Transcribed from the Belmont Dispatch, November 21, 1902.
BELMONT’S TELEPHONE SYSTEM
Increases From 4 to 215 Since Its Organization
Seven years ago in the Village of Belmont a few business men organized a company and connected their residences with telephones, putting in four telephones in all. Since then that organization has developed into the Citizens’ Telephone Company. At present the company has [350] miles of wire and 215 telephone connections covering the vicinities of Scio, Philip’s Creek Withey, Ward, Baker Factory. Middaugh Hill and Belvidere in addition to Belmont. Under the direction of its efficient officers W.P. Clark, president, H. A. Barney, vice president; James H. Anderson, manager and Dr. W. J. Hardy, Treasure there has been $9,000 invested, the operations at the central office require the services of three persons, and five are at work all the time on the lines. New lines have been completed to Scio and the patrons there now have the benefit of the night and Sunday service.
Since the consolidation of the two companies, The Belmont and the Citizens, the service has been much improved, enabling any patrons to talk direct from his own home, to any point in the United States. The greater satisfaction given the people since their consolidation shows that competition is not always a success for the union of the two companies enables them to do a business of greater extent with no additional expense and thus their patrons are given the opportunity of much greater range of service with no more cost. This great development from the little company of four in a few years illustrates the enterprise which has always characterized Allegany’s villages and the telephone which was ranked as an [coveted?] luxury has become an absolute necessity to every business man and to many households.