July 24, 1909 - Home Telephone

100 Years Ago: From The Rensselaer Eagle [NY 41 Rensselaer 93-32173].

NEW TELEPHONE SERVICE WILL BE READY NEXT MONTH

FIRST OF THE PHONES WILL BE WORKING BY THAT TIME

Work on the Submarine Cable Will Soon be Started - - Rensselaer to Have a Directory

The first of the new telephones to be installed by the Rensselaer Home Telephone Company will be working by the middle of August it is expected, and all the 'phones will be doing business by the first of September. Good progress has been made with the work and although much remains to be done, yet an official of the company stated yesterday that in his opinion the first service would by ready by next month.

TO HAVE A DIRECTORY

It will be gratifying to Rensselaerites to know that they are to be recognized in the telephone world, for as soon as the new lines are ready, a Rensselaer directory will be issued.

There will be no central office in the city, but the lines will be carried through a submarine cable to a part of the company's big switchboard in Albany and there the connections will be made. This will provide an instantaneous service which will certainly be appreciated.
...
SOME FINE POLES

The poles are now all set but with a few exceptions and the work of laying the cables on these poles is coming along nicely. But little wire will be seen as there will be little of it, the wires being carried in the cables that reach from pole to pole. The company proposes to make its poles an ornament for they will be provided with iron steps and later on will be painted. This will make other poles look shabby in comparison.
...

The American Telephone Journal, 07/25/1903, COMEDIAN ADVERTISES TELEPHONICALLY

An enterprising comedian recently appeared at short notice in Onondaga a small town in Michigan where there was no newspaper to announce him. He had the operator at the telephone exchange call up every telephone subscriber and played to a crowded house.