Newspapers / The Cherokee Scout (Murphy, … / Oct. 1, 1964, edition 1 / Page 16
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}? _ VVWBW >, IJM WXlV, Tall Oaks From Little Acorns Grow WESTCO TELEPHONE COMPANY ? ? - 1 I Congratulates The Cherokee Scout On Its 75th Anniversary L. J. PHILLIPS, District Manager History . . . The Western Carolina Telephone Company was incorporated Septem ber 24, 1924. In 1927, through acquisitions and mergers, the BrysonCity Telephone Company, Jackson County Telephone Company and Rabun County Tele phone Company were added to the Western Carolina system. The Highlands Telephone Co. was purchased in 1928, Cullowhee Tele phone Company in 1932, Hayesville Telephone Company in 1951, Carolina Mountain Telephone Com pany in 1952, and The Weaverville Electric Company in 1952. The Murphy Telephone Exchange was bought from Southern Bell in 1952, Fontana Exchange in 1954, Robbinsville Telephone Exchange in 1956, Old Fort Telephone Company in 1961, and Andrews Telephone Company in 1962. On July 1, 1962, Western Carolina Telephone Company formed a sub sidiary company called Westco Telephone Company, which is com posed of 15 telephone exchanges. The parent company has 11 ex changes. In 1953, the company had a total of 8,654 telephones. At the end of July, 1964, Westco had a total of 25,000 telephones. When Western Carolina bought Murphy from Southern Bell in 1952, they had 851 telephones in Chero kee County. As of July 30, there were 1700 telephones. On September 1, 1964, EAS (Free Telephone Service) was es tablished between Murphy and Clay County, which gives die people of Cherokee County and Clay County access to approximately 2400 tele phones without a toll charge. The equipment has been ordered for a new exchange to be located at Suit, N. C. It will have approxi mately 300 to 400 telephones when completed. Engineering work has been com pleted to install direct buried cables in the Murphy Exchange to enlarge the size of the Murphy Exchange to approximately 2500 telephones. Engineering work has begun on the conversion of the Andrews Exchange to dial service. When all the work is completed in the expansion program, there will be approximately 5,000 telephones in Cherokee and Clay Counties. The Western Carolina andWestco Telephone Companies own and ope rate approximately 350 miles of long distance lines. Ninety (90) miles of this net work is composed of micro-wave circuits. The two companies combined serve approximately 4100 square miles of Western North Carolina. MRS. EULALA S. COOK, Cashier MRS. EDNA A. BARNETT, Secretary Intricate array of electronic equipment. MRS. RUTH A. MARR, Ass't Cashier GEORGE WORLEY, Equipment Supervisor Outside view of Westco Telephone Company Maintenance Crew (L-R) Gerald Stiles, Ralph Davis, Ben Beavers, Robert Hampton, Bill Plemmons and George Worley WESTCO WATCH IT GROW Clyde McNabb
The Cherokee Scout (Murphy, N.C.)
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Oct. 1, 1964, edition 1
16
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