Defiance!

 

 The telephone - something we all take for granted, mobile or landline.  But, in Defiance City, the installation of telephones was not discussed until 1894, when K. V. Haymaker took it upon himself to learn all he could about this new device.  In the spring of 1895, he incorporated the Northwestern Telephone Company with stock going for $20.00 a share.  That value quickly rose to $50.00.

The company began servicing Defiance city on September 15, 1895, with a switchboard with 200 "drops."  One could not dial directly to another person; a switchboard operator had to be involved to connect the parties.  It wasn't long until another 200 drops were added as the use of the telephone grew.  The very first installation of a telephone occurred at Harley's Lions Store uptown.

By the spring of 1899, the switchboard capacity had grown to 500 drops.  It was becoming obvious that the telephone exchange office needed more space, so they moved to the corner of Clinton and Fifth Street, the Preisendorfer building with a new metallic drop board that had a capacity for 600. According to the Defiance Weekly Express, it was "first class and up to date."

The first operators were called "hello girls," and Miss Lucy Powell was the absolute first on the job. She soon needed assistance, so she became Chief Operator with assistants,

Mrs. Emma Conrad, Nellie Richolt and Basil Link during the busy daylight hours.  Mrs. Cora Eberle worked nights and Miss Alice Grube was the relief operator. E. E. Matthews was the sole lineman, Arlie Robinson, the inspector, and C.R. White, the company inspector.  Phones on the line numbered 503 and 20 more were on contract.

The lines were party lines and each person had to wait his or her turn or ask politely to use the phone.  Others could listen in on one's conversations - maybe not the politest thing to do - but it was a common occurrence.  At first, phones had certain rings (two long, two short, for example), and as the popularity and technology advanced, subscribers were given short numbers.

It was a new era for communication, and I don't think anyone from 1909 would be able to imagine how it has improved.

**This blog was based on an article found in the Defiance Weekly Express, February 21, 1901.