Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-06-20
WHAT HAS THE RURAL TELEPHONE
RECONNAISSANCE?

H11BHiE LAJllkUs
Papers read before the meeting Of the County
Board OF Agriculture at Middleton, june 8,
by w. II. Wolf and q. H. Hornerl.
BY Mr.. WOLF.
It was matter Of great surprise to me 70
find any name on the program to-day, and
the few remarks that will make will be
along general lines aud not as an official OF
The Peoples Rural Telephone Company
when we stop to consider that it would
require about ten days driving at an aver.
age Of thirty miles per day 70 cover all the
ground along the lines Of the Rural Tele-
phone Company, we have occasion to feel
proud Of ourselves and cur community from
the fact that as compared with other rural
communities where conditions are equal, We
surely lead in the line Of modern improves
ments.
The telephone development on our midst
is giving us the reputation, among our city
neiqhbors, Of being men and women who
farm on business principles If they real
ize this how much better ought we There
is no denying the fact that we are in bet
ter condition to transact business and at
tend to our various daily duties through
the medium of the telephone than we were
before we knew the advantageso of telephone
service.
In looking oyer the latest edition Of the
telephone directory, find that there are
81 communities in Gloucester and Salem
counties linked together by the lines of the
Rural Telephone, and about 800 subscrib-
els. We find the names Of our relatives,
friends, neighbors, and business houses Of
all classes there. Then again / look and
find that each morning can call the opera
tor and get correct weather forecasts far in
advance of the newspaper. In fact, we can
think of many, many ways in which we
have been and are beng benefited by the
telephone.
In the old days Of the watch dog we
Thought our houses were well protected,
but in the days Of prompt, reliable tele-
phone service, we are protected against
burglars and fire.
Individually feel that the value of our
farms has largely increased, for the quicker
we can get in touch with our markets the
better we can dispose Of our products. It is
easier to learn what is needed and where to
send il. don't believe there is farmer
here to-day who having become accustomed
to the use Of the telephone would care to
move on another Place where he could not
have the use Of the telephone and I am fully
convinced that these conditions would enter
largely into the sale Of real estate in many
instances have often thought that il the
old driving horse could talk how he would
thank the Rural Telephone Company when
he thinks Of the many long drives he has
been saved. How thankful are we as the
benehciaries OF this service? How much do
we appreciate what the hard work and wor-
ries Of the organizers and builders of this
telephone system has done for us? We has
no doubt all Of us at some time during the
past thought Of the enormity Of this enter
prise and thought Of the responsibility rest
ing on the shoulders CT those directly re-
sponsible for its building, but in what way
haye we thought Of it from the stand
point of the critic or as one who was will
;nsr n, mt his shar1der IN fha wheel and