1 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

Rogers C. Morton, Secretary 

James L. Pate, Assistant Secretary 

for Economic Affairs 

BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

Vincent P. Barabba, Director 
----

TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS R 1-12 

Series R 1-12. Telephones and Average Daily Conversations (Bell and Independent Companies): 1876 to 1970 

[In thousands, except series R 2 and R 3. Census figures in italics] 

Telephones 1 Average daily conversations 

Total Independent companies Bell System' Independent companies 

Year Bell 

Households System 2 Connectmg Not 

Number Per 1,000 with Residence Business with Bell connecting Local Toll Local Toll 

population (percent) System with Bell eii:change exchange 

System 

4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 2 3 

33 ,081 99 ,903 20,315 356,400 22,500 102,000 4,300 120,218 583.4 90.5 87,137 1970_ - --- - - - - -- - 1969 ____________ 115 ,222 565.2 89.8 83 ,210 32 ,012 95. 943 19,279 337 ,900 20, 700 97 ,500 4,100 

1968 __ -- - - - - - -- - 109 ,256 541.5 88.5 79 ,029 30 ,227 91,122 18 ,134 311,800 18 ,400 92 ,800 3,900 1967 ____________ 28. 789 86 ,776 16 ,976 298 ,600 16 '700 87 ,100 3,600 103,752 519.3 87 .1 74,963 1966 ____________ 499.6 86.3 71,481 27 ,308 82,813 15,976 288,000 15 ,400 82 ,800 3,300 98 '787 

1965 __ --- ------ - 93 ,656 479.0 84.6 67 ,729 25 ,927 78 ,632 15 ,024 273 ,400 14,000 77 ,400 3,000 1964 ____________ 24,669 74 ,659 14 ,134 256,500 12,800 73 ,200 2,700 88 ,793 459.5 82.8 64,124 1963 ____________ 84 ,453 442.9 81.4 60 ,876 23 ,577 71,152 13 ,301 246 ,282 11, 784 68 ,400 2,400 1962 ____________ 80,969 430.7 80.2 58,289 22 ,680 68 ,393 12 ,576 237 ,942 11, 164 65, 158 2,242 

1961_ ___________ 21,685 65,507 11,915 222,320 10 ,539 62 ,177 2,074 77 ,422 418.0 78.9 55, 737 

1960 ____________ 74 ,342 407 .8 78.3 53 ,537 20 ,805 62,989 11,353 (Z) 215 ,317 10 ,068 58, 005 1,996 1959 ____________ * 70 ,820 * 394 .8 78.0 (NA) (NA) 60 ,110 10 '710 * (Z) 204,491 9,549 * 53 ,525 * 1,785 1958 ____________ 379.3 76.4 47 ,831 18 ,814 56, 759 9,886 (Z) 193,627 8,834 48 ,192 1,645 66,645 

63 ,624 368.2 75.5 45,433 18, 191 54 ,241 9,380 3 185,304 8,490 44,174 1,602 1957 _ ---- -- -- -- - 1956 ____________ 17 ,358 51,344 8,843 3 175,848 8,015 41,863 1,518 60 ,190 354.5 73.8 42 ,832 

337.2 71.5 39 ,854 16 ,389 48,028 8,212 3 166 ,438 7,420 37, 722 1,430 1955_ - --- - - -- -- - 56 ,243 1954 ____________ 3 157 ,423 6,799 35,946 1,380 52 ,806 322.1 69.6 37 ,272 15 ,534 45,039 7 ,764 1953 ____________ 50 ,373 312.7 68.0 35,411 14 ,962 43 ,010 7,359 4 151,667 6,552 34,645 1,365 1952 ____________ 48,056 303.3 66.0 33 ,667 14 ,389 41,014 7 ,038 4 147 ,400 6,358 27 ,292 73 1951_ ___________ 45,636 292.9 64.0 31,939 13 ,697 38,943 6 ,685 8 143,235 6,230 26 ,384 74 

138 ,881 25 ,539 85 1950_ - - - - - - - - - - - 43 ,004 280.9 61.8 30 ,077 12 ,927 36 ,795 6 ,200 9 6,118 

1949_ - - - - - - - - - - - 40,709 270.4 60.2 28,327 12 ,382 34,175 6,524 10 130,403 6,125 23 ,961 102 1948 ____________ 11,891 32 ,698 5 ,495 12 123 ,481 6,065 22,520 90 38,205 258.1 58.2 26 ,314 

34,867 239.7 54.9 23,708 11,159 29 ,773 5 ,081 13 113 ,075 5,908 20 ,353 86 194 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - 31,611 221.3 51.4 21,239 10 ,372 26 ,900 4 ,697 14 103 ,827 5,544 18 ,645 82 1946_ ---- -- - - ·- - 1945 ____________ 9,458 23 ,547 4 ,306 14 89,362 4,852 17,667 99 27,867 198.1 46.2 18 ,409 1944 ____________ 26,859 192.9 45.1 17, 791 9,068 22 ,653 4,190 16 84' 618 4,377 17 ,227 107 

4 ,014 66 85,000 4,046 17, 138 93 1943_ - - - - - - - - -- - 26 ,381 191.6 45.0 17' 706 8,675 22 ,301 

16,619 8,300 21,000 3,853 66 86 ,314 3,544 17 ,141 68 1942_ --- - --- - - - - 24,919 183.4 42.2 3,222 16 ,659 69 194L---- ____ ·-- 23,521 175.3 39.3 15,453 8,068 19 ,742 3 ,709 70 84 ,360 

1940 _ - - - - - - - - - - - 21, 928 165.1 36.9 14,271 7,657 18 ,311 3 ,550 67 79' 515 2,852 16 ,110 306 

74,020 2,705 15,292 294 1939_ - -- --- -- . -- 20,831 158.3 35.6 13,446 7,385 17,329 3 ,435 67 1938 ____________ 3,349 68 70,070 2,596 14,739 283 19, 953 153 .0 34.6 12,727 7,226 16 ,536 

15,932 1997 - - - - - - - - - . - - 19,453 150.0 ----------- ----------- -----1:112· -----3:288" --------68- ----6s:saii- -----2;682- ----14:678- -------287" 19 ,453 150.4 34.3 12 ,341 16 ,097 1937 - - - - - - - - - . - - 15 ,192 3,170 71 64,960 2,589 14 ,124 281 1936_ - - - - - - - - . - - 18 ,433 143.5 33.1 11,654 6,779 

11,003 6,421 14,280 3,073 71 58 ,809 2,276 14,631 284 1935 __ - - - - - - -- - - 17,424 136.4 31.8 16,869 133.0 31.4 10 ,683 6,186 13 ,805 2,992 72 56 ,648 2,142 14,332 278 1934_ --- - - - - -- - - 6,153 13 ,501 3,051 76 55,199 2,047 14,481 273 1933_ - - - - - - - - - - - 16,628 132.0 31.3 10 ,475 

1992 ___ - - - - - - - - - 17,424 139.0 19 '793 ----------- ---·-a;245· --------84- ----59;313· -----2:251" ----15;537· -------299- ----ii;iii:X -----6;287- 1932. --- - - - - -- - - 17,341 138.5 33.5 14,011 1931_ ___________ 15 ,692 3,816 94 62 .205 2,700 17 ,245 350 19,602 157 .5 39.2 12 '754 6,848 

103 62,365 2,933 17,860 362 

1929 ____________ 15 ,838 4,022 110 61,034 3,139 18,107 370 1930_ - - - - - - - - - - - 20,103 162.6 40.9 13' 153 6,950 15,983 4,017 

19,970 163.1 41.6 13'135 6,835 12 ,645 6,611 14,955 4,157 144 56 ,196 2,839 17 ,895 370 1928_ --- - - - - --- - 19,256 158.9 40.8 19,726 1927------------ 18,5'23 155.0 ----------- ----------- -----6;36ii- -----4:133· -------153· ----52;581" -----2:615- ----1s:100- -------31;9- 14 ,155 1927 - -- - - ----- -- 18 ,446 153 .9 39. 7 12 ,086 1926 ____________ 2,375 18,453 372 17 ,680 149.5 39 .2 11,689 5,991 13 ,402 4,106 172 49,980 1925 ____________ 216 46 ,702 2,098 18 ,148 352 16 ,875 144.6 38 .7 11,270 5,605 12 ,622 4,037 

5,242 11,857 3,908 250 43,981 1,835 18,260 324 1924------------ 16,015 139.2 37.8 10, 773 41,109 1,683 18 ,516 322 1923_ - - - - - - - - - - - 15,316 135.4 37.3 10 ,345 4,971 10 ,857 4,090 369 

9,515 192fZ_ - - - - - - - -- - - 14,347 190.0 ----------- ----- -- ---- -----4;652- -----3;912· -------432· ----35;831" -----1:523- · ---is ;329- -------317" 1922 ____________ 14,294 128.7 35.6 9,642 9,950 

35.3 9,342 4,475 9,328 3,994 495 33 ,671 1,356 18,447 281 1921_ ___ -- - . ---- 13,817 126.4 

4,252 8,736 3,810 727 31,836 1,327 18 ,371 280 1920 ____ - ----- -- 13 ,273 123.4 35.0 9,021 7.739 4,057 873 29,286 1,167 18,158 276 1919. --- - - - - --- - 12 ,669 119.7 ----------- ----------- ----------- 7,202 3,864 1,012 30 ,001 1,067 18 '753 285 1918_ --- - - - - - - - - 12 ,078 115.2 ----------- ----------- ----------- 1917 ____________ 7 ,927 s ,165 11 . 717 112.0 ----------- ----------- ----------- -----1;225· ----30;845- -----1:009- ----19;735· -------302· 112.7 7,032 3,458 1917 - --- - - - - ---- 11,717 ----------- ----------- ----------- 6,545 3,348 1,348 28,530 890 19 ,856 302 1916_ - -- - - - - - - - - 11,241 109.5 ----------- ----------- ----------- 282 5,968 3,204 1,351 25 ,184 819 18 ,535 1915. --- - - --- - - - 10,524 103.9 ----------- ----------- ----- ------ 1914 ____________ 5,585 3,074 1,388 22 ,775 799 17 ,198 262 10,046 100.6 ----------- ----------- ----------- 5,255 2,878 1,409 22 ,255 806 17,640 272 1913_ - - - - --- - - -- 9,543 97 .2 ----------- ----------- ----------- 5,087 2,969 1912_ - -- - - - - - - -- 8 ,790 92 .o ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----2us2· -------733· ----1s:o64- -------271; 90.7 4,804 2,496 1,430 1912_ - - - - - - - - - -- 8, 730 ----------- ----------- ----------- 4,352 2,281 1,716 19, 773 645 17 ,466 266 1911------------ 8,349 88.3 ----------- ----------- ----------- 1910 ____________ 3,933 1,950 1,753 18 ,256 602 17 ,043 260 7,635 82.0 ----------- ----------- ----------- 3,522 1,621 1,853 16, 777 517 16,213 247 1909_ - ----- - - - - - 6,996 76.5 ----------- ----------- ----------- 3,176 1,188 2,119 15 ,576 463 15, 717 239 1908_ - - - - ---- - - - 6,484 72 .4 ----------- ----------- ----------- 1907 _______ -- - - - 6 ,119 70.0 ----------- ----------- ----------- 3,132 ----------- -----2;280- ----15:266- -------494- ----13;314· -------210- 1907 - - - - - - - - - - - - 6,119 69 .6 ----------- ----------- ----------- 3,013 826 2,774 297 1,862 13 ,875 461 11,430 175 1906. --- - - - - - - - - 4,933 57 .2 ----------- ----------- ----------- 2,285 246 1,596 11,404 368 9, 756 148 1905_ - - - - - - - - - - - 4,127 48.8 ----------- ----------- ----------- 1,838 167 1,348 9 ,388 301 7,884 120 1904_ --- - - - ----- 3,353 40 .4 ----------- ----------- ----------- 258 6,903 105 1,564 121 1,124 8,316 1903_ - - ---- -- - - - 2,809 34.5 ----------- ----------- ----------- 1902_ - - - - --- - - - - 2,971 30.0 ----------- ----------- ----------- 1,317 --------34· -------976- -----·7;85ii- -------240· -----n45- --------94- 1,317 1902. - - - ------ - - 2,371 29.7 ----------- ----------- ----------- 1,061 48 692 6,342 187 4,468 68 1901------------ 1,801 23.0 ----------- ----------- ----------- 836 20 500 4,773 149 2,916 44 1900 __ --- ------- 1,356 17 .6 ----------- ----------- ----------- 667 10 328 5 ,174 133 ----------- ----------- 1899. - - --- - -- - - - 1,005 13 .3 ----------- ----------- -----------

See footnotes at end of table. 

783 
_________________ _ 

R 1-16 COMMUNICATIONS 

Series R 1-12. Telephones and Average Daily Conversations (Bell and Independent Companies): 1876 to 1970-Con. 

[In thousands, except series R 2 and R 3. Census figures in italics) 

Telephones 1 Average daily conversations 

Total Independent Bell System' Independent companies 

companies 1------.-------1------.-----­ Year Bell not 

Number Per 1,000 population System' connecting 

with Bell 

System 

Local 

exchange Toll 

Local 

exchange Toll 

1 2 6 8 9 10 11 12 

1898_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 681 9.2 496 185 3,823 95 -------------- -------------- 1897 - - - --- - ---- ---- ------- - ---- - ---- - - 515 7.1 415 100 3 ,099 75 

1896- - - --------- - -- ----- -------------- 404 5.7 354 50 2,630 63 ----------110- ------------a- 1895_ - - - - - - ----- - - - - - - - - ----- --- ------ 340 4.8 310 30 2,351 51 

1894_ - - - - ----- - --- - - - ------ - - -- - - - --- - 285 4.1 270 15 2,088 38 

1893_ - - - - - - --- - ------------- - - --- - - --- 266 3.9 266 1,872 34 

1892_ - - -- ------- - ----- - - - - - - ------- - - - 261 3.9 261 1,868 41 

1891- - - - - - - - - - - - - --- - --- - - - - - - - - -- - - -- 239 3.7 239 1,585 34 

1890_ 294 3.7 - - -- ---- - - -- -- ------------------- ----------223- :::::::::::::: --------i~438- -----------10- :::::::::::::: :::::::::::::: 1890_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 228 3.6 

1889_ - - ---- - - - - -- --- - - ----- - - - - - - - - - - - 212 3.4 212 -------------- 1,240 8 -------------- -------------- 1888_ 195 3.2 - - - - --- --- - ----- - - - - - ---------- - - 195 -------------- 1,052 7 -------------- -------------- 1887 - - - - - - - --- - --------- - ---- ------- - - 181 -------------- 1,012 7 -------------- -------------- 181 3.0 

1886_ - - - - ----- - - - - - - - - --- - ----- - --- --- 167 2.9 167 -------------- 856 7 -------------- -------------- 1885_ 156 2.7 - - - - - - - - ----- ------- - ------ --- - - - 156 -------------- 747 7 -------------- -------------- 1884_ - - - --- - - -- --- -- ----- - - - - - - - - ----- 148 2.6 148 -------------- 698 8 -------------- -------------- 1883_ - - --- - - - - - ------- --- - - - - ------- - - 124 -------------- 590 5 -------------- -------------- 124 2.3 

1882_ - - ------ - ------- - - --- ------------ 98 -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- 98 1.8 

1881- - - - - --- - --- ----- - ----- - - - --- --- -- 71 1.4 71 -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

1880_ - - - - -- - - - - -- - ---------- ----- - - -- - 54 1.1 

1880_ - - ----- - - - - - --- ----- - --- - - - - --- -- 48 .9 48 -------------- 237 2 -------------- -------------- 1879_ - - --- - - - -- - - - -- - - -------- - - - - - --- 31 .6 31 

1878_ - - --- - - - - - - - - - - ---- ----- ------- -- 26 .6 26 

1877 - - - --- - - - - - - - ----------- - - - --- - --- 9 .2 9 

1876_ - - --- - - - - - - - - - - ----- - - - - - - - - ---- - 3 .1 3 

* Denotes first year for which figures include Alaska and Hawaii. 1 Beginning 1920, excludes private line telephones and "Bell" figures derived through - Represents zero. NA Not available. totaling data for the Bell Systems, the Southern New England Telephone Company, Z Less than 500. the Cincinnati Bell Inc., and Bell service telephones. •Bell System has no operations in Alaska and Hawaii. 

Series R 13-16. Telephone Toll Rates Between New York City and Selected Cities: 1902 to 1970 

[Rate for station-to-station, daytime, 3-minute call] 

Between New York City and- Between New York City andEffective Effective date Philadelphia Chicago Denver San Francisco date Philadelphia I Chicago Denver San Francisco 

13 15 16 13 14 15 16 

1970, Feb _________________ _ $0.50 $1.05 $1.25 $1.35 1936, Sept_ ________________ 1968, Aug _________________ _ 1930, Jan __________________ $0.50 $2.50 $5.25 $7.50 .50 1.30 1.55 1.70 1967, Dec _________________ _ .50 3.00 6.00 9.00 

.50 1.40 1.60 1.75 1929, Feb _________________ 1965, Dec _________________ _ .60 3.00 6.00 9.00 1927, Dec _________________ .50 1.40 1.70 2.00 9.00 .60 3.25 6.00 

1959, 1960, Sept Feb------------------ _________________ _ .50 1.45 1.80 2.25 1926, Oct __________________ .60 3.40 7 .25 11.30 

.50 1.45 1.95 2.25 1919, Jan __________________ .55 4.65 10.40 16.50 

1952, 1946, Feb Mar------------------ .50 1.50 2.20 2.50 1917, June _________________ 1 .75 '5.00 11.25 18.50 .45 1.55 1917, Mar _________________ 1945, July _________________ _ 2.20 2.50 (NA) (NA) 11.25 19.80 .45 1.75 2.35 2.50 1915, Jan __________________ 1941, July _________________ _ (NA) (NA) 11.25 20.70 

1940, May ________________ _ .45 1.75 3.25 4.00 191L ___ ----------- ___ ---- (NA) (NA) 11.25 ------------ 1937,Jan _________________ _ 1902 ·--------------------- .55 5.45 ------------ ------------ .45 1.90 3.25 4.00 

.45 2.20 4.50 6.50 

NA Not available. 2 Toll rates were $0.006 per mile for all mileages. ' Rates in effect immediately prior to Jan. 21, 1919, according to an item in the New 

York Times for Jan. 23, 1919. 

784