Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 131, No. 54, Ed. 1 Sunday, July 7, 2013 Page: 3 of 20

                                
Sunday, July 7,2013
POLK COUNTY ENTERPRISE
’age 3A
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Livingston Telephone Co awarded for 110 years
- LIVINGSTON -
Livingston, Texas-Rep.
James White (R-Woodville)
today recognized Livingston
Telephone Company, Inc.
with a Texas Treasure
Business Award from the
Texas Historical Commission
fTHC). The Texas Treasure
Business Award program
Pays tribute to businesses
that have provided
Employment opportunities
and support to the state’s
economy for,50 years or
more. Created in 2005
through legislation authored
by Sen. Leticia Van de
Putte (D-San Antonio) and
Sponsored by Rep. Charles
“Doc” Anderson (R-Waco),
the program recognizes well-
established Texas businesses
and their exceptional
historical contributions to the
State’s economic growth and
prosperity.
£ “I’m proud of the
accomplishments and service
Livingston Telephone
Company in Southeast
Texas,” White said. “This
great business is integral
to growing East Texas jobs
and economy and our local
prosperity. 1 am honored
to serve them in the Texas
House of Representatives.
I am excited in their recent
recognition, the Texas
Treasure Award, for 110
Successful years as a strong
Southeast Texas business.”
; A special decal identifying
the business as a Texas
Treasure will be publicly
displayed in the Livingston
Telephone Company at
701 W. Church Street.
Consumers will know when
they spot the familiar Texas
Treasure Business icon,
they are doing business with
a well-established, Texas-
owned-and-operated business
that has long contributed
to job growth, stimulated
the local economy, and
generated state and local tax
revenues.
Livingston Telephone
Company, Polk County’s
first public utility, was
formed August 1, 1903. Dr.
W.B. Everitt, a physician
who was also pastor of the
church that is now Central
Baptist, was issued the
first stock certificate. Watt
Scarborough was the first
manager of the company,
he had formerly been
manager of Carthage
Telephone Company. The
first stockholders were L.F.
Gerlach, S.H. Smith, J.C.
Feagin, Dr. B. C. Marsh, Hill
& Hill, Mistrot Brothers,
H B. Davis, J.A. Dye,T.F.
Meece, A.L. Sawyer, George
Smith, S.M. Peters, J.W.
fochran, J.L. Muller, P.H.
Blalock, and D.A. Bonner.
The original paid-in capital
The “new” Livingston Central Office was built in the 1950s. LTC officials believe,
but aren’t positive, the man in the photo is Rex Atkinson, the general manager of
Livingston Telephone from 1957 to 1974.
stock was $2,000.00.
The first small switchboard
was located at 315 N.
Jackson and served 40
telephones, each on its
own line. The Magneto
system was utilized, using
hand-cranked generators
for ringing and dry cell
batteries, both at each
telephone and at the central
office for the talking circuit.
Judge James E. Hill had
the first phone installed
with the line running from
the railroad depot to his
office. The first operators
were on duty 24 hours a day,
a lady during the day and a
man at night. By 1909, the
Company was serving 65
customers and by April 1910,
had installed the county’s
first creosoted poles. The
first pole was placed at
the intersection of HWY
59 and HWY 190. Long
distance calls had increased
enough by 191*1 to warrant
the installation of a separate
line to Houston to handle
the traffic. The importance
of the new electronic
miracle was demonstrated
during the 1911 statewide
Prohibition election.
Southwestern Telephone
Company furnished free
of charge a line to get the
latest election returns from
the company’s Houston
office. The information,
in turn, was flashed on the
curtain in the Happy Hour
Theater in Livingston for
a crowd of standing-room-
only patrons. When, in 1913,
First National Bank built
a new building across the
street from the courthouse,
Livingston Telephone located
there. A new switchboard
was purchased in 1914,
which increased drop
capacity to 300 phones. In
1934, the exchange was
converted to the common
battery system, purchased
from the Stromberg-Carlson
Company. This system
also required batteries both
at each telephone and the
central office, but now
lifting the receiver would
automatically give a signal
to a switchboard operator
who would respond and
make a connection for
the caller. S.H, Smith,
a major stockholder,
businessman, and farmer,
served as president from the
company’s beginning until
retirement in 1922. Judge
J.C. Feagin succeeded him
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and served until his death
in 1927. S. Ross Smith, a
diversified businessman like
his father, was president from
1927 until his death in 1978.
The third generation, Sidney
Smith, became president
and held this position until
January 2004. Sidney Smith
now remains the Chairman of
the Board while Curt Walzel
was voted in as the new
President in January 2004.
A.W. Peebles, who joined the
company in 1905 as its first
lineman and troubleshooter,
became general manager in
1909. In those early years,
the general manager served
in many capacities, pinch-
hitting at times for lineman
and operator. Mr. Peebles
used to chuckle about how in
the early days, the linemen
made their trouble calls with
their tools and equipment
in a wheelbarrow. He held
the management position
until 1957. He became
treasurer in 1914 and held
the job until his son, Allen
Peebles, succeeded him.
Rex Atkinson was manager
from 1957 until 1973. A
few months later, in early
1974 Troy Rippy became
Manager and Executive Vice
President and continued
until his death in 1994. Curt
Walzel became Manager and
Executive Vice President a
few months later in 1994. In
January 2004 Curt Walzel
was elected as President
of Livingston Telephone
Company and still holds
this position today. The
telephone system was
converted to the dial system
January 3, 1959, cqinciding
with the construction of the
present building at Houston
and Polk Streets. The
changeover was pronounced
one of the smoothest ever
made, the main trouble
being the gnfamiliarity of
the customers using the
new direct distance dialing
equipment. With the new
equipment installed, by the
early 1960’s subscribers
were able to dial cross-
country for the first time.
The exchange was converted
in 1980 to touchtone with
the subscriber having the
option to use push-button
or rotary dial systems. The
company modernized in
1985 and installed a digital
central control office. In
1983, Telcom Supply was
formed as a subsidiary of
Livingston Telephone. It
serves as a phone store;
sells and maintains PBX
and key system phones.
This company expanded its
services in 1984 to include
mobile phones as an agent of
GTE Mobilnet. The Texas
Historical Commission
granted an official Texas
Historical marker to
Livingston Telephone
Company in 1985, marking
its contributions to Polk
County and its citizens. The
newest location at 701 W.
Church is the building which
formerly housed Livingston
Savings and Loan and Jasper
Federal Savings and Loan
and has enabled Livingston
Telephone to offer its
customers drive-in facilities
as well as greatly expanded
business offices and ample
parking.
“It is a privilege for us
to recognize our long-
established businesses that
have remained committed
to Texans for generations,
while creating jobs and
stimulating economic
growth,” said THC Chairman
Matthew F. Kreisle, III.
“May this recognition serve
to increase your success and
productivity for many years
to come.”
For information about the
Texas Treasure Business
Award, contact the THC at
512-463-6092 or visit www.
thc.state.tx.us.
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