The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-02-04
Early and Present
Telephone Service

That Freehold is to have not only q
new telephone central Office, but is to
become one of the Telephone Com
pany's toll centers, has already been
announced. Both these projects are
nearing realization and the necessary
changes will be completed on Febru-
airy 9th according to the latest an
nouncement from the Office of ]. Ct.
Webster, Local Commercial Manager
of the New York Telephone Company
The opening Of the new Freehold.
central office indicates the remarkable
growth of this community as a business
and residential center. AS disclosed by
the records in Mr.. Webster's office it
was only thirty years ago that Freehold
boosted one telephone, and that, pay
station in Duryea u COnover's drug
store on Main Street.
Shortly after the pay station was
placed at Conover q Duryee's drug
store another pay station was established
in the office of The MONMOUTH IN
QUIRER, which was at that time To-
Gated in the rear of the Post Office, from
which place on West Main street, the
post Office was recently removed.
It was about that same time that the
l4OuR OiSbduC6 4Gl6DllOuO AtycA1AJ VI
New York set up test station in Free
hold for its New York to Philadelphia
long distance service. The Company
took over two-family house on Mar
CIV and Parker Streets for the installation
Of its test board. The board was in
stalled in one corner Of the house and
emit listed to the care of Mrs. John r.
Grayatt. who was allowed the free rem
4oI 1f EHo md on pVtra
alton for the performance of her duties
as test operator. These duties were to
test the line every morning at 6. A. nj.
and every night at II p. M. and during
the day to stand by and report any emer
gency or line trouble that might arise.
Mrs Gravatt is still living in Freehold,
at 40 Hudson street.
A short time later iodine SWITCH
board, the first in Freehold, was In
stalled on the premises and another
operator, Mrs. May Rowland, now de-
ceased, was hired to assist in handling
the traffic. At this period many peo-
pie were being persuaded to subscribe to
telephone service both in their homes
or place of business and in 1906 with
four hundred subscribers on record,
the New York Telephone Company was
ODli&Gu w SUN AN
quate space was found at 30 Il. Nam
Street where the Office is still located.
Today, with the demands for service
daily in this thriving community, the
list of subscribers has reached twelve
hundred, three times thenumber TWEEN
ty years ago. To provide space for adj
ditional facilities to meet the increasing
need of the community the company is
moving into new Office at IS Court
street. 1t will occupy the second tioor
of the new Post Office Building and Will
have large switchboard room, ter
minal and battery room as well as
specious operators locker and rest
rooms. There will also be q Kitchen
and dining room where employees VIII
be furnished meals at cost.
Freehold, as a toll center, will handle
all its own long distance calls and those
from the surrounding territory. 1t
will serve large part of the area now
handled by Asbury Park including
lakewood. Lakehurst, Toms River,
Farmingdale, Island Heights, White
Oaks pheasant Plains and Silverton)
and Englishtown.
The new plans as announced call for a
change from the magnetic tyue switch
will now be able to call the operator by
simply lifting the receiver from the
hook instead of having to turn the
crank. Seven Hundred lines will be
cut into services on its new board to
provide for five hundred four lines
now used to serve the twelve hundred
subscribers and to allow for future
growth. The ultimate capacity OF the
new board is eleven hundred ninety
two lines.
The program of the Telephone Com
pany provides not only for the present
needs of the Freehold district, but
looks forward to the immediate and dis
tant future in accordance with its
constant effort to maintain a high
standard Of efficiency in its service to
the public,