122 Years Ago
The November 27, 1902 Colorado Transcript celebrated the convenience of Golden’s burgeoning telephone service.
Resident telephones are increasing in Golden, keeping Mr. Hale and his helpers on the jump in keeping up with his orders. Until the experiment is tried one hardly realizes the advantages of the institution and wear and tear of ones feelings that is obviated thereby. When the old man formerly arrived home for his lunch and his wife asked him for the butter and yeast-cake she told him to bring up he was compelled to ejaculate “Dog-gone it all, I forgot all about it!” Then he had to hike down town for the forgotten articles before he could get his lunch.
Now…instead of bothering the old man with errands the good lady can trip lightly to the phone and call up the grocer, the butcher or the ice man and order sent up what she wants without further trouble.… The ‘phone is a big thing all around.
The article also nudges stores that don’t have phones to get them. Some early merchants avoided installing phones precisely because they didn’t want to be asked to deliver small orders (such as “butter and yeast-cake”).
Thank you to Wendy Weiman for sponsoring Golden History Moments for the month of November.
