Telephones in Reston

Finding the receipt below surprised me to see that over 108 years ago in June of 1913, eligible bachelor farmer Thomas Boulton requested telephone service! Twenty-two dollars a year in 1913 converts to over $600 in today's money and I only wish that was the same as my cell phone bill now! The opportunity to connect with family and friends and do business without leaving home must have been an amazing and very welcome concept to the pioneers.   

Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone in 1876 and a short 2 years later, a local telephone service was being made available in Winnipeg.  To start with, it was a wire connecting two locations but grew steadily until 1881when a switchboard was installed to connect 26 subscribers.  

In 1905, Pipestone Municipal council discussed the idea of a telephone system that would be publicly owned and it was met with enthusiasm.  In fact by 1908, $30,000 in local money was raised by debenture to cover construction costs and work began in the townsites of Reston and Pipestone under contractor John Reid. Poles, wires with insulators and the actual telephones needed to be installed and this would have meant work for many. 

John and Verna Olenick were kind enough to lend me their most interesting copy of the Pipestone Municipal Telephone Directory for the exchange from July 1916.  The final sentence on the opening page reminds subscribers to not use their telephone during a thunderstorm! Customers were also asked not to have their calls go longer than 5 minutes and profane or improper language was strictly forbidden.  The use of the phone is not to be lent to anyone, instead direct them to the nearest pay station.  They knew how to market their service - don't let the neighbour use yours but encourage them to get their own. 

Page 4 of the 1916 Pipestone Municipal Telephone System Directory which includes Thomas

Listings include over 500 business and resident subscribers in the Pipestone, Reston, Sinclair and Virden exchanges.  Rural and town homes were indicated. (The abbreviation "do" stands for ditto - same as above.)  The local doctor - A.B. Chapman - is listed as the Agent during these years. On the numbering system to the left of the name, Thomas was assigned 13 ring 21 so I suppose that's what you told the operator to connect you to their phone.  Let me know if there is a better explanation!

  

Repairs were first made by Troubleman Fred Reeves and later Andy Rutherford.  Unfortunately, he was killed on the workplace in 1926 by a load of poles rolling off a railcar.  Les Parker took over the job and continued for several decades until his sudden passing in 1967.  Thanks to the Olenicks for the pictures of Les below.  Troubleman duties included replacing the dry cell batteries in the phones and attending to wire and pole problems.  

Les Parker with repair car

Les Parker with a snowplane used to be able to fix lines during and after storms

Two operators were on call during the day and one at night to connect calls to the right house. They were also tasked with dispatching fire or emergency services as needed. Miss Edith McDonald was noteworthy for working as an operator for over 37 years. The switchboard was located at Chapman's Drug Store as well as upstairs at the RM Office for some time. Women were the main workforce apparently due to their polite and pleasant voices but a man , Wes Morris,  was hired for the night shift at one time.  Apparently in the 1930's, operators were paid $45 a month and they needed to work every day, including holidays. 

Long distance charges for the month of October 1952

The telephone system paid its way for many years but increasing costs in the late 1940's meant it needed support from a tax levy.  in 1952, Council asked the Manitoba Telephone System to take over the utility and it did so in 1954.  

Correspondence after being taken over by Manitoba Telephone System in 1954

Punch card bill from 1955.  Automation at its beginnings!

The punch card system was the first step to having a computer able to read your billing information when the bill was sent into Winnipeg with payment. 

The first local dial system came into use in 1955.  There is an interesting audio file here from the Manitoba Archives that teaches how to dial properly.  Go to the bottom of the page and click the arrow to play the file.  Avoid whipping your finger and forcing the dial back! 

 By 1969, the utility was burying wire and cable rather than running overhead lines.  In 1976, this area was able to direct dial long distance calls instead of going through an operator. The service building below stands near the north end of Main Street.  Home phone must make up only a small part of their business today.  All in 108 years. Does it make you wonder what will be next?