Albemarle Telephone Company
(1906) Through the Albemarle Telephone Company Charlottesville enjoys a service which is unsurpassed by any in the State, and the company enjoys the distinction of having more phones per capita than any city in Virginia, and ranks as to perfection with any in the United States, while the rates charged for service are much less than any exchange with same number of telephones .
During the past few years this company has spent many thousands of dollars in the way of improving the county service and they now have the best rural service in the State. The executive office and building owned by the company is located on Sixth street near Market, and is thoroughly equipped with every modern improvement. The switch board is of the magnetic type and gives splendid satisfaction. All of the circuits, both in the city and county, are metallic and the service is most excellent. Fifteen operators are employed, the force being divided so as to keep an adequate number on duty at all times during the night and day. When the company opened for business they had 190 subscribers, while today they have 930 phones in operation in the city, and 277 in the county, and the number is being rapidly increased. The company now has about 300 miles of wiring and 4 miles of cable in city and 25 miles pole line in county. They make direct connection with the Southern Bell Company of Virginia, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, the Louisa Telephone Company, the Fluvanna Telegraph Company and the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company and the Culpeper Telephone Company. The first mentioned companies gives access to every part of the United States where telephones are in use, while the latter companies give connection in the counties in which they are located. For those who have no long distance phones the company has booths at their office, hotels and in other sections of the city. Extensive improvements are being made and a force of fourteen men are constantly engaged installing telephones and placing wiring for the increasing patronage. The company was organized and incorporated August 10, 1897, and the present officers are F. W. Twyman, president; J. B. Andrews, vice-president; H. A. Dinwiddie, secretary and treasurer, and J. Frank Kelley, superintendent. All of them are well known here and are energetic and enterprising young men. President Twyman, was born in Madison county but has lived here for many years and is identified with a number of well known enterprises. The directors of the company are: J. M. Robertson, Daniel Harman, John B. Moon, S. C. Chancellor, James F. Harlan, W. J. Tyson, T. J. Wills, P. Leterman, T. S. Keller, C. H. Walker, Mr. Andrews is a native of this city and besides the business described above is engaged in the seed and horse lines. Mr. Dinwiddie is also a son of Charlottesville and is now a student at the University of Virginia. Mr. Kelley, who has direct supervisor of the workings of the company, was born in this city and has held his present position since its formation.[1]
Personnel
- Miss Amos Clarice, stenographer (1914)
- Mrs Lillie S. Brockman, chief operator (1914)
- William B. Gardner, lineman (1914)
- Joseph E. Kelley wire chief (1914)
- Miss Virginia Bragg, telephone operator (1904)
| Albemarle Telephone Company | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Founded | |
| Founder | F. W. Twyman; William A. Lankford; J. F. Harlan |
| Headquarters | Downtown |
| No. of locations | 310 E Market Street |
| Key people | H. A. Dinwiddie Secretary-Treasurer |
| Employees | |
January 2, 1925 – The Albemarle Telephone Company has had a busy year in the enlargement of its cable and telephone plant, said Mr. F. W. Twyman, president of the Company, when interviewed this morning by a Daily Progress reporter. When work on Main Street is completed, the company will not have a pole on Main Street from its office on Market Street to the University Corner.[2]
References
- ↑ Web. The Daily Progress Historical and Industrial Magazine Charlottesville Virginia "The Athens of the South", Progress Publishing Company Charlottesville, Va., 1906; reprint, Charlottesville: The Albemarle County Historical Society, 1993
- ↑ Web. Phone Company To Remove All Poles On Main Street, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, Daily Progress, Friday January 2, 1925, retrieved February 24, 2024.
External Links
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