I received a letter from Verizon the other day, telling me that my cell phone would no longer work after December of this year (2022). I would be receiving a new phone shortly (2 months later). It came—a G4 to replace my G3. After a trip to the store in Reno to see how it worked (the clerk had to put a battery in and charge it), I realize how rapidly telephones have advanced.
Only a hundred years ago, a switchboard and a single operator began operating in the back of Ed Alderman’s hardware store. Before this time [1909-1920], the telephone service in Portola was through the WPRR Yard Office. Then in 1912 there was a small exchange inside Fred Van Norden’s jewelry store where it remained until about 1920. There were about 20 subscribers in a 1912 town population of 500.
By 1920, there were over 100 residential phones in town, and Mr. Alderman, as the local telephone agent, hired a telephone operator a few hours a day, during daylight hours only. Three of the operators were Nellie McKinney, Nellie Barnhardt, and Mabel Conway.
From 1930 to 1937 the switchboard was enlarged and the hours of operation increased to provide service at night. Most of the residential phones were wall-mounted, crank phones, and the phone numbers ranged from single digits to three digits. (The caller cranked the phone, lifted the receiver, and said “Operator, please connect me to _______.”)
In late 1937, Ed Alderman built a house at 13 California Street and established it as the new telephone office on January 20, 1938. It wasn’t until July 3, 1941, that Mrs. Eva “Flossie” Cahoon became the new Telephone Office Manager in Portola and Harold Doig transferred to Portola as telephone installer-repairman. Ten years later, 1951, Evan “Swede” Olsen transferred from Reno to take a position as installer-repairman.
A new telephone building was completed at a cost of $47,000 on the corner of Gulling and Pine Streets in 1955. The new dial system was installed, and the work force was greatly increased—there were 623 phones in Portola. That was an increase of 55% since 1945. A total of 2589 telephone calls were placed in an average business day. (This new dial system did not necessarily mean a private line, but a “party” line: two or more neighbors sharing a phone line, each with a different ring—one short, one long; two short; or any combination of long and short rings.) This change would necessitate new phone numbers. Our code was Tennyson 2 plus four numbers. Quite a change from phone numbers of one, two or three numbers!
In the ad from Pacific Telephone in the Dec. 22, 1955 Portola Reporter were these instructions:
- Look up the number in the new special directory before you call. Jot the number down and keep it before you as you dial.
- Listen for the “h-m-m” of the dial tone…then dial carefully, keeping your eye on the dial.
- Dial the first two letters and numeral of the prefix, then the four other figures. For example, to call Tennyson 2-4299, dial T-E-2 then 4-2-9-9.
It took a steady, strong figure to push the dial all the way around for the nines. (T is #8 and E is #3 and 2=832—-for Portola!)
Jack Stokes, Pacific Telephone and Telegraph company manger, remembers that the first call on the new system was a call to the operator: Is my phone working? The second call was to the operator for the time. The third call was a long-distance call. Blairsden was changed to the dial system the same evening. Loyalton and Sierraville received service at noon the next day, and service to Beckwourth was expected in the next ninety days.
Pay phones in Portola were updated immediately after the residential phone went into operations.
Our old sets were trucked to a Western Electric company plant to be melted down for the brass or stored for parts for use in “crank” phones in other areas where they are still in use.
A picture of Marilyn Magnham at the switchboard in the Portola Office.
Pacific Telephone and Telegraph was affectionately referred to as “Ma Bell” by the many operators who worked there through the years. These were the operators in 1982: Venita Applegate, June Williams, Marlene Keogh, Marilyn Glidell (center of photo) Karen Johnson (behind Marilyn) Helen Johnson (left front) and Donna Powell. (The picture is from the album of Charlotte’s Rogers retirement – 1983.)
Charlotte Rogers, Donna Powell, Helen Johnson, Marlene Keogh, Mary Thompson and Maria Stahlman are the operators pictured here.
Other operators in 1960s were: Marilyn Mangham, Beverly Ghidossi McColm, Betty Clarke, Helen Johnson.
1970-80s: Judy Martini and Jane Dempsey at a Christmas party. Other operators were Marie Stahlman, Joyce Bishop, Ann Spanyard, Jean Fisher, Gaye Woods, Sandy Montgomery, Virginia Gault, Mary Slover, Nancy Bibb, Joanne Fruchtenicht, Lisa Cummins, Ron Rose, Ruby Kilgour.
At the retirement party in 1983 the telephone employees had many years of service to the company: Coleman Montgomery -36 years, Helen Johnson – 31 years, Charlotte Rodgers -27 years, and Mary Thompson -23 years.
The beginning of the end began in 1983 with the installation of the microwave booster behind the office. Opeators had to either move away to complete their time to retirement, or communte to Reno, Chico, or other offices in the Valley. Maintenance personal are now the employees at Pacific Telephone and Telegraph.
Another change, in recent years, is the hand symbol for telephoning someone: it used to be the thumb and little finger out and the other fingers folded in and held up to the ear. Now, I understand, is the flat hand held up the ear to symbolize the cell phone held up to the ear.
(The operator of my G4 phone needs some instruction on how to use all the options. I am not sure I really want to know. The old way of knowing someone was on the other end of the line when the phone rang, and a tele-marketer, was reassuring. From “crank phones” to “crank phone calls”, in my opinion, is not progress!)
