Telecommunications

Few users of the telephone, either know or think much of the machinery or personnel that make this modern miracle of science and organization possible.

So basic has this service become that no business can be conducted without it, while the order of our daily lives is keyed to the necessity of almost hourly telephone communication. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine life without the telephone.

The development of telephone communication is one of the romances of modern times. The army of lineman and woodsman who have treked (sic) across the continent under the direction of inventors and engineers, blazing the trail of telephone communication have equaled in heroism and indomitable conquering of difficulties the achievements of pioneers in other fields. The telephone's contribution to civilization ranks with that of the printing press and the steam engine.

Especially have the difficulties been great in mountainous sections where the population was scattered and isolated. The story of Macon county's first telephones would be an interesting chapter in this respect. Not only has the building of lines been difficult but the poverty of those who most needed this contact with the outside world limited the company's earnings in the early days, so that the accomplishments of the local company have been all the more praiseworthy. Through the first hard years the company sustained good service in the face of weather damage and small income, while during later development, through efficient management, stockholders have realized a reasonable prifit (sic) on their investment.

The need for expansion has steadily increased during the past four years.

In order to provide additional facilities and better service to patrons in in this section the Western Carolina Telephone company has constructed, during the last few months, new toll lines and cables that have materially added to their lines and equipment.

Most of this development has been made in the Highlands area where there has been need of better toll service. A one and a quarter mile new cable line has been constructed to serve the area along the Dillard road to the Highlands Country club.

In order to provide more complete toll facilities, an additional circuit has been strung between Franklin and Highlands which has a phantom transposed with the existing Franklin-Highlands circuit. In addition to this, a telegraph leg was made available by means of simplex coils which imposed the telegraph circuit on the phantom circuit without interfering with the talking circuit, providing three talking lines over four wires.

This work has been done in conjunction with the Southern Bell Telephone company, which has provided additional Sylva-Franklin circuits and a Franklin-Clayton circuit.

The Western Carolina Telephone company is now routing its toll business between Highlands and Sylva by way of Franklin and will dismantle the old Highlands-Glenville toll line across Shortoff mountain.

Although telephone lines over the rough terrain of mountain country carry proportionately more expense and hazard, the record of the Western Carolina Telephone company has been high in performance. The lines have not suffered casualty estimates due to ice damage or has the company sustained a single lost time accident to a lineman over a period of two and a half years.

The Western Carolina Telephone company owns and operates the exchanges of Bryson City, Sylva, Franklin, Highlands and Cullowhee in North Carolina and Clayton in Georgia. Besides there is maintained a line toll line to Cashiers and also to the Cherokee Indian Reservation. This company employs 31 people, including operators and linemen.

The Western Carolina company was incorporated in 1924, with a majority stock owned by the local people. The first manager was D G Stewart of Franklin. Following a serious accident of a fall from a telephone pole when Mr Stewart was disabled for many months, George Johnston was made manager.

In August 1937, Mr Johnston resigned to accept a position with Southern Bell in Atlanta, and was succeeded by Ben W Woodruff of Columbia, SC. Since coming to this position Mr Woodruff has directed the expansion of the company's facilities and line improvements to the present high state of efficiency.

The local company is one of 237 independently owned and operated telephone exchanges in North Carolina, a majority of the stock being owned by citizens of Western North Carolina and Northern Georgia.

Due to a progressive policy and efficient management that has kept pace with the growth of this section, and the latest developments of telephone exchanges, the Western Carolina Telephone company now offers adequate and prompt toll facilities through their exchanges to any part of the world. As an example, a recent call was put through from Sylva to Bombay, India. On several occasions recently calls have been completed to different European countries.