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The Huron Expositor, 1968-10-31, Page 14• tOl-Y-THg HURON XPOSITQII; WARMTH. ONT.. Oct 31. 1968 - No Dia! Tone in,49,113 SEAFORTH WAS ONLY 58 YEARS OLD and telephones had been 'lied here for only ab ut 29 years when this .photograph was taken in the Bell Telephone Exchange in 1913. Sh n above. left to right are Miss Hazel Stewart; later Mrs. William Plant of Toronto; Miss J. Habkirk, Miss Belle McKay, chief operator, and 0. E. Elliott, messenger, who - later became night operator. WW1& • • „ do you remember elrst net in SEAFORTH Well, if you were around in 1888, you may recall there were 15 telephones and the local exchange Was in C. W. Papsts book and stationery store. It sees open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays; 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays; and 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. holidays. - .... ......................................... eiseeee,-eeeee•-•• THE 'VERY first com- neereial telephone to make an appearance anywhere was a wooden box like this one. ft was customary to speak into and listen through the same mysterious round opening. That was in 1877. Bv 1878, these more prac- tical styles were intro- duced. The telephone on the left had, a single wooden transmitter - receiver. The one on the le tt had two, and you ' could speafi or listen - through either one. DURING the next 20 year,. further improvements in walf sets in- cluded a ledge on which to lean or write. (This was probably used also for turn -of -the -century doodling.) PLIFIED design, between 1890 and 1920. placed the es pedestal -type desk -phone in • offices and homes. The model on the right remained un- changed in appearance for many years, except for a dial- in the base wherever dial service was introduced. Meanwhile many improve- ments were being made in the quality of transmission and reception. In the early days of the , telephone, service was restricted to a few hours each day. How- ever. on April 1, 1910, 24-hqur service was in- augurated. This histor- ic development came a few months after Miss Belle McKay. chief op- erator. took charge of the business office fol- lowing the retirement of Mr. Fear. E. Den- roche was named mare ager for Seaforth. with headquarters in Strat- ford. Since a then the Seaforth exthange has been in service contin- uously me 'a round-the- clock basis, aysi telephone system is the result of the con- tinuous development of new products and services to meet the ever- changing demands of our customers. With , Direct Distance. Dialing. and dial telephone ' sertriee, a telephone user in Seaforthe. has North America at his fingertips. Transefeean- ie cables,microwave transmission and satel- lite communications channels carry tetephnne messages to the fotle corners of the world. And the future promises even more as• tele- phone engineers design equipinent that 'Will some day allow you to pay your bills by telephone. see the person you're calling on elosed-eircult television or even C011neCt 'IOU With g tomputer to help you solve your problems. Bell Canada When the telephon era dawned in Seaforth, this com- munity, had been established for more than a quarter cen- tury, and had been incorporat- ed as a town for 10 years, but it was still an age that knew no horseless carriages, and scarcely dreamed of radio and television. It wasalate in 1884 when the first telephone exchange was opened here, in C. W. Papst's book and stationary store. There were only 15 telephones in that pioneer telephone system, and the switchboard, batteries and other equipment were of a rudi- mentary type. That early hub of Spaforth's communications was located in the Cardno Block on. Main St. Here Mr. Papst, the stationer, Seaforth's first telephone agent, directed the business of The Bell Telephone Company of Can- ada in Seaforth for niore than 16 years. Seaforth got Oh the telephone meg the same year as the ex- change went into service, when a long distance line joined the town with Stratford, Goderich, Clinton And Mitchell. Tory, e network that was begin ing the to take shape then has been ex - 'tended until a Seaforth tele- phone user can call across the continent as easily as dcross the street. • One of the fiesteesers of long distance telephone service in Seaforth was the late M. Y. McLean, edited. efth,e Huron Expositor, who called to Mr. Holmes, of The New Era, in Clinton, and W. Jackson, tele- phone agent in Clinton. Later Housing Long Time ProbIem If you have had trouble trying to find a house to rent o buy in Seaforth this year, your problem is by n6 meals new. Back in 1873 the shortage was acute as this article from the April 11. issue tells, "If the .lack of hOuse accommodation he a sign of th f 1 c S f - he marvelled at the efficiency .. of the instrument on which Alexander Grahem Bell had ob- tained patents only eight years previously. "Sitting in our gefice, we could hear the gentlemen in Clinton talk almost as plainly as if they were standipg by our side". A long distance telephone call was a memorable experi- ence then. By January, 1885, when the first telephone directory con- taining Seaforth listings Was issued, the number of subscrib- ers had fallen to 12. It is not surprising that three of the ori- ginal telephone, users decided ' to dispense with the "talking box", and because many people everywhere at that time were suspicious of the practice of talking across the distance over wires to someone they ceuld not see and having the box "talk back." A few even branded it as witchcraft..Even the more en- lightened regarded the tele- phone as a mere scientific toy when it first appeared. The twelve Bell Telephone customers wirose listings appear- ed in the first directory for Seaforth were: , Armitage, Grain *rchant, Main St. Coleman, T. T., Salt Manu- facturer, Main St. • „el Coleman T. T., Residence, Huron Road. Dancey, Le E,, Barrister, Main, St. Grand Trunk Railway, Freight Office. • Gray, Young & Sperling, Salt Manufacturers, Main St. Great North-Western 'fele- graph Co., Main St. 'se Huron Expositor Printing Of- fice, Main St. Papst, C. W., Bookseller •and Stationer, Main St, Sun'Printing Office, Main St. 4 Wilson, D. D.. Egg Dealer, Main St. Nilson, D. D.. • Residence, Jarnes St. liewever, 'by April 30, 1885, The Huron Expositor reported that four More telephone cus- tomers had been added in Sea - forth, and listed them as: Com- mercial Hotel, Mr. Broadfoot*s --Office:- Me, -Jelen__13eatt ie, resi- tience, Mr. VVilliam residence." Gradually the tele- phone gained in popularity as progressive businessmen and residents found it a valuable aid in their-bliairress and social af- fairs. By the end of that year ;here were 27 telephones in ser- vice in Seaforth and vicinity. No telephone numbers were used in those days. The opera- . , e prosperity o apa e, ea orth must be py Osperous in- deed. We doubt if there is a town in Ontario where the house accommodation is so meaere miserable as it is here. It is impossible to rent a 'decent eheuse for anything -likea reas- onable sum, .end the great maj (miter, of those which are rented, eveh at high figures, are mere shells, without either comfort or accommodation. And.no sooner is. it known that a house is likely to become Vacant than there are a dozen applic- ations for it, no matter how miserable it may be. If some of our moneyed men would build a few respectable ten- ... ement houses they -woad do the Village a great benefit, the residents a great service, and : mike ,areenyestment which could not but be profitable te themselves, " , Ready To Face Fenians In the late 1860's a great fear of the Fenian Raiders speead through Western Ontario. The Fenians were Irish Americans organized in sympathy with the battle from home rule in Ireland. They determined to help defeat Britain by capturing Canada. A number of raids were held ,Icross the border. They were ,ill -organized and almost com- ical hut they frightened t h e settlers in border areas. It was partly because of this threat that Confederation took place in 1867 -to provide a solid front, In Western Ontario there . were many ruiners of Fenians although few were ever, seen, Vofunteer forces were organized to fight. Seaforth had such an army. But by 1869 the threat was almost over. The Fenians seemed to be More an excuse for a good party by then, as this short article from The Ex- positor of Nov. 26 relates. 'The Seaforth Volunteers returned from erince Albert on Wednesday Last. they consider • that they had a good time, and they did hot once get into act- ion with a 'Fenian PriVateer', On the evening of their return the 'brave sOger boys* were en- tertained at art Oyster supper, got op lir Naar Thetasty,14u. hone tors were expected to remem- ber how to make connections for each call on being given the customer's % name. Sometimes they would draw on their own knowledge of the telephone us- ers to redirect a call. Mr. "X" might ask to be connected to Mr. "Y's" telephone, but the operator, knowing that Mr. "Y" Mr. "Z's" office, would 13 -ass this information on to Mr. "X" and connect Mr. "X" to Mr. "Z's" line. In the 80's this highly person- al service was possible because there were fewer than 100 telephones in Seaforth during the. first 20 years of the town"s telephoue - history, and in . all Canada there were only a few thousand telephones. The people of Seaforth and vicinity began to rely more and more on telephone service. In 1902 the total number of tele- phones here had risen to 70. That was the year that I. V. Fear, a druggist, succeeded Mr. Papst as local Bell Telephone manager, and the exchange was moved from Mr. Papst's store to Mr. Fear's. In 1906 a "long distance" telephone, which pro- vided clearer transmission, was irstafled ,„in Fear -stern' By theeend ef 1907 there were 125 telephones served by the Sea - forth exchange, by 1920 the total had climbed to 203 to pass the 200 -mark for the first time, and by the end of 1927, the tot- al passed the 300 -mark. At first, the hours of tele- phone service were restricted. On weekdays the exchange wae in operation only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.; on Sundays, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and on holidays, from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sea- forth's first century was more than half spent when, on April 1, 1910, 24-heur service was , inaugurated. Since then the ex- change has been in service con- tinuously on a round-the-clock basis. The Bell Teleph nelenanagers and i_jecee. represent tives in Sea- le/II are remembe d by many present-day Seafort • residents. Late in 1909, Mr. Far retired and Miss Belle McKa ' chief op- erator, took charge fthe bush -rieeseoffiee-her ew months later E. Denroche manager for Seafo headquarters in Stratlor Mr. Denroche was manager, the Bell office was inoved to the Cardne Block Wn Main Street, near the site of the first tele- phone exchange in the town. J. F. Gibson succeeded Mr. Den- roche in 1912, and was succeed - 111 ed in turn iv J. J. Griffin. During the Great War, Miss M. J._ Habkirk was appointed local representative in SeafortE to assist the manager. She was succeeded by Miss Loretta M. McCormack in 1919. Three years, Miss McCormack, was given the title, 'Branch 'Manager'. In 1923 Miss M. Habkirk succeeded Miss McCormack, while J. M. McIn- tosh,.manager in Stratford, had general supervision , over Bell's Seaforth offige. In 1939 Miss E. M. Chili, who later became Mrs. L. Hoggarth was local represent- ative, and in 1940 P. D. Wilson succeeded Mr. McIntosh as man- ager. 11. H. P. Johnston succeed- ed Mr. Wilson as manager early in 1945 at the time when Mrs. Hoggarth was local representa- tive. In 1947 J. M. dOodwin, with headquarters in Goderich, be- came manager for Seaforth, while Mrs. Hoggarth continued as, local representative. In 1949, C. B. Symonds, of Goderich, be- came manager here. While he held this position, the local rep- resentatives were ,Miss Jean . Armstrong and Miss Willa Hun- ter. In 1954 W. W. Haysom, was appointed and around the same time Miss M. Hudson became local representative. On September 20, 1939, an important event took place in Seaforth when the new com- mon battery telephone sitent replaced the magneto system. This meant the end of the old crank style telephones. Mayor J. J. Cluff and the Council of that day were present at the cut -over, and Mayor Cluff placed the first call over the new equipment, During the Second World War material and manpower short- ages restricted the growth of telephones. However, after the war a period of unprecedented. expansion began. In,less than 10 years the number of telephone: in use in the Seaforth exchange area had increased from 373 to 737. To make this telephone growth possible, the Bell Tele- phone Company has repeatedly enlarged its facilities here. Switchboard positions were add- ed in the summer of 1951 and again in 1953. Seaforth entered an entirely -new era of telephone commun- ications, November 15„ 1964. . It was about' 2 a.m. that Sun- day morning that the telephone system in the community was changed from mantral to dial operation. ° The dial tone replaced the 'number please' of the local operators, which had been heard here for 69 years and a new automatic dial' exchange on Chalk Street was brought into use. Seaforth ,Agenoy. . _ votrai4 Oak/. filsrer‘, • A , ,... 010 opee ewe s e.teto is sem, Week Mos, .2 'kp.m. Stooloart, ott4 ty, to 82 .., .-s. • Lto :mkt 2 to ,i p to. Holidays, . —.... O. W.-lb—Ail-3Z .itgent. . b 0Pottic;:tnifilus. ' 004 retatbig to al Afoatiogios ate., it ei found du kit•Ide of (over. . . Armitage, A., Grain Merchafariett„ttr•Ael;:liSatin St Coleman, T. T., Salt -Manu . . Coleman,,T. T.., Redenee,Ilnion Road .; Dancey, L. E,t, Barrister,, Maiki•St . . Grand Trunk Railway, Freight Office, Gray, Young- -Sparling, Salt Manners, Main St St • :, Great Nor -Vii,estern Telegraph Co., N Huron xpositor Printing -Office, 114ain St - Pa C. W Bookseller anctatationer, Main Sr rinting ce, :.. atu. t Wilson; D. D., Egg Dealer, Main St 'Wilson, D. D., Residenee„ktoes St , First Phone Directory AK/ Before you buy • • -et a SEE THE 1969 SKI -WHIZ -414 Phone O After nearly three years of experimenting and Nanning Massey -Ferguson has developed the new 1969 Ski -Whiz. --Only the best safety -tested features and skilled eraftsiffaliship have gone into this snowmobile to guarantee ou the best value for your money. Drop in and see the SKI-IVOIZ before' you buy. 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