The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1976-06-24, Page 46By G. L. Long historian for The Bali Telephone Coa pang so Caanada. -Montreal, Qu b c, written to Mrs. LeRoy Vied; MO' 11,1966. elephone' service Was inaugurated in Bayfield in 1899 atter a 25 mile line Was, erected to: - Goderich which was already connected with the Bell Com- pany'S long +distance network. Bayfield was listed in the 1899 Bell directory as a toll office with Miss 1- M. Martin as local Officials of the Tuckers Telephone System looked on as Mrs. "Flo" Toms put the first telephone call through at the Bayfleld switchboard. Some may remember these early telephones In Bayfield. ' bea.rd e 1899 at will ding tom by Eetephone .. , manager. A telephone and small have a telephone service m telephone. . This switchand were installed. in her put it on an equal footing with the could easily be done by tapping sv+►itchbu... the line from Goderich to Clinton premises for tang distance calls. cities in every respect. Miss Martin died in 1902 and On October 1. a continuus at orated. aan northofBayfieldrThe dec miles ded her sister, iss C. L. E. Martin. service will be accommodation whit will prove to get the poles. became manager. The first subscriber in Bayfield a 'great convenience. forinstance,be . December 9,1898 was Dr. William Metcalf who had exceedingly night Most of the poles have been a telephone installed at his in case of thephysician and will beof a drawn to their places and quite d at summer residence in 1908. The call to a pay is listing. for Dr. Metcalf's and for 'great addition to our fire due to rk recestopped t pe rtat the toll office were the only protection system. �,,,,present du not thee decided where Bayfield listings until 1914 when The change will necessitate the They several subscribers were listed employment of three operators, to locate the Central office. J. under the Clinton exchange. day, .night. and relief and also Whiddon's or Martin's. Both are In 1909, the Tuckersm ith considerable alterations at the good locations. Municipal Telephone System was local exchange. The telephone As is told elsewhere, Bayfield's formed and in 1911, they pur- office will be moved to the front exchange lasted from 1949 to 1966 chased poles and other outside and to one side ofeMr. Portter' i t which time the dial system was plant equipment in the Bayfield trance fromtore and tll th Square, making Flo Toms was chief operator area from the Bell company• and manager and gave excellent Tuckersmith system later gave it an entirely separate office. long service. the exchange being in service to Bayfield subscribers It will be fitted upAnn Tate was here and in 1949 established an ex- distanc�abin iso and new a her at- their 1949 �• Other operators change there. In the system proof Norma was purchased and overhauled cessories alt through of a first-' Wallis. Ana MacKay, Nor a class modern exchange; and, by ) by the copy of this will be the smallest Heard, Helen (Cluf1) LeBeau, A copy the 1899.1908 and 1914 the way, Ken Gloria McClinchey. . directory listings. of a newspaper town with a continuous service Daisy Arkell. rkellr, Maude Weston. Y clipping mentioning early anywhere in Canada except Pats (Scotch Mar) Reann. -telephone service and where the corporation pays a P ' hoto r aphs of a long distance considerable sum for a fire Ruthaann Higgins Evelyn Knight, telephone and switchboard of the protection service. all of Hayfield, type seed in Bayfield in 1899 are cud 15 nnewtth and Porter subscribers here and PearinoShaddick. Ja k enclosed• seree 1898 -Bayfield Toll Office, Miss and on Friday last. drove to Caldwell and Bill M. J. Martin. local manager. Bayfield, interviewed the council Hensel'. Additional operators Ann 1908 - Bayfield, Mrs. C. L. E. and made arrangements eabane have a been Elaine ( Grainger, Campbell. local manager; '`connect the village by P Chapman, h p Westlake and Daisy Metcalf, Dr. Wm. F.. summer with the outside world. • Drkell. residence. No one who has not used the May 1914 - Hayfield 174. ring 7 The Clinton New Era, tele hone in its early days can - Copeland. George; 174, ring 2 SeptemberP 23.1898 The Council held a special imagine what it was like with — Edwards, F. A.; 174, ring 19 — nday evening to anywhere up to 20 or more per - Ferguson, Capt. John;a174. ring ring3 discuss themeeting n question of con- sons on the line. Just try to get 18 Gairdner. Nora 174,r our town with surroun- that tine when you needed it! 18 —Gairdner. John; 174. ring 5 heeling (continued on page 250) — Jowett. W. R.; 174, ring' IO — McDaaald. J. A.; 174, ring 11 — McEwen, F.: 174, ring 2 -- McEwen. Fred; 174, ring 14 — Merner Bros.; 174. ring 9 — MacKay. H. R.. Albion Hotel; 174. ring 8 — Mustard, W • Ae . 174, ring 12 — Parker, Chas.; 174, ring 13 —Smith, Dr.. office; 176, ring 6 — Stanley. Fred; 174, ring 17 — Weston. George; 174. ring 16 — Whiddon. John; 174. ring 15- — Woods, Dr. 1898 (newspaper clipping) "An A-1 Telephone Service" Through the efforts of A. T. Smith, superintendent of the Ontario department of the Bell Telephone Co.. and George Porter. the company's local manager. who have been in- terview ing . some of our Mrs. "Flo" Toms makes the last�n of the T cltkin at the Bayfl td businessmen and encouraging switchboard. Walter McBeth, new subscribers. Goderich is to Telephone System is standing In the Left foreground. congratulations ratulations Bciyfield BEST WISHtS BAYFIELD On Your OOth. BIRTHDAY The Finest in Entertainment year mind t from John Lyndon and M115'T4y0' DRIVE-IN • GODER1CH wyyr N l4er,F,SE K RM . atiiONL d G98' Village Ian The Little ill Now over 120 years oldl Originally operated as a coach house is the days when the stage was the main form of transportation. ONE -tai R cQNoii'IOHIO L BAYFIELD, ONTARIO