Maury County TN Archives History - Books .....Communications 1906 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 23, 2005, 12:44 am Book Title: Century Review W. U. Telegraph. Prof. Morse patented the magnetic telegraph in 1839; but the first practical working line was opened May 27, '44. H. B. Titcomb was sent to Columbia in 49 by the O'Reilley line. The Western Union was formed in 56 by, the consolidation of the three companies then doing business in the U. S. It now has about 12,000 regular offices, and as many more railway offices handle business for this company. Nearly 60,000,000 messages are annually transmitted by the operators of the above 24,000 offices. E. Yoest came to Columbia as a railroad operator, 1870, and, when an uptown office was established two years later, was put in charge. The office is at 29 West Seventh, from whence 17 wires connect with principal cities of the U. S. Citizens' Telephone Co. Thirty years ago the telephone was unknown, but in 1904 "Hello, Central!" was called over five billions of times. More than two million 'phones are in use in the U. S., and 'fifty times as many 'phone messages are sent as there are telegrams. The Citizens' Telephone Co. was organized Apr., 1897, with a view of giving reasonable rates, on a cooperative basis, and numbers many leading citizens of Maury Co. among its shareholders. Exchanges are maintained at Columbia and Mt. Pleasant, and by making competing rates this company has widely extended the usefulness of the telephone here. The paid-in capital is $25,000; 800 miles of wire have been strung; and 600 'phones are in use. The office is at Rooms 18-20 Masonic Building. Geo. W. Killebrew, an extensive phosphate dealer of Mt. Pleasant, is president; Dr. Otey J. Porter, Health Officer of Columbia, is superintendent and secretary; G. M. Edwards, manager of the lines. Fifteen persons are on the pay rolls. Cumberland Telephone Co. E. Yoest and W. J. Andrews, under contract with above company, opened the first telephone line in Maury Co., Feb., 1883. The Bell has long-distance connections throughout the States. Exchanges are maintained at Columbia, Mt. Pleasant, Culleoka, and Spring Hill. Fred. Latta, a native Columbian, educated in the city schools, has charge of the 650 'phones of this line in Maury County. Additional Comments: From: CENTURY REVIEW 1805 - 1905 MAURY COUNTY, TENNESSEE A Condensation of the Most Important Events of the Past One Hundred Years, and Descriptive Sketches of the Cities and Villages File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/maury/history/1906/centuryr/communic21gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/tnfiles/ File size: 3.0 Kb