Bill Lawrence wrote on Jun 11
th, 2018 at 6:02pm:
I wonder if such systems still exist anywhere today?
Bill Lawrence
I doubt it. Labor for 24/7 operator to place calls would be too expensive.
I forgot you used to have to ask the operator place the call since there were no dials. I'm sure Zichang's card was printed for that system, before everyone was assigned a number. Even a short one like BR 549
When my parents finally got a phone, about 1960, there were 4 parties on one half that you heard ring and 4 more on the other half that you didn't hear. If you got more than 3 or 4 listeners, the volume got so low nobody could hear anything. My mother was not bashful about saying if these damn nosy neighbors would get off the line she would be able to hear.
I think my grandparents got electricity about 1940 along with indoor plumbing
Grandpa said s**t in the house, I'm not going to s**t in the house! He didn't until he had no choice in the early 60s when the Grade A dairy standards made out houses illegal on dairy farms.
My parents installed both plumbing and electricity when they built in 1947. That electric milking machine must have been the best part of electric power coming