Oskaloosa Telephone Exchange

From the Oskaloosa Independent, July 7, 1899

To the Public

We wish to announce that we have the telephone exchange in running order and will be ready by the 12^th to put in telephones for any who want them.

Telephone switchboard in Old Jefferson Town, Oskaloosa, Kansas.

In getting up the exchange we have tried to get the best of material and have put it up in the very best possible manner in order that perfect service may be given. The telephones that have been adopted are the long distance pattern, equipped with very loud ringers, and will talk through any distance. In using them locally care must be taken not to speak too loud, and thus avoid all “cross talk” (by “cross talk” is meant the talk that is heard on other wires when some person using the ’phone is talking too loud). Each telephone has a separate wire running to the switchboard, so when two parties are talking they have a private wire running from one instrument to the other.

The exchange now numbers fifty-seven and is large enough so those having ’phones can talk with a large number of their friends, and can order meat, groceries and dry goods, and have them delivered immediately. They can call a hack, or enquire about freight and trains at the depot. They can call their physician to their home, or talk with their attorney or banker, and in fact transact almost any business with the utmost secrecy and dispatch without leaving their home.

While we have solicited some there are a great many who haven’t been asked to take a telephone, as we stopped soliciting and began active work on the exchange when we had a sufficient number of ’phones taken to assure success, thinking we could best show the advantage and use of a telephone by having the exchange in operation.

So we take this occasion to invite every one to come and see our switchboard and exchange in operation, and we would be pleased to talk with any who are interested about putting in a ’phone.

From the Winchester Star, October 21, 1910

The rates, we think, are very low. They are much cheaper than the rates charged in surrounding towns, and are as follows: Residence or office $1.00 per month; Business ’phones $2.00 per month; where one person takes two ’phones, one for business and one for residence, the rate for both is $2.50 per month; when a ’phone is not in use for one month or more no charge will be made for time the telephone was not being used.

— Clarke & Buck

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 2001.