If you're a senior 65+ you might recall when the dial telephone made its' debut in Pocomoke City in the early 1960's. Prior to that time, of course, the operator came on the line when you picked up the receiver and you told her the number you wanted to call. Pocomoke may have been the last exchange on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to receive dial phone service.
In New York City the first dial telephones were put into use in the early 1920's. The New York times told readers they would be their own operators and described in detail how users would make a call using their new dial telephones.
I remember that day well. I picked up the receiver (remember those?) at one minute after midnight just to see if there would really be a dial tone...and there was! Geez, even Marion Station had dial service before Pocomoke! And calling Stockton from Pocomoke was a long distance call because Stockton was in the Snow Hill exchange!
ReplyDeleteYour friend,
Slim
Prior to dial tone our phone number was 696M1. It was a party line and we only answered if it rang three times. If it rang once it was for Mr. Ball, twice was for Mrs. Hill one long and one short ring was for Mrs. Jones and so on. Before making a call you had to first listen if anyone else was using the line. If they were you were supposed to hang up and try later but some of the best gossip was passed by secretly listening in on other's conversations.
ReplyDeleteYour friend,
Slim