Albemarle Telephone Company.
Through the Albemarle Telephone
Company Charlottesville enjoys a service
which is unsurpassed by any in
the State, and the company enjoys the
distinction of having more phones per
capita than any city in Virginia, and
ranks as to perfection with any in the
United States, while the rates charged
for service are much less than any exchange
with same number of telephones.
During the past few years
this company has spent many thousands
of dollars in the way of improving
the county service and they now
have the best rural service in the
State. The executive office and building
owned by the company is located
on Sixth street near Market, and is
thoroughly equipped with every
modern improvement. The switch
board is of the magnetic type and
gives splendid satisfaction. All of the
circuits, both in the city and county,
are metallic and the service is most
excellent. Fifteen operators are employed,
the force being divided so as
to keep an adequate number on duty
at all times during the night and day.
When the company opened for business
[ILLUSTRATION]
Servant "Dick" and Horse "Virginia Chief,"—Pine Knot.
they had 190 subscribers, while
today they have 930 phones in operation
in the city, and 277 in the county,
and the number is being rapidly increased.
The company now has about
300 miles of wiring and 4 miles of
cable in city and 25 miles pole line in
county. They make direct connection
with the Southern Bell Company of
Virginia, the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company, the Louisa
Telephone Company, the Fluvanna
Telegraph Company and the Farmers
Mutual Telephone Company and the
Culpeper Telepone Company. The
first mentioned companies gives access
to every part of the United States
where telephones are in use, while the
latter companies give connection in
the counties in which they are located.
For those who have no long distance
phones the company has booths at
their office, hotels and in other sections
[ILLUSTRATION]
First Baptist Church—Colored.
of the city. Extensive improvements
are being made and a force of fourteen
men are constantly engaged installing
telephones and placing wiring for the
increasing patronage. The company
was organized and incorporated August
10, 1897, and the present officers
are F. W. Twyman, president; J. B.
Andrews, vice-president; H. A. Dinwiddie,
secretary and treasurer, and
J. Frank Kelley, superintendent. All
of them are well known here and are
energetic and enterprising young men.
President Twyman, was born in Madison
county but has lived here for
many years and is identified with a
number of well known enterprises.
The directors of the company are: J.
M. Robertson, Daniel Harman, John
B. Moon, S. C. Chancellor, James F.
Harlan, W. J. Tyson, T. J. Wills, P.
Leterman, T. S. Keller, C. H. Walker,
Mr. Andrews is a native of this city
and besides the business described
above is engaged in the seed and
horse lines. Mr. Dinwiddie is also a
son of Charlottesville and is now a
student at the University of Virginia.
Mr. Kelley, who has direct supervisior
of the workings of the company, was
born in this city and has held his present
position since its formation.
