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: Rate increase approval; explansion plans for 1959, including new purchasing, warehousing and repair centre to be built at Manitoba Street and Southeast Marine Drive in Vancouver; Operator Distance Dialing Nears Reality; B.C.'s Biggest Television Events in 1958 as covered by mobile television links, including the Ripple Rock blast, the visit of H.R.H. Princess Margaret, and the Grey Cup; Changes to Sales Organization; Automating Accounting; Expanding the Personnel Department; Conversion of manual systems to dial operation; Conversion of Glenburn to Cypress; New Long Distance Route to Kamloops; Dial phones come to Sidney, Keating and James Island; Pension Plan Personalized; Adoption of Irregular Base Rate Areas; Closing of two historic switchboards in Victoria and Vancouver; Teletype Sale Made to East Asiatic; R.W.J. Angus becomes new General Commercial Manager; The Birth of N.P.A. 604 (the 604 area code); High cost of workplace accidents; Long Distance Anniversary greetings to a New Westminster Rotary Club from around the Western Hemisphere; Removal of high-wire span that linked Agassiz and Chilliwack since 1910 (6 pnotos); Conversion jobs sparked romances; Maintenance men to match our mountains; The visit of the queen (14 photos); "Follow Me" - a child's-eye view of the telephone company through the medium of C.B.C. television; Vancouver General Hospital (3 photos); Electronic 'Detectives' Guard Microwave; The FW-1 intertoll switching installation in the William Farrell Building - the brain and heart of toll; Logging by Radio - New Switchboard serves radiotelephone subscribers; Laying cable in the Pitt River (2 photos); Opening of new headquarters in 700 block of Seymour Street in Vancouver (3 photos); A new approach to serving the public in the new addition; Activation of a new radiotelephone long distance system through the Cariboo - illustrated; Traffic Signs for Toll; New Woodland Central Office serves Whalley (photos); Phone fashion; Network Television reaches the Interior; 500,000th telephone installed; Night move of revenue accounting to 555 Seymour (photos); Terrace phones now automatic (photos); Traffic, Staff Metering - Instantly; Service at New Denver is Personalized; The Heave-Ho Boys - name your antenna and they'll put it up! (with great photos); new building for Gibsons, Sechelt; Kamloops Editorial salutes operators; Transmission Levesl - an FW-1 Problem; Plans for 1960, including completion of Burnaby centre; Graph of telephone growth in B.C. since 1880; History of the Alma Central Office; The Happy Islanders on Calvert, Trutch and Swindle Islands; Machines take over in the Accounting Field; Rough weather at Newcastle Ridge; and more. Unmarked with moderate wear. Binding tight and square. Marbled endpapers. Name of E.P. LaBelle stamped on bottom edge of text. A photo and announcement re: Mr. Labelle is found in the July/August 1959 issue. Book
