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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHomecoming '87, 1987-07-01, Page 14PAGE A-14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1987. _Homecoming ’87_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Telephones came to Brussels 102 years ago In this age when people often have two or three telephones in their houses, some have tele­ phones in their cars and there are all kinds of magic gismos on our phones that allow us to do such things as automatically redial the last number if it was busy, it’s hard to imagine the impact the coming of the telephone must have had on municipalities like Brussels, and even more so to the outlying district. The telephone actually came to Brussels early in the village’s history. A telephone exchange was established in the village in May, 1885. BellCanadarecords show exchange line receipts for $163 submitted on that date by the first local telephone manager John Hargreaves. The first telephone exchange, using a Gilliland magneto switch­ board, was installed in Mr. Hargreave’s Drug and Stationery store on Turnberry street. By December 1886 the exchange gave service from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, from two to four p.m. on Sundays and 10 a.m. to noon and two to four p.m. on holidays. There were 11 subscribers to the early service: the Grand Trunk Railway Station; Great Northwes­ tern Telegraph Co.; John Har­ greaves Druggist and Stationer; Dr. Hutchinson’sresidenceonMill St.; F.C. Roger’s store; F.C. Rogers, saltblock, the residence of F.S. Scott, bailiff; the residence of W.M. Sinclair solicitor; Wm. Vanstone and Sons, Millers; and both the residence and office of E.E. Wade, barrister. The Barrie Northern Advance for September 16, 1888 reported that Bell Company line crews were building long distance lines from Long distance came in 1888 “Walkerton through Mildmay, Clifford, Harristson, Arthur, Fer­ gus and Elora and connecting with the rest of the long distance system atGuelph.’ The line was also to be connected with London via Palmer­ ston and Listowel and extended to Brussels and Wingham. The ex­ tension, from Clinton to Wingham through Brussels, and using 25 miles of poles and 28.5 miles of number 14 copper wire was completed in 1888. Brussels local exchange, say old timers, was closed from 1888 to 1895 with only a toll office remaining to serve the town. Directory listings for that period and area are not on file in the Telephone Historical Collection and it is not possible to determine whether the exchange was indeed closed for those years. The directory for 1895 listed James Fox as local manager with switchboard and associated appar­ atus located in Mr. Fox’s premises in Dr. Graham’s Block on Turn­ berry Street. The following sub­ scribers were shown: Ament, J. & P., Sash & Door Factory, Turn­ berry St.,; Beatty Bros., Livery Barn, Turnberry St.,; Grand Trunk Depot; Koenig, Adam, American Hotel, Turnberry St.; McNaugh­ ton, J. A., Physician, Mill St.; O’Leary, Jas., Queen’s Hotel, Turnberry St.; Ronald, J. D., Foundry, Queen St.; Sinclair, W.M., Law Office, Turnberry St.; Sinclair, W. M., Res., Turnberry St.; Stewart & Graham, Flour Mill, James St.; Williams, H. & Son. Livery Barn, King St. By this time Brussels was connected to an extensive network of long distance telephone lines from Quebec City in the east to Windsor, Detroit and the United States network in the west. A number 117 type switchboard with a capacity of 30 lines was installed in Brussels in 1903 as recorded by Bell Company Super­ intendent, A.T. Smith. By 1906 there were 46 telephone subscribers in Brussels and mes­ senger service was available for non-subscribers at the following rates: •within one quarter of a mile of the exchange, .05 cents • beyondone quarter but within half a mile, .10 cents • over a half mile,. 20 cents an hour. In 1909 Findlay Stewart Scott formed the Brussels and Grey Municipal Telephone System which began operations in Brus­ sels that year. The first commis­ sioners for the company were Doctor J. D. Warwick, William Cameron (Cranbrook), Richard Proctor (Belgrave) and Malcolm Yesterday 1952 Bridge Motors Limited, Brussels Today 1987 Bridge Motors Limited, Wingham Have a Great Tyme at the Brussels 115th Homecoming! From the Bridge Family and Staff Black. Telephone service was provided through a magneto switchboard and the telpehone operators were Misses Mildred Grewar, Jean Moore and Mary MacDonald. Miss Grewar and M iss MacDonald lived over the exchange. In 1911 the Brussels, Morris & Grey Municipal Telephone System was connected with the long distance lines of the Bell Company at Brussels and this arrangement continued over the years. The Bell Company sold 230 poles and associated plant in the area to the Corporation of the Village of Brussels in 1914 and local ex­ change service became the respon­ sibility of the Brussels, Morris & Grey System. The Brussels, Mor­ ris &Grey System were to act as managers of the Bell Company toll office at Brussels. From 1909 until 1958 the same building housed the magneto exchange of the Brussels, Morris & Grey System; in 1958 a new office was erected to house improved common battery equipment. The official cutover of the town’s TheBridgeFamilyHistory ' Bridge Motors was started by George and Jean Bridge in May,19«ion Turnberry Street. Brusseis as a repair garage^.odear sales and International Harvester Farm Eguipm . stable Inow EMArelocated on Thomas Street in the former Queen s Hotel Stable [no parting lot). Their son Glenn joined the family. * 1 BRIDGE MOTORS LIMITED 357-3460 HIGHWAY 86 - EAST OF WINGHAMFORD magneto system to common batt­ ery operation on June 2, 1958 marked the 50th anniversary of the Brussels, Morris & Grey Comapny and the completion of the largest project it had ever undertaken. Four regular operators, one night and one relief operator manned the new switchboard. In 1967 the Brussels, Morris and memories of Yesteryears LL GREY TOWNSHIP and its people byMARILYNENGEL 55 "History of the Township 1856 - 1981" HOMECOMING SPECIAL Only $10. Orderfrom271-9723or887-6645 oratTownshipof Grey Municipal Office887-6268 «u Grey Municipal System and the Blyth Municipal Telephone Sy­ stem merged to form Maitland Teleservices Limited and in De­ cember 1969 further changes were made as the town’s telephone system was converted from com­ mon battery to dial operation. Direct Distance Dialing was intro­ duced at the time of the cutover. i1 J