June 5, 2017
You are reading “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical
Society.
Today, most
of us have cell phones. We are able to
make calls from almost anywhere, search the internet, check our Facebook pages,
post pictures, use many different apps to get special deals on items we may
want to purchase, play video games, word games and use our phones for many
other uses.
However, in
1905, on the east side of Junction City, the farm telephone lines were just nearing
completion in June. Manager Tom Dorn of
the Wareham Dewey Exchange informed the “Junction City Daily Union” newspaper
that he would be connecting the lines as soon as arrangements could be made and
the materials could be laid out on the ground. (By the way, Thomas Dorn was also
one of the early managers of the Opera House in Junction City). The connecting lines cost the Telephone
Company about $75 to $100 per mile. The
lines going to Alida connected with all those to the north and northeast and
part of Dickinson County, which made it the longest connecting line in the
area. The farmers and townspeople had to
pay a toll of 15 cents per use. With the
completion of the eastern lines, there would be few points in any area within
25 miles of Junction City that could not be reached by telephone.
Just think
how far we have come since 1905 with the ability to call almost anywhere in the
world from our house, business or even while traveling in our car. Simply amazing!!!
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