As the demand for more telephone services
grew; more lines were built to accommodate the desires of the people.
It became necessary to have a central switchboard to, connect the telephones and this was
placed in the store at South Canaan. For a time it was in the front of the store but later
was moved to a small private room in the back of the main store room. There it remained
for many years. Local girls were hired, to operate the switchboard and they did a good
job. When it became necessary to have a central switchboard at Waymart, the switchboard
was placed in the home of Mrs. Edward Minor and she managed the operation for many years.
In 1907, Derschimmer withdrew from the company and in 1909 Frank Shaffer and Benthem
decided to leave the company. So, after 1909, there remained only three of the original
stockholders of the company. August 2, 1909, at a meeting of the stockholders, W.J. Bone
was elected president, W.R. Shaffer was elected secretary and treasurer and Eugene Swingle
was appointed to general manager of the telephone operations.
A trunk line was built across the mountains to Carbondale from Waymart and more lines were
needed to Lake Ariel to carry on business in that direction. Swingle continued active in
supervising the building of these lines. The last day he worked was on a line built to
Lake Ariel. He was taken ill at work.
Eugene Swingle died March, 1911. He was 67 years of age. He had done a great
service in helping to build the South Canaan telephone lines and making a company which
has been of much benefit to everyone in the vicinity of South Canaan Township.
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