West Liberty History 1838-1938

Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
TELEPHONE

The first telephone instrument in this town was a single line reaching from the residence of A. H. McClun to the residence of W. W. McClun. The equipment was simple and crude. A wire was stretched tight between the two residences through a hole at the bottom of an ordinary tin can and fastened to a nail across the hole. Conversation could be carried on through the vibrations of this wire, but they had no particular system with reference to calling each other. The patrons of this telephone line were obliged to agree ahead of time as to when their conversation would be carried on, and must appear at their respective instruments at exactly the same time for there was no other method of signal.

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