Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-24
STORY OF THE TELEPHONE
Its Beginnings in Burlington
Told by DR.. w. s. Vincent.
Letter from Him Read at Talk to EN-.
ployes By Publicity Man nc Hotel
Vermont Roof Garden-Last
Years Gain 341.

England IelepnOne ana Telegrapn
company. talked to the employees of the
local exchange about Telling the Pub
lie" The purpose Of this talk was to
inform the employees concerning the
efforts now being made by the COM
pany in developing better UNDER
standing between them and the tele-
phone-using public.
One thing about the opportunity
and manner of telling the people about
the service must be carefully Defined"
said Mr. hamburg. You must not
think that there is any advertising in
these lectures. for we are not adver-
Using telephone service nor toll serv-
ice. nor any kind Of equipment at all.
The story which we are telling In our
lectures Is full Of simple and UNDER
standable descriptions of the telephone
plant and the equipment of the GEN.
trail Offices. and the wonderfully intri-
cate construction Of underground ca
bles and overhead circuits"
DR.. w. g. Vincent, who was to have
been present to tell the employees about
the first telephone system in Burling-
ton. established by himself and Alvaro
Adsit. in 1873. was confined to his home
on account Of illness. Manager Rus
sell read a very interesting account Of
the beginning Of the telephone business
cent. Mr.. Russell referred to DR.. Vim
cent as the pioneer telephone man Of
Vermont, and attributed the present high
telephone development in Burlington.
In the number of telephones to popu
lation. to the early start this city had
in the telephone business. under the
able management of DR.. Vincent and
Mr.. Adsit. Burlington was one Of the
first cities in the country to have
telephone exchange, and the first city
in the three northern New England
States to have telephone communica-
ton, which was between the City Drug
store and the Central Drug store. with
telephones made by DIR. Vincent from
descriptive drawings of the Bell pa
tents, and used for the first time in
June, 1877. just a year after DR.. Bell
exhibited his telephone at the Centen-
NAL Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876.
Mr.. Russell stated tnat the net gain
in telephones in the eventful year just
closed. was 341. which was the great
est gain since 1910 Even after de-
Quoting 124 telephones installed In the
New Sherwood, the net gain for the
year. was within four stations of the
best year since 1910. and this in spite
of the fact that no canvassing was
done. and for six weeks last summer
|
nitely postponed. to conserve material
and supplies. Nearly all other cities
| in the State showed a decrease in sta
tion gain over previous years. There
| fore, it must be deducted that the gen.
| eral business in Burlington held up
very we'll during 1917. as nothing is
more indicative Of the trend of BUSH
ness, in any city. than the loss or gain
in its telephone subscribers.
DIR. vincent's letter, read by Manager
Russell follows.
THE BEGINNING OF THE TELE-
PHONE BUSINESS IN BURLINGTON.
The first telephone that made it's APP
pearance in Burlington. and I may say
| in Vermont. was made by me In June.
| 1877, from descriptive drawings In some
magazine. The first telephone line con-
structed in this city was between my
store. at 81 Church street, and the drug
store, corner Of Church and College
streets, known as the Central Drug store.
Sometime in the summer Of 1871 Mr..
Bradley. son of Judge Bradley Of Bos-
ton. came to Burlington for the pur-
pose Of securing some one to take the
agency of the Bell telephone. Hearing
of my baby line, he called on me. ex-
planning his mission. told him would
assist him in securing someone to take
up that work. We visited several people
whom l thought qualified to serve him in
this undertaking. but in every instance
they declined. saying 'it was simply a
toy" After returning to my office he
quietly opened his grip taking therefrom
some thousand feet ,of copper Office wire,
two hand telephones and some papers
then commenced writing. In a short
time. he called me saying: "St down
and sign these papers. which, upon eX-
-
tween the Bell Telephone Co. and myself.
giving me the agency for the rental of
telephones in Vermont. After signing,
he turned over to me the two hand
telephones and coil of wire: picked up
his papers and left me. l never saw him
afterwards. ! replaced my own made
telephones with the Bell. For the first
year the only use made Of the telephone
was between residences of business men
and their offices.
In the early summer of 1878, when on
my way to the railroad station. met Mr.
Alvaro Adsit at the corner OF College
and Pine streets. During our converse
ton. the subject OF the telephone came
up. and he appeared very enthusiastic
We finally sat down upon the terrace
satisfied that had the man capable OF
taking up the construction Of a tele.
phone exchange He was given half.
interest In the undertaking.: no co-part.
nership papers were signed.
l well remember my first trip to Bos.
ton to consult Mr.. Theodore n. Vail
then manager Of the Bell Telephone Co
interests. In his office was a switch.
board. some one yard wide. with ten o,
more connecting wires. At this time a
contract was made which authorized II,
to construct a telephone exchange in Bur.
lington. using the Bell patents. We a,
once purchased the necessary wire and
other supplies and work was commenced
Immediately with energy under the super.
vision of Mr.. Adsit. who took general
charge Of construction.
In canvassing for business, residential
service was first taken up; then telegraph
freight and ticket Offices; then attention
was turned to places of business, taking
only one Of the following: dry goods,
grocery, livery, lawyer. physician, dentist
shoes and millinery, We then advertised
the subscribers In the Daily Free Press
1t required but a short time for Others
IN ike business to get In line, and the
rush for telephones exceeded our ex.
pectations.
Our switchboard. which we considered
ample for some years, was soon filled &c
It's limits. and new one was invented by
Mr.. Adsit. which In n short time was found
insufficient, and this was sold to a tele.
phone company In Baltimore, Md.
Our central office was on the second foo,
OF the City drug store. The wires wer.
carried to the roof and there supported b,