https://www.fepl.ca/localhistory/files/original/c6ed304b1af206ad43b8bd115cdd28dc.pdf 98b53dd1c54af60801a7c143263a8121 PDF Text Text NEW DIAL EXCHANGE - BUILDING FORT ERIE'S / A Credit To The Town N SuNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, the Bell Telephone Company O is 16cated on the lower floor. For the ladies, also, will introduce the dial telephone to Fort Erie and · Stevensville with the added feature of direct distance and powder bar. di�ling. lucent ceiling, behind which is located the rheostat controlled light- In the operations room there is something new m the trans­ �10•.....Alllol American FORT ERIE Hotel, 111-:a..Barnhart, B.OJ., Residence..... . 13•• . . .BO&I, ;J. �Dr•, , DOuglaa, .. .. . . ....... I Walnut St . . . . . • . . . . • . . . . . . . . • . Lake ltesiuenee �•. . • .Crall, JI. Y,.. ResiJcnce .. . :a, Wholesale Liquors...•. .........Niagara St 25-Q. • ao• . EXCHANGE W. E. Hunt, Frop.... Niagara St ) 14•. . . .Lightheart, Geo., !'lumber . .. . .... . . ...... Dr•• Wm., J•bysieian SO-.B. .DaTia, F. E., Resilience Shore I I ! .. Gootlrieh St � . .• ... . ....•... i ! N i agar a St I Catherine St 21•....Matthews, ll·Y..N;ve, Albert, Mnson A., Rcsi u en e � :L '- a 'V4iw... ?01'1:�� 'l"i"'9!1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . (('_JJll �PviPW Printin'? (��·; l:ric Beach I 'Rri1�¥1•ht�r� ..� I 1 N. W. TeL 11 .•• . • • Gignae, 8, Re 10•• • • . G. H. 2S,. •••• �, s ;John, Decoratvr Plato, C. E., Buker. iue nee ·• . .. . . . · F°' Rc si d ene e Queen . . . • . . • · .. · · · · · . ..........•......... ·a...•.JlanlaOD, Charles B., Residence C. Westrope, Bell Telephone manager in ie, has been active in the telephone here for 30 years. Westrope attended elementary and sec­ schools in St. Thomas, Ont. Before en­ the telephone business, he spent nine .with the Michigan Central Railroad com­ :ifu Fott Erie as locomotive fireman. Mt. Westrope joined the Welland County lephone Company here in 1930 and from eq until 1955 when the Bell Telephone Com­ assumed responsibility for providing tele­ e.service in Fort Erie, Wm., St Bertie St .••..•.... Arcban'ge St Wm, Butcher Wm., Daley . Kralrt, Geo., Farm ..•.••••••••.•.....••...• ..•••••.••••.•.. Westrope is a member of the Telephone .foneers of America, St. Catharines branch, the otary Club, the Masonic Order and is treasurer the Fort Erie Boy Scout Association. Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada �s pµblished by THE REVIEW COMPANY ••..... a , .. �orih Bt Niapl'a lit . • . . • . . . . . . . . • . • . . . • Eric C lark, Residence l\esideilrc Beaell • . . .... • . . • . . . • . ;"i/,·�t.e, Cresecnt Beach •.. . .•••.• • ...• •••••. W at erl oo St •.••........•.•. Qneen St Qneen St Archange S' ................•.•.•.• 17•..•.•ra;vlor, Georp, Residence IN CASE OF UNSATISFACTORY SERVICE notify the :i'Juiluer .•..••• Stanton St . .•••.•.•••• • .•••• H.P. Harvey . . ... .......... Niaprr. 8l orral ,Manager or Superintendant; THIS WELL-USED CARD list of early Fort Erie c ustomers was distributed by the Welland County Teleph()p e Company towards the end of 1907. Mr. H. F. Ferguson, the Bell's agent, evidently subscribed to both phones. j BRIDGEBURG EXCHANGE 33-X: .Anger, C., Resi<lenro..• : . ..••. . .•. . . . . . . . . •Emrick Avo ! 3,1.x .. Mille r, !lrlre. E . JL, Rosewood <lien Fatni '•.... City Line . 42-D . .Anthony, Wm., }'arm... _. • . . • . .. . . .• • •. . •. . • . . City I,ine 46-F. .McMillan, ;Jaa., Residence• • • • •• • • •••••••••• Niagant Jet. 1 2.. . . .Atwood, Jno._ H., Furniture • . . . . • . . • . . . • . . . . Du lfe i n St 41•. : .. llrlencll:e Dr. ;J. B., Physician • • • • • • • • . . • • • . • .Jan·itl Bt · · 26•. ..•American Expr- Co., Ai. C. R. Depot•.Courtwright St . . . 42-X• •Nngent, m., Resulenee • •••.• •••.•. •••••...• • Sh1pvnrd 7-Y ..Beam, Michael, 1!•siolenee••.•..•. ...• • . . • . . . .·Kh uek St· N .. Abel, 42-A }'arni ;ve, .•..•.••••• � • • • • • • . • • • • • • . .Bo we n :Road � 3-l·G . . Beasley, Ira., Res 1 d ee.... ................ , ... 8lup:'·nrds ; . . 48 . . ...Pettl.t, H., Law�•er, Olliee• • • • . • • •••••...•••iJarv1• 20 .. .. . Bell, Miss L. M., Instruetor of Mnsir: . . . . ... Kla�wk st St _ . .Per 19-lt • . Biggins, Wm.., Rl-"t. rett, Tbos., Rcs1dcnco . .... . . ....... . . . . .. . .Wool\ �t •lener. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . Plupp St 23.. . . .Bridgebarg :Bevie'f. Pi-i n er s . . . . ... . . .. .. . • .. .•Jarvis St 19-G . .Philp, Wm., Deeo rn l or •..•... .. • .••,.. , •.••...• Crook St 40 .• . . . Prov. Natural Co., Oas H-....... . . . . . . rvis St 49-:B . . Briggs._T. ;r., Paint_ anol De<·orator . . . . • . . . . . ·a n·is St r �n 38·Y. . Ba!'Jl]lart, 1!l:�e '(i[imes·leuiew ·. � St V 31•.... Bower1b7, E., Contrador u11'1 N i agar a St he served as account­ Mr. ......•.•.. 15-B.. .�,-.Willen, R esid en ce . 19-G. .8hlalor, w., , ....Creseant Beach cllief clerk and manager . .;At the time of the sale of the Welland Coun­ )'elephone Company to the Bell in 1955, Mr. ;(strope became Bell manager here. Bertie Bertie CO.. B. P. Mat thews, ·:Agent.. I. , 4-B.•..Stant�n .. fl;. 10.,.....Hunt, w. B, Resiuence•..••... .....•.••••..Niagara l!lt J.1>.Y . :U•.• • . Prov. , -- , fJ"' N., Reshlen�e St North St .......•.• .•...•........••.....• 8.•....Shepherd, !lrln. W. ;J., Uroccr �5 ft684 7•....Kohl, G Nat. as 1(11 (.) . . •· ..•.•.... . .• .••.•....•.. _12·B� .Plato, Heney, �sidem·e 12-G. .Plato, D. ,. . ee 11 St Waterloo 211•.... :a&:vmond a. :aose, Sol i citors •... .•.•.. .. . . ... Niagara $ Resiuence . . .•.................WiJliam St 164. .Knlft, ...... , ...• Dairy • . . . . . . Prin .............•..•.•• Co., Anglo-American . ...•.•...Niagara St Niagara i::;t ·1.. . . .Hawley, W. J., Buteher.••••..••.•..••••..•.. . 11..a..Jllated, Bertie 4·Y .. Powell, Emerson, St St .........•...•.• . .•.••••. . ;��,; I'""' - u. .. . .Ferg1115 B. F., Departmental Store ......... Niagara St '-�I.(; �� . 16.. . . .Porpedo, Bartholomew, l"ruit De al er . 112-Y.. ...........•..••... ConnnisisioBer....••••••.• • •Xiagara 20-Y..llrlacintosb, B.ev., Resi'1ence•..•.........••..Niagara 12•B. . .Plato, �:.-.Us, B. F., William 8� . ........•.. ..•.. t �� Solom�[ �\<>ntraetor ... � · · · · · · · · · · . . Gilmore St 14..... C anadian Cnstom8; Cl,llvernmrnt Bio lg. . . . . .....Jnn·i• St lllillt-r's Bny 34-R. . Canadian Shtphnll�·co., 8hipYnnls ..... . . · 45-U. ·�everaux, ;Jacob, , l'arin I j I � 46-Y ! G. Gas J� 23..... Review Printing Co., E.W. Johnston jr., Mgr:.Jarvis St , 32.. . . .Robln Ron, Char�ea, Residence•... , ••.....•. •Dull'e in St ; 1 1 7•....Rose, F. A., Re•1<lenee•......••.•....• •••••...•Ph1pp St 15•. ...Royal Ho nse, Wm. Johnston, Prop••..••.••. . Niagara St I •• · · · · · •• · · · · · · · • · · .Jlowo'n Homl 135-Y . . Smith, 8. C. Re•i<lcnr.o .•. . • ..•.. •... . • • •.••.• Tn • , n·is St _ Village. Clerk . . • . . . • . . . . . . . Niagnrn st 31. . : .. Sherk, Arthur, C1ror-er ..•..• . . . ...•.•........•Tarvis St 19-Y..Edwards, .Tohn, Resi1len<"e. . . . ........ ...... . . .Phipp St . . Scott, D. A:, noar11ing Housc. . . ........ · . . ... :.Ship;'f'nrd . . j . . Scott, C. N., J{m11i1lrm•.r.••..•.••••• ••••.• ••••••. Cosv Dell • . . • 7-JI:. .F�:vaon, ;James, ;1l<•Sulencc . ......... . .('ourtwright St I 27-G..Steele, Ezrll, n .. iolon e•.•..•........ . • •" '• ...l'�1lpp St . N o� R�i.·wlcnee •..••• . • •. •••.....••.Klatwk �t . . Stevens, 14., ..••.•••.••••••••••• .. Gilmore St · . o • .., W .W., Res .. lenee. . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cosy Dell ' 1�. :EmerI�·-Hem;v, �.· ·:1: ! , !l4:�YY 43138-G s r Rcsi1lt>nrc �THE TIMES-REVIEW "DIAL DAY".SuPPLEMENT; DECEMBER, 1Q6o \ Change-over Sunday • • • Dial System willgo into effect about 2 a. m. UNDAY /or 4100 local Telephones will usher in a new era of tele­ phone communications in Fort Erie. At about 2 a.m., the telephone system here will be changed from manual to dial operation. The change-over will take less than two minutes to carry out. At that time, the dial tone will replace the "number, please" of the local telephone oper­ ator. The old manual switchboard will cease operations, being replaced by the new dial switching equipment. All telephone numbers in Fort .Erie will be changed. Telephone subscribers will receive new all-figure numbers, consisting of the pre­ fix, 87 1, and four other figures. The cutover will be made with virtually no i terruption in telephone service. Early Sunday S morning was chosen as the appropriate time because normally there are few telephone con­ versations in progress at that time. The actual cutover will be made according to a closely co-ordinated procedure requiring split-second timing to make sure that the period when all the 4 100 telephones in the community are "dead" is kept to a minimum. At a signal given when calling has reached a low ebb, a team of men wearing goggles will go into action at the old manual exchange to disconnect all the lines to the old switchboard. The goggles are necessary because of the method of disconnection - tapes are strung behind the heat coils- little fuses that protect subscribers' lines from high voltage- so that the fuses can be ripped out by the thousands. As there are two of these fuses to each line, 8200 of them will be flying through the ail the, exchange when the tapes are pulled . T operation will require about 30 seconds. As soon as the old exchange is "dead," sig will be given over a special telephone line the new exchange where another crew will standing in readiness to remove the "block· tools" from the dial switching eqriipme These tools, which are used to prevent the di.'. switches from working while the manual e change is still in operation, are also attached cords so that they can be yanked out in a fe seconds. Once the blocking tools are pulled out, t dial system will be in operation. As the fir callers dial, the dial switches will begin to die connecting telephone calls in the Fort Erie e change. . · . •. ·. · ---- CONSTRUCTION SINCE .1�.; Compliments of �HE TIMES-ltEVIEW "DIAL DAY" SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER, 1960 ford to Montreal to Labrador, back to Brantford and then to Fort .Erie. Nation's Life Richer Through Telephone I Mr. Kite attended elementary and secondary schools in Brantford and joined the Bell there immediately after finishing high school. His first position was as a lineman. Before leaving Bra ford in 1955, he was, in turn, a conversion . Staller, business switchboard installer, central office man and tester. N THE FIRST 20 YEARS of telephone service .in. Cana.da, the standard telephone was sim­ ply a board attached to the wall. Three boxes were mounted on it, one above an­ other. The box in the middle contained the ansmitter, and the mouthpiece was just a hole the box. The receiver resembled the modern all or desk telephone receiver in appearance. the bottom box was the battery which sup­ ied the "talking current" and the box on top ues d the magneto generator which Sl.lpplied e.cutrent for ringing. This was the era of the agneto or "crank He was appointed plant foreman (special contracts) in 1955. After spending one year training in Monrreal, Mr. Kite was attached for two years to the United States Air Force in Newfoundland and Labrador. During this period, Mr. Kite worked on the "Polevault" project - the installation of the world's first tropospheric scatter system of communications. telephone" system. Crlling by numbers was unknown until 1884, d rtL the early exchanges the boys who were ployed as operators needed long memories. en a subscriber cranked his ringing gener- or, a small shum�r associated with his line on switchboard came down with a noise like chunk of lead falling on the floor. The oper­ or plugged in on the caller's line and said, ell?" The caller of those days simply said, want to talk to John Jones," and the operator as supposed to know from memory the names, dresses and telephone numbers of all sub­ ribers in his community. Canada's first multiple switchboard was inalled in Toronto in 1884. By means of this itchboard, which gets its name from the fact t each subscriber line terminating at the tchboard is duplicated or "multiplied" at e E. PETER KITE E. Peter Kite's Bell Telephone assignments have taken him from his native city of Brantintervals along the board, each operator could reach the lines of all subscribers in the ex­ change area without trunking to another oper­ ator. By the turn of the century, long distance service had so improved that subscribers equip­ ped with the new long distance transmitter could telephone anywhere in Ontario or Que- Mr. Kite returned to Brantford in 1958 as repair foreman and the next year was appointed central office foreman in that city. He came to Fort Erie as central office foreman earlier this year. Mr. Kite is a member of the Fort Erie Lions Club.:Among his hobbies, he lists photography, music, radio and electronics. bee and to principal cities in the United States within a range of 1,000 miles. Then, with the new century, came a new era in telephony. The common battery system was introduced. It was discovered that, by centralizing the batteries in the exchange instead of housing them in each set, the company could introduce continued on page 16 On behalf of the citizens of Fort Erie the Council congratulates the Bell Tele­ phone Company on the completion of its new, modern building and facilities. This modernization will be ofgreat assistance �THE TIMES-REVIEW "DIAL DAY" THIS CONSTRU CTION CREW of the early l 900's posed for the cameraman at the end of a hard day's work. The bearded blacksmith and mustachioed cook were essential members of the team. The horse rPW!1 steam boiler was used to provide power for pumping and Talking Box • • SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER, 1960 drilling. Crews similar to this one were often seen around the countr side near Fort Erie and Bridgeburg at the turn of the century buildi and improving the Bell's long distance lines. A far cry from mode methods. • First Long Distance Line passed through Town in 1885 1876. The telephone, invented in March, had just been patented. Bur no one �:��r�= � !� ser�ouslf . They j�s� t? ough� of T WAS unconvinced, and soon telephone lines were springing up all over the countryside. The:_ �rst lo?g di�tance line to pass through 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays, and from 10 to 12 a.m. and 2 to 4 p. on holidays. Joseph Wittman of the Fort E �'.E TIMES-REVIEW "DIAL DAY" SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER, 1960 Dial Seven Figures After the dial cutover here on Sunday, it will necessary to dial the full seven figures of the lephone number when placing a call to an­ her telephone in Fort Erie. Fort Erie will be included in the All-Number Hing plan following the cutover. Under this , which will eventually embrace most telenes in Canada and th e United States, tele­ one numbers will consist of seven figures e her thah the two-letter, five-figure combinawhich have, in the past, made up most phorie numbers under the dial system. All -Number Calling plan (ANC) has introduced to provide more telephone hers for North America. The two-letter, e-figure plan provided some 540 exchange ig(lations (such as WAlnut or MUrual) in h of over 100 numbering areas in Canada the United States. Using all figure numbers, he n available combinations in each of these areas have been increased to 800. This increases the possible total of -telephone numbers in each area from 5,400,000 to 8,000,000, sufficient, accord­ ing to present forecasts, to meet telephone ser­ vice demands on this continent until the year 2000. ANC numbers end the difficulties encoun­ tered in spelling exchange name designations. The ANC plan also eliminates confusion be­ tween the letter "O" and the figure zero ahd the letter 'T' and the figure one on the dial. Another advantage of ANC concerns the Direct Distance Dialing service available here starting Sunday which will eventually link most telephones in Canada and the United States into one huge telephone exchange and make it possi­ ble for the direct dialing of long distance calls Continued on page 11 ND COUNTY TRUCKS were a familiar s ight in the streets many years. Installer-repairman Dave Harkins posed for the l�nq County became part of the Bell Telephone Company. of Fort Erie and Bridgeburg photographer shortly before GEORGE M. McPHERSON Construction foreman for the Bell Telephone Company in Fort Erie is George M. McPherson. Mr. McPherson is a native of Niagara Falls, Ont., where he attended elementary and second­ ary schools. Mr. McPherson joined the Bell as an installer in his home dty in 1928. Prior to that he had worked for the Niagara Wire Weaving Com­ pany and for Canadian National Railways. Between the time he joined the telephone com­ pany and 1940, he was employed in Niagai: Falls as a lineman splicer's helper, splicer an lineman. Mr. McPherson was transferred to St. Catharines in 1940 where he remained until he assumed his present post here in 1946. A member of the volunteer fire department, Mr. McPherson also holds membership in the Sportsmen's Club, the St. Catharines Masonic Lodge and the Men's Club of St. Paul's Church. Among his many hobbies, Mr. McPherson lists camping, fishing, hunting and "do-it-your­ self' activities. «« «« ««>»> »» »» FLUCTUATING TELEPHONE TIDES In an exchange area one can see the tide of telephone calling rise and fall with the daily life of the community. In the average exchange, calls reach their peak in mid-morning, as the business of the day gathers speed. There's a lull during the lunch hour and then the number of calls rises again �THE TIMES-REVIEW "DIAL DAY" SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER i9� ,,, ,, · . ,''{, THIS IS THE POWER BOARD in the new dial e xchange building on Lavinia St. A technician shown checking it to see that all is in readines s for the big moment on Sunday when the n dial telephone system here starts operating. HERE, FINAL WORK is being done on the line link frames in the new dial exchange building on Lavinia St. Each group of three vertical panels, as seen here, represents 490 subscriber lines. Fort Erie telephone numbers - including those for police and fire calls - will be chan,ged All Electrical Installations and Fixtures Installed by �THE' IMES-REVIEW Talking Box continued from page 5 i:Vir. Ferguson's supervision. From now on, sub­ scribers were included with Bridgeburg cus­ tomers in the telephone directory. The edition for November 1900 showed four Fort Erie subscribers: Banker Boag, ] . R. Carey, W. V. ·---------------Liquor Dealer General Store Ferguson, H. f. ( B.T. Co. Pub. St'n) Reardon, ] os -------------------------Engineer _______________________________ ___________ By this time the Bell Telephone Company was actively promoting the sale of its improved _ long distance equipment. Since the telephone was still primarily valued for business purposes, bese customers were being urged to install bng distance telephones at a slightly higher "DIAL DAY" SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER, 1960 rectory to indicate that they were using long distance equipment. In Bridgeburg, Mr. Land and the World's Dispensary ( Dr. Pierce) were the first to have asterisks appear before their names. Continuous service was provided for Fort Erie and Bridgeburg customers by 1907. Five years later, D. H. Johnston took over Mr. Fer­ guson's general store in Fort Erie and, at the same time, the public station. Mr. Land con­ tinued as Bridgeburg's manager, until both offices were closed by the Bell sometime around 19 14. The pioneer days of the telephone in Bertie township bring to mind the name of C. N. Glenny, who, around 1895 as a young boy on the family farm near Fort Erie, strung a tele­ phone wire between his home and that of a pal, Henry Wrench, nearly a mile away across the fields. The two could now talk to each orhf'r as Erie's central office was opened in the Anglo American Hotel owned by William E. Hunt. Miss Annie McCosh, later Mrs. Hunt, became the first telephone operator. These were the days before inflation when hotel rates in "Buffalo's Great Summer Resort" were quoted as $ 1.50 and $2.00 a day. In the meantime, a telephone line had al­ ready reached Bridgeburg, and a central office was opened in the jewelry store owned by Menno House, whose daughter, Mabel, became the first telephone operator. Her sister, Marie, now Mrs. Peter Babcock, lives today in Crystal Beach. A well-used card list of subscribers in the Fort Erie and Brid·geburg exchanges distributed by the Welland County Telephone Company in the very early days, probably late 1907, names many of the original customers. Mr. Ferguson, thP RPJl �O'Pnt in l=i'Art Hr1P. 1=1u1rla.nrhY rn h. rr .. ;ho..-1 �THE TIMES-REVIEW "DIAL DAY" SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER, 1960 ] HERBERT E. ALEXANDER Bell Telephone's installation and repair fore­ man in Fort Erie is Herbert E. Alexander, a native of the Burk's Falls area. Mr. Alexander has held his present post here since 1954. Before joining the Bell at Whitby as a line­ man in 1926, Mr. Alexander was engaged in farming and lumbering activities. Three years after joining the company, he was appointed 'ine foreman in Bowmanville. ««<«<<«<>»>»>>»» TALKING BOX continued from p3ge 8 of Fort .Erie and Bridgeburg were amalgamated when a new central office was built on Central avenue near Jarvis street in Bridgeburg. Company advertising of this time reflects the general health regulations and customs of the day: "If one of your family gets the MEASLES or scarlet fever, or diptheria, and your house is placarded by the Medical Health Officer, there is nothing that so satisfactorily 'breaks the quarantine,' as a Welland County Telephone. "So good you can't afford to do with- . our it." In the first years of the Welland County Telephone Company a submarine cable was laid Public Telephones in Fort Erie will operate differently after the new dial exchange goes into operation on Sun­ day, according to P. C. Westrope, Bell .Telephone manager here. Briefly, he said, here's how to use public tele­ phones under the dial system. First, take the receiver off the hook before depositing any money- just as you do now. Then deposit a dime or two nickels in the appropriate slot. You will then hear the dial tone, and may proceed to dial your number as you would on your own telephone. If there is no answer or if the line is busy, you will get your money back when you han up, Mr. Westrope said. An ingenious dev ice the public telephone returns the coins in the circumstances the moment you replace the r ceiver. Here's what happens. When you put yo coin in the slot, it falls down a runway. On i way down, it trips a lever which closes a ci cuit to the exchange, causing the dial tone t be heard on the line. While the number is being dialed, the mone remains in the coin trap, where it fell at th end of the runway. The coin trap, a typ e 0 by nearly 1000. These people will all be partici­ pating in the latest accomplishments in the world of telephony. With nearly every corner of the earth vulner­ able to a telephone call, distances have been reduced to a matter of minutes - an impossible feat in the practical minds of telephone callers of the eighties. For in these simpler days of 1885, the fact that the Bell had completed its main telephone trunk route from Quebec City to Windsor did not automatically imply that talks could be suc­ cessfully carried on with friends at any distance along 'this line. The Bell found it necessary to warn custom­ ers that "Owing to atmospheric disturbances, long distance talking is not always satisfactory, it being subject to considerable variation. At times subscribers one to two hundred miles away can be heard with astonishing clearness; at other times, owing to the above causes, great difficulty is experienced, and it is found impos­ sible to hear distinctly." It was not till the turn of the century that the Bell Telephone Company could advertise that "direct telephonic communication can be had with all principal cities, towns and villages in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario and t United States, within a radius of 1,000 miles. This limit was gradually extended as im proved copper lines and long distance equi ment came into general use. Then, in 1915, th introduction of repeater stations at interva along the long distance lines to renew the voic currents, greatly improved the quality and sco of long distance service. By 1920, calls could be made to any point Canada and the United States, though servi to places outside Quebec and Ontario was st· only available over United States lines. T first all-Canadian transcontinental route w inaugurated in 1932 with the opening of t Trans-Canada Telephone System by His Exe lency Lord Bessborough, the Governor-Gene of Canada at the time. In the meantime, overseas radiotelepho service between New York and London opened in 1927, and was gradually extended other centres on both sides of the Atlantic. The opening of the first transatlantic subm ine cable in 1956 greatly increased the quali and scope of overseas telephone service unt' today Canadians can reach almost every count in the world by telephone. P UBLIC TELEPHONES · Continued on page 12 TESTING is an important part of all Bell Telephone operations. Here, Tom Murdock the test board in the old manual exchange. · �-f'"�\,\;1 ' j - � THE TIMES-REVIEW "DIAL DAY" SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER, 1960 Dial Carefully ]DIAL iss Catharine Fraser who has been Fort chief operator since 1928, is retiring after ay's dial conversion and will devote her jn the future to travelling and gardening. orn and raised in Ridgetown, Miss Fraser joineq the Bell Telephone Company in her e town as an operator in 1918. She then ed to Fort Erie and secured the same type mployment with the Welland County Tele­ ne .Co. In 1928, Miss Fraser was appointed f operator here for the Welland County com­ .f;',' When this system was acquired by the ephone Company in 1955, Miss Fraser asked to stay on as chief operator. s a result, Miss Fraser has been chief oper­ here under two telephone companies for 32 <«««<««>»»>»»» 5 CROSSBAR SWITCIDNG SYSTEM he crossbar control equipment, which sets the talking paths, performs an operation in exchange similar to that of the control dispatcher in a railroad yard. en a r?ilroad dispatcher receives an order rv:e a train from one location to another, '4h«ks his elaborate control map which him the.various routes through the yard he can use, and which of the tracks and s are busy. EQUIPMENT is the perfect ser­ vant. It follows your orders to the letter - and to the figure. It doesn't question your judgment; like the good servant it is, it assumes that your instructions are correct and proceeds to carry them out quickly and efficiently. This means·, of course, that you have to dial the number you want in a correct manner or you will probably not obtain the result you are expecting. "It's easy to use the dial telephone," P. C. Westrope, Bell Telephone manager here, said this week, "but there are certain errors which crop up frequently enough that they are worth drawing to the attention of telephone users generally at this time." Here are some pointers about how to guard against these mistakes: 1. Wait for the dial tone. Like the "number, please" of the manual system, the dial tone is the equipment's way of telling you it is ready to take your call. Normally, it is heard on the line almost immediately after you lift the re­ ceiver. However, sometimes when an unusual number of calls are being placed the tone may not be heard for several seconds. If you begin to dial before you hear the tone, some of the signals sent out by the turning dial may not be transmitted to the switching equipment and a wrong number or no connection at all can result. 2. Allow the dial to spin back by itself. Don't leave your finger in the slot or attempt to hurry the dial back. T he dial is arranged to return automatically at the speed needed to pass along the information to the dial equipment properly. If the motion is interfered with, you may ob­ tain a wrong number. 3. Dial each figure carefully. Be especially careful not to transpose figures. If you are not certain of the number, look it up and jot it down where it will be available for future use. W hen Fort Erie's dial telephone system goes into operation on Sunday, long distance charges on calls between Fort Erie and. Stevensville will no longer apply, P. C. Westrope, Bell Telephone manager here, reminded subscribers today. "To reach a Stevensville telephone from Fort Erie, all you need to do is dial the full seven­ digit number of the telephone you are trying to reach," Mr. Westrope said. "It is important to remember that you must dial the complete number. This is also true for Stevensville sub­ scribers who wish to call a telephone in Fort Erie." Removal of long distance charges on calls placed between the Fort Erie and Stevensvill exchanges is part of the Bell company's Exten ed Area Service ( EAS) plan which eliminates toll charges between exchanges among which, according to surveys, a strong community of interest has developed. • out a route through the idle tracks and then throws the levers which witc�es to:�per�te. The� he gi:v es a BEFORE THE NEW dial telephone system could be introduced here, operators had to be trained on the new long distance switchboards. Although the Direct Distance Dialing service will handle the majority of station-to-station lo ng distance calls, operators will continue to connect person-to-person and other types of to II calls. Here, Mrs. Lela Benner is seen instruct­ ing Miss Ruth Merredith (left) and Mrs. Margaret Gull in the operation of the new equipment. �DIAL SEVEN FIGURES Continued from page 6 to most telephones in North America. To make DDD service possible, Canada and the U.S. have been divided into areas, with each area igned a three-digit code number. Under the o-letter, five-figure numbering plan, there s a danger of running out of code numbers since only a relatively limited number of exchange designations could be assigned to each area. This meant that more area code numbers would be required. With the introduction of ANC, which greatly increases the number of exchange designations, it will be possible to allot more telephones to each area thus reducing the drain on available area code numbers. • THESE MILES OF WIRE in the old manual exchange will be cut out of operation early Sunday when Fort Erie's new dial telephone system goes into service. Fred Henderson, cen­ tral office man, checks a connection to make ·sure that good service is maintained by the old equipment up to the moment the new equipment starts functioning. FORT ERIE'S MANUAL telephone exchange building, shown here, will fall silent early Sund morning as the last operator-connected local call is completed. The long distance switchbo is located on the ground floor of this building while the old local switchboards and equi ment room are situated upstairs. The power equipment for the exchange is in the baseme Telephone users in Fort Erie were asked this week to co-operate in ensuring that the open­ ing of the new dial office here is completed smoothly. Customers have been asked not to place "curiosity" or unnecessary calls at or near cut­ over time. The switchover will be made at about 2 a. Sunday- a time when the volume of calls ing handled by the exchange is relatively lig A few minutes before that time, operators the old manual exchange will ask persons pl ing calls to call a few minutes later, using t dial. CONTINUOUS SINCE 1900 PHONE 23 �i 'fIMES-REVIEW·"DIAL DAY" . . SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER,'1960 on December 31, 1954. Catherine Fraser, chief operator, is shown here briefing Eileen Pearce, Anna-Marie Erdman and Phyllis Horton. and is a graduate of Memorial School and the Robinson Business College. Miss Saturley joined the Bell as an operator in her home town in 1945. She was promoted to junior supervisor in 1947 and two years later � money is to be refunded she operates the "re­ turn" key. If money is to be collected, the "col­ lect" key is operated and the money drops into the coin box. When you call Long Distance from a public �of the telephone system maintained at all times. escen nt of Beacon Flre �Erie's new dial ex­ PPLIED POWER to Fort THE COMMERCIALLY-SU phone equipment in tele the le whi type ting change is of the alterna made by generators ct current. The change is the building requires dire generators operate at e storage batteries. The which are linked to thes Storage Batteries Supply Power for ·New Exchange rge level in the batt keep the required cha the correct speed to they are ready fo t tha see to checked Here, they are being required to kee be will n their services moment on Sunday whe ng. operati Erie's dial telephones Compliments of �10.. . . . Allgle>-Amerlcan Hotel, FORT ERIE 19-:B . Barnhart, :B07., Residen c e 13... �.Boal, 1. B., Wh ol esale Li qu ors 254 .. �Dr , . • . �eei<lence . . . . . . Cra11, '.II. Y.., ResiJcnce . . . Da"t'iB, F. E., R csitl c o c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . � . . • . . . . Niagara St . . . .. . . . . . • . • . .. • . • • . so.. . . . J>ougl&a, Dr.• Wm., l'hysician 20--B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . • . . . . . z-t•. • . W. E. Huot, Prop . Walnut St Nia�"3 ra St Lake Sb�rt.' Goollrjch St .• . . . . . . . . • . Niagara St Ca t her in e St . . . . . . . . . . • • . . • . . . . EXCHANGE 21 ..... Matthews, B. F., �Y .. Macintosh, 11-Y . ;/.� u. A., Rcsi<lcnc� :��;.,.� . . . Fergna� ,_,.� J� . . . . . . . . . . . Percy C. Westrope, Bell Telephone manager in Fort Erie, has been active in the telephone industry here for 30 years. Mr. Westrope attended elementary and sec­ ondary schools in St. T homas, Ont. Before en­ tering the telephone business, he spent nine years with the Michigan Central Railroad com­ ing to For-r Erie as locomotive fireman. Mr. Westrope joined the Welland County Telephone Company here in 1930 and from then until 1955 when the Bell Telephone Com­ pany assumed responsibility for providing tele-...__phone service in Fort Erie, he served as account­ ant, chief clerk and manager. At the time of the sale of the Welland Coun­ ty Telephone Company to the Bell in 1955, Mr. Westrope became Bell manager here. Mr. Westrope is a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, St. Catharines branch, the Rotary Club, the Masonic Order and is treasurer of the Fort Erie Boy Scour Association. . 11-G. . Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada H F . . Wm., • • • }:ric Beach RcsiJence . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . ._ • • . . . . • . . . . • . . . . . . . . • • • . • • . • . . . . . Q ueen St Bertie St �iagara �t Arcban'gc St Resi<l enc e .....................William St . . . . • • . • . • . • • • . �!> 1*684 N i agar a 8t Niagara St Wm� Butch er 15-G . • Krdt, Wm., D ai ry . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . ; ....Creacoot Beach . . • . . . • . . .• . . • . . . Crescent Beach J.6.Y Krdt, Geo., Farm 7• . . . . Kohl, Commissioner . Rev., Resi\lencc • . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . . . • . • . ... . . William Bt Xingar1& St �jagnra St . . . . . . . . . . • . . • . . . . . . . . 4-Y .. Powell, John, DecoratL•r 12-Y . Plato, C. E., .Bakt�r . .12-B; . Plato, Henry, 12-G .. Plato, .. . . .. • . . • . • . • • • • . . . • . . . . . , • . . . � . . . • Jo Bertie Waterloo IU • • • • •• • • • �sit.lf'nte �North St . . • . . • . . . • . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. IN CASE OF UNSATISFACTORY SERVICE notify the . • . . . • . • . . • . . . • . . . . . . • D. N., Rt.>si•.lence • . . . . . . . • • . ·.: • . . • , • . • . . � ; P•y :� a. � � P. Matthews,·Agr.ot ..,,, �" I'"' es d e c e 15-B .�,- .Wilaon, · · · ! · · ·, a.a R · i Niagara St · · · · · · · . Buti!her . . • ., W. J., . . . . . . . 16. . . . Porpedo, Bartholomew, .Fruit Dealer........PrineeH St . JO• ....,... .Hant, W. B., RcsillencC' . . • . • . 28• . . . . BaJJDOnd & Rose, n c s•.. 4-R ... Stantc..n._I;_ Clark, Re :::i id L' n (' c 6 . .. . . . Shepherd, Mn. W. J., l�O .. 8hialer, W., 31 .. . .. 1\esideill'e . . • . . . .. . • . . . . �. Grocer .. . . . · . . . . . . . . . Oeor1e, ;"iJ,·�te, Eric Beacll Niagara & \\'atCrloo St . . . . . . . • . . . . . . • . Queen . • . . . . • . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . • 8ower1b7, E., <.:ontrador U\lt.l �uihfor. • . • 17.. . . .'i'a7lor, Rcsi,Jeoee �onh 8$ :-liapta .. . . . . . . • . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . So i itor l . Bertie 8' • . • A r ch anee a.. . . . . . . . .•• . • . • • • . . H.F. Harvey • . • • • • • • • St Queen St • •• • • • Stanton St Niapn. St ral .Manager or Superintendant; T THIS WELL-USED CARD list Gf early Fort Erie c ustomers was distributed by the Welland County Telephone Company towards the end of 1907. Mr. H. F. Ferguson, the Bell's agent, evidently subscribed to both phones. BRIDGEBURG EXCHANGE 33-X� .Anger, C., .Reshlenc·r. . • : • . . • • • • • . • • • • • . • • . . . Emrir.k Avo 1 34-X . . Miller, Mrs. E. K., Rosewood (lion Farni.'. . • . . City Line 42-D . Anthony, Wm., :Parm ....:. • . • • . . . • • • • • • . . • . . • . . City Linc 45-F . . McMillan, Jaa., Residence • . . . • . • • . • • . • • • • . • Niagar11. Jct. 41 •. :. 12. . . . Atwood, Jno._ H., Fnruihrr(' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dufferin St St · :a., Pbyaician . • . . • • • • . . • . • , .. Jar\"io 26..... American Express C o., !IL C. R. Depot • . Con,.twright St . . . 7·Y . . Beam, Michael, Rrsi•len!'e., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kl:mrk :% 3�-G . . Beasley, Ira., R es i d t•ne t' . . • . . . . ..• . . . . . • . • • . . . . . 8hip;o.·ar<I� 20..... Bell, Misa L. M., Instrul't0r of :M:usir: . . . • . . . ·l<lat1t·k Rt . 19-R . Biggins, Wm., Rt·�i,tlenc<' . . . • • . .. • . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . Phi pp 28 . . . . . Brldgeburg :Bev!ew, Pl"i n t or s ...................Jarvis 49-R . . Briggs, T. J., Pail).'ter Hn1l Dl·<-orator...........Tan· is 38-Y..Bapihait, Solomo?.; '.t'<�ntractor ..... : . . . . • . . . . Gilmore 14• . . . . Canadian 34-R . . Can&:dian 1R�e CC!rimes·leviero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .Ban1a0n, Charles B., Resi de nc e . Blsted, . . . . . • . • . . . . 'I•. • . . Hawley, ·a . . ... W. Tel. Co., Anglo-American Oipac. 8., R esi <le nc e · . . . · · · · · · 2:1:-··· . �, PERCY C. WESTROPE . l(,".•ll �·•i•w Prjntin'! ("�., l\,;o)!'"h'�'�- \ . Niagara St B. F., Departmental Store . . . . 12•B . . Plato, Emenon, Dairy ........... , ............Bertie St 10•. • . . 0. N. 6 .•. • • . Plumber Nye, Albert, :Mason . . . �:.-.Us, Geo., 14 ..... Llghthea.rt, 45-U. . eustomB:- ��\'(>TlllllC'Dt Bldg . lig Co., �hip,,·:1nls . Shipbuil tf.\ �veraux, Jacob, l''artn . . . 16-G . .'Emerick, Henry, i"illage. Clerk • . • . . . . . • . . . 19-Y. .Edward.JI, John, R('si1l('nt·€.'. . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . • 7-X Finlay� Sames. . . . . • . . . . . . • . • . . . . . . . . . i Rt·si1lenr.� St St St J;uTis St . . . . . Milh·r's Jkty . . . . St . . . . fhHn�n Ro:nl ,l\iHgnra Rt . . . . Phipp St <'n11 .. tt, 1·i<Jht �t -�'i, ��-.! 4�X NUgeD.t,�.: �esi<lence • . • "\ ·· · Sh1py11rd Bowe n Road . . • • • • • •• • •• • • • . . 4-·A..Nye , Abel, }arm . . . . • . . • • . . . . • . . . . .• . . . • • . . P 48 ... .. e ttit, G. B., Lawyer, Office . • • • . _ • • . . • • . . . . . . :Jarvis "1·6-Y . . Perrett, Tbos., Hcsi<lcnco . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Won.-\ 19-G . . Philp, Wm., D.P.r.orat.or . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... •· . , • . • • • Crook 40 .• . . . rov. Natural Gas Oo., Oas H<l\'80 • • • . • • • • • • • • • Jarvie P J 23.. . . . Bev!ew Printing Oo., F.. W. o l t n •ton, jr., Mgr: .Jarvia 32. . . . . RobinROn, Ch�les, Res denc e • . • . � . . • • • • • • . . Duftcriu 17..... R ose , F. A., Rl'�idi:>nce • . ; . . • . • . . . • . . . • • . • • • . • . . Phipp 15.. . . . Royal House, \Vm, Johm�ton, Prop . • . . . •.. • . . Niagnra i . . Smith, S. C., RrRidcne.e . . Sherk, Arthur·, Oroc:er . . Scott, D. A.; Ronr1ling House . 35-Y 31..: :14-Y 43-Y 1')7_f'1 8t St St St St St lnrYi.a 8t St • . . . . • . . .. . • . • . . • . • • . • .• . . . . . . . . . . . . . .• . St St . Scott, C. N., J�e�i1lf'11t'-n . . . . 1:1+ .... 1.. �..... n .... :.1���� . . . . .. � . . • . . . .•Tan·is . ...... ... • • . • • . . . . . , ..... Shipynrd • . . . . . . CoAy Dell 1.")1.:� •• "1• �N O A Credit To The Town SuNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, the Bell Telephone Company is l6cated on the lower floor. For the ladies, also, a locker roo will introduce the dial telephone to Fort Erie and and powder bar. • Stevensville with the added feature of direct distance In the operations room there is something new in �spectacular wrong niatnbers may result from careless dialing. "For example," he said, ''if a person makes a slip in dialing the . 5 14 area code number �-· · placing a call to Montreal, and dials 5 12 instea · of st11tion - to station calls to some' 50,000,­ hones .in North America possible starting Sunday fot Fort Erie telephone vidual or two-party service. a.m.. Sunday, the "crossbar uipment, which makes the �sible, will start operating in ��D.e Company's new building on � · · �en on, Fort Erie telephone users will �P. dial lolig distance calls to telephones ]ority of medium and large size towns Canada and the United States. At time, ·this · community will be brought DDD range of all telephones in other in North America which can now be place long distance calls by direct diales in , it will be possible to dial only calls with DDD and these charged fot at normal station- to -station ter on, the service will be expanded to o-station person-to-person calls. All other types will be placed through operators as at estrope, Bell Telephone manager here, t the introduction of DDD �urning and the Un i te d States into one vast e e exGhange. this new long distance service can be effect, each telephone involved in the etwoi;k must be assigned a unique num­ s is necessary, he explained, because the switching equipment must be able to y one of the 50,000,000 telephones that r wishes to reach. . et this requirement, the telephone com.­ oughout the two countries which are ting · to provide the continen t-wide rvice _have adopted a uniform numberthis plan, the two countries have been nto more th;in 100 "Numbering Plan ach N.P.A. has a different three digit ber. Fort Erie is in the 416 N.P.A. lephone has been, or is being, assigned r consistin g of seven figures or, in s, of two-letters and five figures. ally, all telephone numbers will con­ en figures and no letters. ) f"p) p.nhnn .i::l c.o ... .. .. ... ... T'f,..; t, .; ""' l\.T -1- :_ nL -. and the number. seven digits of the Miami telephone Many of these N.P.A. codes are contained in the introductory pages of the telephone direct­ · ory and in the Direct Di s tance Dialing folder recently mailed to all Bell customers in Fort Erie. l! )))) )))) )))))))))))) )))) A DDD Reminder SUBSCRIBERS were re­ minded by P. C. Westrope, Bell Telephone manager here, that the Direct Distance Dialing _service which will be introduced in Fort Erie Sunday will apply only to station-to-station long distance calls. "All other types of toll calls will be placed through the long distance operator," he said. "These include person-to-person, collect and credit card calls as well as those placed from public telephones. Also, calls on which the per­ son placing the call wishes to know the charges as soon as he is finished will continue to go through the long distance operator as will those calls which are being charged to a third tele­ phone." Mr. Westrope said that it will not be too long until person-to-person calls will also be handled on a DDD basis. "If you do not know the number of the tele­ phone you wish to reach in a community to which a DDD call can be placed, simply dial the long distance operator ( dial 'O') and ask her for 'Information' in the distant centre. She will connect you with the Information operator there and you can then obtain the telephone number." The Bell manager said that it was most im­ portant on DDD calls to make sure that the dialing was done correctly. He pointed out that ELEPHONE he w ill reach a telephone in Texas." »»>»>»»»»»»»>:. NATION'S LIFE RICHER continued from page 4 . � L • smaller and neater telephones which operated more efficiently with no bam,!ries to run down. A common battery system was first installed by the Bell Telephone Company at Ottawa in 1900. Instead of turning the crank to signal the operator, the caller merely lifted the receiver. This caused a small lamp to glow on the switch­ board. The operator - by this time girls were almost universally employed - then plugged in her set on his line and said, "Number? " A s local service improved technically, s o did the range of transmission for long distance. By 1no people could telephone anywhere in the United States or Canada. The dial era was then on the horizon. Actual­ ly, dial telephones had bee.n conceived much earlier and several systems had been tried out, but as a definite period in telephone develop­ ment the dial system really began to be intro­ duced widel)' in Canada in the early 1920's. Toronto's GRover exchange, opened in 1924, was the Bell's first dial system office. Since then, the dial system has been gradually replacing the manual system in most large cities, and by 193 3 small dial systems had been developed for rural communities. Improvement followed improvement, bo in transmission and in equipment. The h telephone was introduced in 1927, and later the modern combined set embodying in the base of the telephone itself all the equipment that formerly was contained in a separate bell-box. Meanwhile, the telephone industry had been employing many more thousands of Canadians. By its very progress it had affected the business and social life of the country, making it richer. O I L H E AT has been chosen by Bell_(or the NEW DIAL EXCHANGE BUILDING · · �No Dust I H[UMAN • . . Dial Equ ipment inspected regu larly in Air Conditioned Bu ilding SKILL, knowledge and a high degree of efficiency are needed to operate and maintain even the most ingenious mechanical devices. T he dial telephone is no exception. Although all local calls in Fort Erie will be connected without the aid of an operator start­ ing Sunday, many human hands and eyes will be at work behind the scenes to provide smooth and efficient service under the new system. Bell craftsmen - always on the look-out for trouble - will inspect the equipment regularly. T heir duties consist of checking, testing, clean­ ing, repairing or replacing parts. When trouble occurs an alarm signal is flashed automatically i:o the repairman who will rush to the spot and clear the trouble, usually within a few minutes. T he first and most deadly enemy of dial equipment is dirt. Even a small speck of dust will interfere with a connection, causing noise or poor reception or even preventing a call from going through. For this reason a dial equipment room is always air conditioned to keep dust away from the delicate mechanisms. As a further precaution, the floor is never swept. Any housewife knows how much dust a broom can raise. T he caretaker at the ex­ change knows it too, and will mop the floor with damp cloths to avoid raising dust that might cause serious telephone troubles. T he switchman goes through the aisles be­ tween the rows of switches testing for possible trouble. Before each switch he pauses, makes a connection and dials a number. A flashing light on his testing device tells him if his switch is responding properly to the dial. If it isn't, the C ASE ANYTHING SHO U LD HAPPE N to disrupt the supply of mmercial electrical current to the new dial exchange, this diesel power plant would take over the job of providing the necessary trouble is quickly sought and put right. Q tests ensure that the dial tone, the ringing ' and busy signal are functioning properly. In another section of the building, fra men will service the thousands of soldered minals that connect the dial apparatus and telephone lines. Power-men who check and service stor batteries, charging equipment and the po board ensure a constant and correct distribu , of the vital electrical current. T he charg equipment goes into action automatically w the volume of telephone calls increases switches off when only a small amount of e tricity is being used. Dial equipment works like magic, but i the human touch behind it that makes it do electricity. Although telephone equipment requires direct current, ot parts of the building, such as the lighting and heating syste operate on alternating equipment. �CHIEF OPERATOR AT THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT, MR . E. DEMERY, GIVES ADVICE TO OPERATORS ON TH SWITCHBOARD. OPERATORS NO LONGER USE DIALS T MAKE A CALL, INSTEAD NUMBERS ARE "KEY PULSED" WITH BUTTONS MARKED IN THE SAME WAY AS TH DIAL ON THE TELEPHONES � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louis McDermott Collection Subject The topic of the resource Local history, Fort Erie and surrounding area. Description An account of the resource A collection of historical documents, photos, news clippings, letters, and writings, assembled by local historian, Louis McDermott, and donated to the Fort Erie Public Library. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Louis McDermott Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived FEPL-LH -Louis McDermott Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Included in this collection are writings, historical documents, news clippings, images, maps, and more. They were written and compiled by Louis McDermott into a series of binders. The digital collection has been scanned from these physical copies. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fort Erie Public Library and Louis McDermott Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A Credit to the Town Description An account of the resource Listed here is a document titled "A Credit to the Town" about Fort Erie's new dial exchange building. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Louis McDermott Historical Collection Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource December 1960. Fort Erie Louis Mcdermott Collection undated