We all take for granted our telephones today, with hardly a thought on how they came into being. Early attempts at transmitting sound resulted in the speaking tube and the tightly stretched string used in the tin-can-type toy telephone.

Many inventors worked on the problem of an electric telephone, and on February 14, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray both filed applications in the U.S. Patent Office describing a similar method of transmitting sounds by means of electricity. A patent was issued to Bell on March 7, 1876, which, after many long and very expensive legal battles, was finally upheld by the Supreme Court. Thus Bell is considered the inventor of the modern telephone.

The telephone as we know it today still operates on the same principle. [Ed. note from 2024: No it doesn’t.] But the telephone instrument in the home and office has changed through many models in the last forty years. By 1893 the Bell patent expired, and all those who wished could make their own telephones, using the principles developed by Bell. However, there were so many variations invented that frequently they did not work when connected on the same line or to the Bell system lines. Private lines had to be maintained privately, which obviously made for problems.

As a small boy I remember that the boy across the street and I stretched a string with tin cans fastened to each end and we thought we had telephones. I don’t remember if they ever worked. I guess we thought they did. I also remember the telephone my folks had when I was very small. It was a magneto type instrument powered by two 1½ volt dry cell batteries inside a wooden oak box on the wall. There were two bells near the top, a receiver hanging on the left side and a mouth piece sticking out about eight inches in the front. A small crank on the right side had to be turned when the receiver was raised and central or operator would ask for the number you wished to call. The operator would ring that number and you would hear all the receivers on the line being raised. The people on the party line could listen in so you avoided telling any thing you did not want heard by all.

One day my family went to visit a relative near a large city and were told that all they had to do was to lift their receiver and the operator would ask for the number (no crank). My folks could hardly believe this newest invention.

Eureka

The Eureka Telephone Exchange was established on April 1, 1884, with a 20- jack board and was located on Second Street between E and F streets. Albert Edward McLarin and his brother, Louis McLarin, were the operators, repairmen and installers, with James F. Coonan as manager. There were fifteen lines connected to the switchboard. It is not known where the first telephone was installed in Eureka. There were five private lines a few years prior to this date. Some of the charter subscribers of the Eureka Exchange were The Bank of Eureka, H.H. Buhne Company, W.M. Burrill, P. Delaney, John U. Haltinner, F.F. Georgeson, Dr. H.G. Gross, L.F. Puter, Dr. T.L. Loofburrow and Denver Sevier.

In 1890 the Sunset Telephone Company, with A.E. McLaren as manager, had about 40 miles of telephone lines. These lines were being improved daily. John Vance had about 30 miles of telephone lines and Z. Russ and Sons controlled about 40 miles of telephone lines.

On April 1, 1890, a 24-hour service was started in the Eureka Exchange and a 50-jack board was added to the switchboard with a total of 27 subscribers. Night service was for doctors and hospitals only. Night calls rang an electric bell at central, the operator, jumped out of bed to answer, stepped on an electric mat, making contact with a gas burner, which lit the office.

On October 1, 1895, Eureka Exchange changed from magneto to express system, using a common battery. When installed, it consisted of a primary gravity type cell composed of an electrode (negative) and a zinc electrode placed in a glass jar immersed in a solution of water and crystals of copper (blue stone). Within a few months these were replaced with storage, lead-acid batteries.

When A.E. McLaren began working for the Sunset Telephone Company in 1890, he dug holes and put up poles. The butts of the poles were burnt and tarred in those days to prevent decay. This work was done where the poles were stored on the south side of Sixth Street between F and G streets, where the Savings and Loan Company is today. They painted the first poles and strung wires.

In order to save poles, they would ask permission to fasten wires to a barn shed or tank tower. Care was taken not to do any damage, because they realized if any damage was done the wire would be ordered taken off. McLaren would work on the poles and lines up to a certain hour, then go out and collect accounts. Clerical work was done at night and some equipment would be taken home Saturdays and repaired.

By 1894 there were 194 telephones serviced by the Eureka Exchange. In 1890 McLaren opened his first office in a back room of the Long Block and on December 1, 1891, he moved to a front room of the Long Block. In November, 1892, the office moved to the Buhne Block, at 217 G Street, upstairs. A new switchboard was installed. On August 1, 1900, the office moved downstairs at 217 G Street to a room formerly occupied by Belcher and Crane Company.

Outside Connections

Realizing the importance of having outside connections, arrangements were made with the following private line owners: Flanigan and Brosman Company line running from their mill in Eureka to Bayside, Harpst and Spring shingle mill between Bayside and Arcata and the Harpst and Spring General Merchandise store in Arcata.

Added later were the Bayside Quarries and O.E. Hansen’s shingle mill at Walkers Point. This line connected with the Arcata Central and the Arcata R.R. Co. was connected to the Arcata Central. They received free switching to Eureka for the use of their lines. A fee was charged to the public for the use of same. This line was connected with the following points; Arcata Wharf, Arcata Depot, P.A. Gaynor, Janes Creek, Warren Creek, Glendale, Blue Lake and Korbel.

The Excelsior Redwood Company line connected with their store and camps. Elk River Mill and Lumber Company, Bucksport Wharf, Elk River Round House, Mr. Wrigley’s residence and mill store. A tariff was charged to points beyond the wharf. The Russ line connected Russ market in Eureka: Slaughter house in Eureka: Fields Landing Market; DeHaven Ranch near Salmon Creek; Singley’s Station; Russ, Early, and Williams Store in Ferndale; Fern Cottage; and Mazeppa Ranch. The Eel River and Eureka Railroad Company line serviced the freight depot, ticket office, freight office, C.L. Rose residence, machine shops. South Bay depot, wharf, and these stations located in south bay: Beatrice, Loleta (then known as Swauger’s), Singleys, Fortuna, Rohnerville, Alton, Junction and Burnells. The Pacific Lumber Company line connected with a three-jack board at Alton. Everyone located outside Eureka, or the public at large was charged a toll to telephone over these lines to Eureka. The receipts were turned over monthly to the Sunset Company.

In September, 1898, a long distance jack was added to the Eureka board in order to take care of the San Francisco Line which was completed during the fair week in September. Mrs. A.E. McLaren had the honor of being the first person to talk by telephone from Eureka to San Francisco. The hookup being made over the way-line to Alton.

The first conversation between New York and San Francisco was made January 25, 1915.

It was 1929 before the President of the United States, Herbert Hoover, had a telephone placed on his desk in the White House.

In October 1895, the Sunset Telephone Company had an agreement with the Eel River and Eureka Railroad to allow Sunset to build a pole line along the rail right-of-way. The line was a 172-pound copper circuit strung on an eight-pin arm. Half the cost was paid by the railroad and they had exclusive use of one half the arm. The poles used in the line cost $1.75 each at the McKay Company yard. The telephone company had use of the road for repairs and the railroad did not charge for the transporting of poles.

In 1892 when this job was done, a single copper circuit to Arcata was built. In September, 1895, this copper line was changed to a No. 12 iron wire strung for a way station. In 1890 Arcata had a central station located in A.F. Duprey’s Drugstore. Communications were then open by telephone to Arcata Wharf, Janes Creek, Warren Creek, Glendale, Blue Lake, Riverside, North Fork and to any of the business houses in Eureka. In 1896 the Sunset Eureka Directory listed Arcata as having nine subscribers. In 1905 Skinner Duprey was still the agent at 9th and H streets with 225 subscribers. Mr. Brownell was an operator.

In 1911, the central moved to the Seidell Apartments, where it remained until the dial conversion. In 1925 Arcata had 548 subscribers. In 1930 Arcata had 652 subscribers. The rapid growth of Arcata and the McKinleyville area necessitated the conversion to dial. On March 17,1956, Arcata Main converted with 2,971 stations and the old office on the plaza was discontinued.

Fortuna

In 1866 Fortuna was known as Slide and then the community decided to change the name to Springville, but the government would not permit this because there was another Springville in California. On June 17, 1888, the name Fortuna was established. During 1880- 1884 the first telephones were installed in Fortuna on a private line of the Eel River Valley Lumber Company, owned by E.J. Dodge Lumber Company. The line connected the mill at Newburg to a three-jack board at Alton Depot. The three-jack board connected with a private line at Russ Aggelers Store in Ferndale and that line had phones at Grizzly Bluff and in Waddington.

In September, 1895, the Sunset Company completed a pole line along the railroad to Fortuna. The first switchboard was placed in the Fortuna Merchandising Store at 11th and Main streets. It had a six-cord position with a hand receiver and the transmitter hung on an arm above the operator.

In 1898 the Pacific Lumber Company gave Sunset a right-of-way along their railroad from Alton, for their long distance line to San Francisco. This line was built through Usai, and finally gave Briceland and Garberville service along with other small communities in the southern part of the county.

In October, 1898, Sunset built its own line to Newburg and in February, 1899, the firm built its own line to Ferndale via East Ferry, Grizzly Bluff and Waddington. A new 12-cord switchboard was installed, with a night alarm so that the night operator was able to sleep.

In July, 1899, Sunset extended its line from Alton to Scotia. In November, 1900, the line was extended from Alton to Hydesville and in 1901 the line from Hydesville to Carlotta was added. In May, 1905, the Sunset directory shows the Fortuna Mercantile Company as agent with 94 subscribers.

By 1895 Sunset Company completed a copper line to Ferndale, relieving the private lines from Eureka. The Russ line was still a private line and there were two circuits serving the Cape Ranch and Ocean House. The Cape Ranch line used batteries and served Bear River as well as Mazeppa. The Ocean House line extended into Petrolia, which was serviced by Citizen’s Utilities. Ferndale subscribers had formed a local company affiliated with the Home Telephone Company, with main offices in San Francisco. It later went bankrupt.

In May, 1903, the Home Telephone Company became the property of Sunset Telephone Company after a meeting of the shareholders who decided to sell out. The price was in the neighborhood of $5,000. The Home Telephone Company had in its system about 150 telephones and practically controlled all of the valley country; its lines running to Fortuna, Alton, Rohnerville, Loleta, Grizzly Bluff, Waddington, Centerville and Cock Robin Island.

The old switchboard, which operated for many years in Ferndale, is at the Clarke Museum, along with several types of telephones, representing the different time periods. This board has 32 jacks, but it handled many more than 32 subscribers because each line serviced up to ten persons in Ferndale. Mrs. Delma Swain said that when she began working for the telephone company in 1924, there were still eight to ten farmer lines connected to the Fortuna Exchange alone. A fee of $5 yearly was charged for each family on a private line. The original fee for joining a private line to the central office was $35. It was later lowered to $20 and the customer paid the yearly fee and maintained the line and equipment.

Loleta

Loleta, once known by the name of Swauger’s, became the 151st telephone exchange in California in 1899. In early 1903 the citizens of Loleta, numbering between 25 and 30, met in the town hall and decided upon the organization of an independent telephone company. E. Erickson was elected president, Bert Van Duzer, secretary, and Robert Dickson, treasurer.

The Independent Telephone Company found out, as did other independent companies, that the telephone business was becoming more and more competitive and telephones more expensive and harder to repair. Thus, this company joined the Sunset Company within two years. E.A. Wells was Sunset agent. The office was located in front of the local drugstore, which later became the post, office. There were five subscribers in the 1899 directory: The Diamond Springs Creamery; Eel River Saloon and Livery Stable, Charles Barri proprietor; Dr. Curtis Falk; The Humboldt Condensed Milk Company; and the Loleta Hotel, N. Jackson Proprietor. Service for Loleta was improved shortly after in 1901 when an iron circuit was installed from Singleys to Eureka.

Hydesville

Hydesville became the 132nd exchange in California at the turn of the 20th century. The telephone exchange was operated in the back part of Beckwith Store. By November, 1900, a line from Alton to Hydesville was completed and the first and only subscriber for many years was Dr. C. Jergensen. It is evident that he used the switchboard for his personal answering service, since there were no other lines. This switchboard also had a swinging transmitter and a hand receiver; it was later moved into private homes.

Rohnerville

Rohnerville, the oldest town in Eel Valley area, was connected by Sunset in 1895. It was listed as the “Outlying Area” in the directories of 1896 and 1899. Four subscribers (no agent mentioned) were the E.B. Loring Drugstore; The Rohn Stables, Frank Austin Proprietor; B.M. McNiell Furniture Company; and Mrs. M. Van Sickle Boarding Stable.

Trinidad

Trinidad, alphabetically the last of the “larger” outlying districts, had one of the oldest, privately owned telephone lines. In the early 1880s, as mentioned previously, the enterprising John Kearns had constructed a line for the Excelsior Redwood Company. In 1898 the Sunset Company completed a copper circuit to relieve that line.

Somewhere during these years, the Sunset installers and linemen earned a couple of nicknames, such as the “Shiners” and the “Sundowners,” apparently the choice of nicknames depended on whether or not the service was deemed satisfactory. However, the names remained popular as long as the Sunset name was used.

One trip, what Dan Villa called a typical day of a toll-line repairman on a trouble-shooting trip to Bridgeville went like like:

First he took the train to Fortuna, then he went to Johnson’s Livery Stable and hired a horse and buggy. He made Carlotta about noon and had lunch at the Carlotta Hotel, then went driving on to Strong’s Station, watered his horse there, and proceeded on to Rodger’s Resort (just a few miles from Bridgeville, short of Swain’s place). He stayed there overnight, and continued the following morning to Bridgeville, clearing up any trouble. He drove back to Strong’s for lunch, arrived in Fortuna late that evening, stayed there overnight and then took the train back to Eureka.

Blue Lake

Blue Lake had been served only by private lines until 1888. Sunset’s public station, first located in Moulton’s Drugstore, which was purchased by C.C. Lasley who apparently insisted that the telephone go with the store.

Old-timers in the area recalled seeing the upright switchboard in the Worthington Store as late as 1905, still in use. There were no seats in front of it, the clerk on duty merely answered a call along with regular work. Customers only received service during store hours. At that time stores remained open 10 hours a day.

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The story above is from the November-December 1988 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.