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Telephone Bills!

Started by Sargeguy, September 20, 2014, 10:12:53 AM

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Sargeguy

Early Telephone bills are interesting because looking at them gives you some insight into how the early Bell System operated.  For instance some early bills can tell you what type of dial might be appropriate for a candlestick phone in your area.  Here is a sampling:


Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Sargeguy

#1
The Early Years




1881 Providence Telephone Company



1882 phone bill from the Long Island Telephone & Telegraph Co.



An 1884 phone bill from the Southern Massachusetts Telephone Co., four calls to Fall River $1.00



An 1884 New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. Bill from Keene, NH



1892 A.T. & T Long Distance bill from New Bedford to Providence.



An 1893 phone bill from the Southern Massachusetts Telephone Co., yearly rental of a receiver and transmitter, but no bell!



An 1898 N.E.T.&T. bill from Lewiston, ME
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Sargeguy

#2
The 1900s





1904 New England Telephone Bill


1905 New England Telephone Bill


1907 Southern Mass. Tel. Co. service contract for "Farmers Telephone Service" on Cape Cod
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Sargeguy

#3
1910s






1914 Providence Telephone Bill.  Note the phone #:  Y2467R



1919-A rather fancy example from Southern Bell
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Sargeguy

#4
The 1920s


1921. N.E.T. & T bill from New Bedford MA.  They were still using sailing vessels to hunt whales when this was sent.




1923 Denmark Telephone Company bill.  Note the lack of any phone number on the bill. Denmark was still a podunk town in central Maine the last time I visited.



Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

WesternElectricBen

I think it is interesting to use the inflation calculator (http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl) to see what people spent on their phone bill per month.


Ben

Sargeguy

Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Sargeguy

#7
1940s

It is interesting to note that some operating companies retained older designs on their letterhead long after new designs became available. 



The Westerly Automatic Electric Telephone Company was one of the first (if not the first) telco to adopt the Strowger system of rotary dials and switches starting in 1902.  They had subscribers in Westerly, RI and parts of North Stonington CT.   Originally independent, they were soon absorbed into the Bell System.






Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409