British Columbia Telephone Company (B.C. Tel./Telus) Telephone Talk: Bound Issues January/February 1951 Through November/December1952

British Columbia: British Columbia Telephone Company, 1952. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. First Edition. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Half-leather binding. Telephone Talk was the glossy bimonthly publication of the British Columbia Telephone Company. It was written by employees for employees to present information of interest to those engaged in the plant, traffic, commercial, operating, accounting and other departments of the service. Each issue is replete with black and white photos and information on topics such as: company, industry and technological news, traffic levels, expansion plans, personnel announcements, publicity and social events, deaths, weddings, lists of exchanges, and more. As such, these issues serve as a vital preserve of rare and fascinating British Columbia history. This volume covers topics including: "Our Ladies of Ladysmith" - 4 photos and text re: operators in this Vancouver Island town; Photos of equipment upgrade in Victoria; New Haney office; Emerald central office in Vancouver; W.S. Pipes Appointed General Manager; Company seeks permission to increase capital; R.S. Argue; Penny Wise; Statement of Development - # of phones operating per exchange; Company fails to earn full dividends; Two fires; Forty years in company trucks; Port Moody-Ioco cable photos; Victoria's largest phone cable; C.C.F. Hall fire; New Union Bay office; rate increase sought; new pole-setting technique with crane - photo; 4 pages of photos and captions from Courtenay; Exchange comes to Fruitvale; Post-war development program continues; Border line pole; H.W. Stevens; Kerrisdale reunion; Haney Conversion; Mission may join B.C. Tel.; Royal Visit; Prize-winning float; North, West and Richmond endorse extended service; G.L. Frost; Company seeks new rates at hearing; Earl Squire; Memoriam for E.P. LaBelle, "Recognized as one of the outstanding men in telephony". Mr. LaBelle retired in 1947 after spending 27 years as General Plant Manager of the company. An impressive concise bio is presented. (This book bears the ink-stamped name 'E.P. LaBelle' on the top edge of the text. Presumably, this book belonged to Eugene LaBelle Jr.); Vancouver City Hall joins Automatic Systems; Vancouver dial service completes move to new quarters; Haney cut to automatic; Automatic service for Yarrow; Charlie Davis (helped publish every issue of Telephone Talk from inception in 1911 to the end of 1951; George McCartney - memoriam with photo; Elgin installation; New Cable for West Van; J.D. Johnston ends long service; Mission's new building; North Central Office Expansion; Square Dancing; Surrey program pushes ahead - photos; Chilliwack equipment added; Elgin automatic unit now in service; Photo of men working above Rock Creek Canyon at Bridesville; Hastings Reunion; Vancouver Toll Expansion; Powell River Photos; New automatic system for Aldergrove; New outdoor pay stations (pay phones); photos of construction of B.C.'s portion of the trans-Canada telephone line; Hammond Photos; Victoria Expansion - photos and text; Abbottsford-Mission cutover; Chilliwack telephone personalities - photos; Nelson-Penticton Toll Line construction photos; our biggest cable goes underground in Vancouver - photos; J.E. Carlile retires; and more. Unmarked with moderate wear. Binding tight and square..