The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1908-01-03
THE TELEPHONE AND THE Farm

AAtG AS1kGS SeVING HlVU AuG EjNNIM
THE present active Development OF tele.
phono lines throughout the. United States
brings to mind the fact that It 10 compara-
lively few years since the invention Of tile
telephone, which was fret publicly exhibited
" the Centennial Exposition In philadel.
phla, 1915. Since that time over 1000, 900
telephones have been put In service.
Alexander Bell, the inventor, formed a
company for exploiting tho device, which
was leased, not sold. to the users. The
general public Immediately realized the I'm.
mense advantage of the telephone and
soon every large city had It's exchange. Tie
Bell companies, however, did not cnro
TO develop the smaller towns, and the VII.
lage and rural communities were not con.
sldered Mt all. This was but natural, ms
In large towns, high rentals could he
charged, short lines need only be built, and
a small investment brought lnrge returns;
whereas, In the country, the lines were
longer and the subscribers fewer.
1t was not until the advent of the IN.
DEPENDENT telephone movement about
ten years ago. when local home owned
companies were formed to supply service
where the "Bcll" would not, that tclc-
phones were placed In reach Of the farmer,
this being rendered possible by tho fact
That the original "Bcll' patents Ind OK.
pired ana that numerous concerns had in.
vented improvements on the original idea.
thus placing In the hands Of the great
American public. better Telephone equip:
mcnt than 1t was possible to secure from
the monopoly. which did not sell, but only
rented It's products.
The INDEPENDENTS turned their Mt.
tentlon to the great mass Of undevclopcd
territory to be found I'm rural
ties, and soon lines sprang up In every
direction. In Iowa and In the great North
west, the farmers In various communities
have combined, and by each man buying
his own telephone and building the line,
which Is. after MI, II very simple process,
telephone service over an entire county or
state Is possible, aud the actual cost of
operating these systems amounts to ONLY n
few cents per month for each phone.
The advantages of having n telephone are
many. First. Is the advantage OF being
able to call II ncighbor I'm case of sickness,
hrc' danger from tramps or other sudden
calnmitics.
Second, como the social features. The
fact that appointments can he made or
social affairs discussed by the women folks
who are thus enabled to visit the ncighbors
and learn what Is taking place without n
tirrsomc drive over dark and muddy rolds
III there Is Il good musician In the ncigl,
borlood, the receiver Is taken down. the
ncighbors all listen mt their phones, and the
music can be heard In twenty different
homes many miles apart. thus enabling
many to enjoy what hitherto has only been
possible for Il few.
Third, Is the immense financial advantage
the farmer himself gains by being able ia
eau up the nearest town and find ont the
market price Of Il load OF corn. cotton, ctc..
before he brings same into town. 1t Is also
hnSGihln wit fbn 'tIN,L. 40 .i -
bank, or the hardware store i'm ease n
piece of machinery is broken, and duplicate
parts needed. or II is possible to call up tho
store and have them send something out by
f." icighbor who Is coming your way: In
other words, the telephone will monthly
save ten times what II costs to the farmer
The county merchant soon realized tln
his business Is more than doubled by the
icighhorhood phone line. People buy more
when II Is easy TO ask for. He cnn buy
cotton quickly or can notify his customers
OF somc special bargain. lie gets in touch
with his customers every day instead OF
once or twice Il week.
When the postoificc has n phone. thinl
how easy to call up and ask If there Is an,
mail, instead of having to drive in to find
out.
1t is certainly n protection to know thai
the telephone will call help in case of need
ana trhmps carefully avoid farmhouseS into
which they see the wires running. MS they
know that even though the men are away,
help Is In easy call. and they would have
no chance to commit Il crime and get away
undctcctcd, MS the whole county can bC
notified of their whereabouts.
Putting up the telephone line is n very
simple matter, the poles can easily be cut
near the route of the line. and are easily
J .,laccd In position. The wires should he
of n special grade sold for this purpose. or
binary fence wire Will not Ito. The telc
phone should be Of the best possible grade.
One concern, after ten years Of experience
developed a line of instruments known rs
"Famous Farmer Foncs." which are par
ticularly suited to this service, as the part,
arc few and their construction simple Thi.
concern also furnishes. upon request, com
plctc instructions telling how to put up tho
line and connect the telephones. and how
TO organize exchanges.
Not only Is the telephone of the creates
possible use to the individual, but 1t Is (;
money making proposition for two or tire,
~hustling men who will get together ant
work up the proposition in good terri
>orics.