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: Greatest growth of company was during past year; Sound - a non-technical talk on a technical subject; Accidents which a careless workman may cause; Graph of the number of phones in service from 1903 through 1920; Table listing the exchanges in order of percent good toll calls; Statement of development - a table listing the number of phones in service per exchange across the province; Photo montage of three of the Agents of lower mainland offices; Proposed central office extensions indicate a busy year; Snow and wind storms seriously damage toll leads on Vancouver Island; Repairing submarine cable near Friday Harbor was trying experience; Preparing to lay a third cable between the mainland and Vancouver Island; Magnets - non-technical talk on a technical subject; Statistical Review of the province's industries; Nice photo montage of 5 lady Vancouver Island company representatives; Planned additions; Start of Export Trade in Bulk Wheat - nice photos; Naming a telephone office; Fourty Years of the Telephone; Photo montage of 4 lady company representatives on southern Vancouver Island; The Gathering of Material for Use of Telephone Men - 5-page illustrated article; Application for increased rates before Railway Board; Shipping railway ties to Egypt; Plant activities; Excellent 10-page article describes the laying of the second submarine cable to Vancouver Island (Point Grey to Nanaimo) - many great photos; Photo montage of four lovely ladies who serve as supervising officials in the traffic department; Railway board accedes to request for rate increase; Repair job on North Vancouver Submarine Cable - photos and map; First Convention of Canadian telephone companies very successful - 10 page article with photos; Convention Delegates tour Capilano Timber Company operations - photo montage; Photo montage of chief operators of mainland two-number offices; new Kerrisdale exchange opens; New P.B.X at Spencers (Department Store); Current phone directory is an improvement; 2 pages of samples of past phone directories; Construction of switchboard cords; laying conduit along Georgia St., Vancouver (2 photos); Emergency reveals bravery of B.C. telephone operators; photos of Port Coquitlam flood; amazing photo of washed out bridge over Capilano River; Pioneer line construction - telegraph line between Toronto and Buffalo, NY in 1846; Good Qualities of Loud Speakers; photo of timber cutting to clear a right-of-way to give service to the Broadview district; photo of underground conduit being laid in downtown Nanaimo, with horses and wagon in picture; What constitutes Central's activities at the Capital City Exchange - 4 pages with photos; Rubber covered wires and cables - 3 page article with photos; and more. Half-leather binding. Average wear. Backstrip loose along front edge. Ink stamp of company executive E.P. LaBelle upon top edge else unmarked. Binding intact. Aside from backstrip, a sound copy. Book
