The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-11-03
Oregon's Early.Day Tele.
phone.


EDITORS SENTrNEL:--1 was much
interested In reading In a recent issue
Of THE SENTINEL an account OF the
great growth and development of Ore.
CONS local telephone system. The re.
cital reminded me forclbly Of the days
when Oregon had no telephone
Of the const ruction OF the first line.
II may not be remembered by all Of
your family OF readers that the pro.
motors and builders Of this pioneer
trunk line, which consisted Of a single
slender wire extending from the north
side OF Nodaway street-just opposite
the court house to Forest City, were
Dr. John T. Thatcher, former Mayor
William II. Hoffman, and yours tru.
~. The master minds of this trio Of
promoters produced the entire CAPT.
tai required, drawing upon their pr.
vate fortunes In the construction and
equipment Of the system. To Joshua
Smith--"One.Armed Smith," he was
called In those days-was given the
contract for Telling the oak poles re.
quired to cover the dist ance. Smith
also dug the holes and set the poles.
"Bunkum" and Ed Foster we're the
linemen. while DR.. Thatcher and my.
self were busy April |, 1887, climbing
the poles and fastening the wires to
the insulators or bossing the job. II
! remember correctly. Hoffman, es.
capped any of the real work. Tie first
commercial message sent over the
line was one presented for transmits.
sion by Thomas II. Parrish, who had
come up from 1t. Joe as attorney for
the burlington road and was interest.
ed In some litigation then In progress,
circuit court being In session when
the line was completed and ready for
business.
AS ! am writing this. the racing
automobiles are flying by my door.
practicing for the great road race
meet to be held here at dawn of
Thanksgiving day. I have built a
bungalow beneath the eucalyptus Trees
on the mesa overlooking the sea and
from my porch can see the cars prac.
ticing. One Of the flyers has Just
completed turn around the course
at a speed Of ninety.ive miles an
hour. Speaking Of horseless carriages
reminds me Of the day when there
was not even bicycle In Oregon.
received the first one that was
brought into town. II was an old
star with the smaller Of the
wheels In front. locomotion being
produced by the downward stroke Of
the pedal, which operated q belt
around the axle Of the rear wheel.
The first time I rode Il down town
Prof. kieff attempted to ride tandem
with me and there was terrible spill
Of man, boy and wheel. About the
same time John Zachman had y wheel
shipped In, and II am not mistaken
II was a Columbia, with the high
front wheel and tiny rear wheel.
This was before the days Of "safe.
'tes anu pucuudttC 'tTeS'
Very truly yours,
CLARE Is. IRVINE.
Santa Monica, Cal, Oct. 81, 1911.
Clare Irvine, who sends us this In.
teresting bit OF history, Is an Oregon
boy, the youngest son Of Mrs. Ann X.
Irvine, OF this city. He was educated
In our school here, and began his
newspaper career with his father,
Clark Irvine, OF the old Holt County
Press, and In 1855 Clare was the own
or OF the Press, and In 1887 he sold to
a temperance syndicate, who obliter-
ated the name OF The Press, and
named the publication "The Advo.
cate" Clare Is still In the newspaper
business, but way out on the golden
slope. lie Is prospecting and we are
ulad nf n l'rha EdS