Wittenberg Telephone Company
By Ludwig A. Landowski

During the summer of 1898, Al M. Hutchinson, President and promoter of Little Wolf River Telephone Company, head office in Weyauwega, Wisconsin, ran one grounded circuit to Mr. P. M. Wilder’s Barbershop. On the 30^th of January, 1899, the Little Wolf River Telephone Company received a franchise from the Village of Wittenberg “to erect and maintain a system of telephones in the Village of Wittenberg”. November 15, 1899, an old switchboard was installed in a room just off from Mr. Wilder’s barbershop. A new switchboard was put in on January 20, 1900.

P. M. Wilder bought the Telephone Company in January, 1902, and on January 19, 1904, put in a new 100 drop Stromberg-Carlson switchboard. This was installed by A. J. Schultz who lived in Green Bay. A 1903 Pole Plan drawing of the Village of Wittenberg shows the Marion and Northern Telephone Company had toll lines from the switchboard to Clintonville and Antigo and the Wisconsin Telephone Company had toll lines from the switchboard to Milwaukee and Antigo. P. M. Wilder sold the Telephone Company to John Echoff for $2,500.

In 1910, Mr. Echoff sold to Karl Mess who operated a Telephone Company in Manawa, Wisconsin. Mr. Mess moved the switchboard to the second floor of the Johnson Mercantile Company building which later became Cappels Store. Karl Mess sold it back to Echoff in 1912.

Mr. Echoff operated it for two more years and then sold it to Dr. W. E. Pembleton. Dr. Pembleton operated the Company for four years. Then on October 1, 1916, he sold it to Leonard Mitchell for $6,250. At this time there were 178 phones. L. Mitchell owned and operated the Company with his son and one operator until he sold and consolidated with the Wittenberg Rural Telephone company. Operators at that time were paid $0.22 per hour for 19-hour days. The annual report to the Railroad commission, dated December 31, 1919, showed that there were 134 local lines serving 220 phones, 10 rural lines, 3 toll lines, and operators on duty 24 hours/day, averaging 20 originating toll calls and 18 terminating toll calls per day. Rates were $1.00 per month residences, $1.50 per month business, $1.25 per month rural, and bills were sent every three months. The net income for the year 1919 was $9.16.

Wittenberg Rural Telephone Company was organized as a stockholder company on March 12, 1910. Capital stock was fixed at $3,010, 86 shares at $35 each. The purpose of which was “to buy all the telephone lines west, northwest and southwest of Wittenberg, together with all equipment and phones and to build lines to patrons who wish to pay $0.50 per month phone rent and $1 per month toward one share of stock until full amount of $35 be paid”. The organizers of the Company were O. B. Hagen, N. A. Findahl and P. C. Schlytter. Original Officers and Directors were Arne Johnson, President; O. B. Hagen, Vice President; N. A. Findall, Secretary; P. C. Schlytter, Treasurer, J. J. Klondahl and A. A. Grimstad. There were 45 original stockholders.

First evidence of the beginning of the Elderon Telephone Company comes from the town clerk’s book of the Town of Elderon on August 10, 1901. “A petition was filed and a franchise granted to L. A. Doty and George Doty for a telephone line running from the quarter post between section 35 and 36 – Thence running north for three and one-half miles – thence west to quarter post between sections 11 and 14”. Mr. R. E. Curran, a fireman on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway eventually organized the Elderon Telephone Company. Other organizers were A. J. Plowman, who operated the switchboard and Frank Koskey who had lines running out to Pike Lake. A. J. Plowman later bought Mr. F. Koskey’s lines, but records show that R. E. Curran was the owner of the Company when the Company was sold on July 1, 1921.

The organization of the present company was prompted by Gabrial Overen and Ray Peterson, who solicitated stock from local village residents and businessmen and also in the surrounding country. The Company was incorporated on January 4, 1921, had stock subscribed and also transferred from Wittenberg Telephone Company on June 1, 1921. They purchased the old Wittenberg Telephone Company from Mr. L. Mitchell and on July 1, 1921, purchased the Elderon Telephone Company, which included the Eland Exchange form Mr. R. E. Curran. Original Directors off the Company were: Rud Puchner, President; W. P. Haseltine, Secretary; R. G. Peterson, Manager and Treasurer; A. J. Plowman, Cleve Severin, Frank Heldt, Arne Johnson, W. L. Arnold and C. Aggen. The capital stock was set at $25,000, with 500 shares at $50 each. After consolidation of the three companies, there were 363 subscribers.

A new building was built in 1953 to house a new switchboard, telephone office, garage and store room. In 1957, the switchboard was changed from magnetic to common battery.

A new addition was built in 1967 to house new dial equipment. The Company converted to dial operation with the installation of a new automatic electric step-by-step switching system, with 600 lines and 1,000 terminals in Wittenberg and 200 lines and 300 terminals in Elderon exchanges. Wittenberg had 805 subscribers and Elderon had 222, with EAS service to Tigerton and Bowler.

In 1972, the exchange boundary lines between Wittenberg and Elderon exchanges were moved to coincide with the Shawano and Marathon County lines. Additional plant was added to Elderon exchange and EAS service to Hatley, Wausau and Schofield was added.

In 1980, the Company applied for REA financing. During 1982 and 1983, a new central office was constructed in the Village of Elderon and a 630 line Stromberg-Carlson digital D.C.O. installed. Service was upgraded to all one-party lines at both Wittenberg and Elderon exchanges.