The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-04-17
Local Citizen Originated Inde-
pendent Telephone Sys-
tens Of the Country.
ORGANIZED THE FIRST
Independent Telephone Asso-
citation in the United States.
Some Interesting History.

In connection with the approaching
big state convention OF the independ-
ent telephone association to be held
at Fairmont, Charles L. Hickman, OF
this city, in a brief Interview stated
this morning to the Telegram That
he conceived the idea OF an independ-
eht telephone company and with Col
T. Moore Jackson, who co-operated
with him heartily. the first independ-
ent telephone company and system
in this tate. was organized in 1884
by him with Col. jackson president
and Mr.. Hickman general manager
and secretary. Two or three years
later the service was closed by the
Bell Telephone company Then after
the lapse of few years Mr.. Hick-
man, Dr. Morgan, John Koblegard
and others organized the present
company here and the system which
has developed to its present great
ness.
Mr.. Hickman was also the origin
ator OF the first meeting of the inde-
pendent companies. out of which
grew the West Virginia Central
Telephone association. He produced
in proof of this claim pressed letter
copies OF the first letters eyer written
on the subject, the following being
one of them:
eJune 10. 1896.
"Mr. E. F. Hartley. Sec,
"Fairmont, w. Va,
Dear Sir:
Your favor of the 18th inst. to
hand and in reply would say that we
have but one and oneI-half miles of
line to build to meet you at Enter
prise, and will be at that place any
time you say you viii be there with
your line. In this connection I beg
to state the following, and hope you
win Bring the matter. before your
company at once. and let us hear
from you on the subject, viz:
I'm view OF the fact that the Bell
Telephone Co.is a strong and powerful
corporation and Is using all means in
order to make inroads on all local tel
ephone companies, and knowing that
In the near future the above named
company will inaugurate some mode
of attack by which they will hope to
drive our local companies to the
wall, our directors have been consid-
erlng the propriety of consolidating
Falrmont, Grafton, Clarksburg and
the Beeghley systems into one connec-
tion or combination.
1T is generally thought that by
this arrangement we would be in a
much better shape to make a sue
cessful fight against the Bell.
''If an idea of this character meets
the appreciation of your company, we
would be pleased to have you name a
time and place. where representatives
Of each company Interested could
send committees to confer with each
other, with a view of making per-
manent arrangements. Mr.. Beeghley
south of US, and who has about 400
phones in use, is strongly in favor OF
the move, and suggests June % for
the date Of the meeting:
Please write me soon.
Respectfully.
&C. L. HICKMAN. Sec"
From this the movement grew until
today the Independent telephone sys-
TENS are strong factors in the trans
mission of messages in this state and
1t was the beginning OF the present
big Independent association.
Also out of the letter by Mr.. Hick-
man to Mr.. Hartley as pulished above
grew the first Independent telephone
association in the United States called
the West Virginia Central Telephone
association.
Mr.. Hickman is gratlled to realize
what wonderful development has re-
suited from his original thought and
effort along this line and heartily
congrtulates the West Virginia Inde-
pendent Telephone Association upon
its present greatness.