San Marcos in Hays County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Telephone Story, Number Two
Photographed By James Hulse, October 14, 2022
1. The Telephone Story, Number Two Marker
San Marcos once had the remarkable experience of two telephone companies from about 1908 to 1914. The second company was Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Company, which was housed here on the second floor.
In the heated competition between the two companies, the San Marcos Telephone Company urged, in its 1911 directory, "Consider where your money goes. Will it be spent in San Marcos, so that you may see it again, or will it go to the Northern Capitalist!"
The Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Company argued in its November 1912 directory that its Bell Telephone connection provided long distance advantages.
While the contest went on, newspaper and telephone directory ads of various business firms listed numbers for both exchanges. A call across the square was a "Long Distance" call for an extra charge of ten cents!
After a few years the San Marcos Telephone Company emerged as the only exchange in the city.
Erected 1991 by San Marcos Historic Preservation Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1912.
Location. 29°
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. C.S. Cock Mercantile Building (here, next to this marker); Lyndon B. Johnson Drive (here, next to this marker); The Hofheinz Confectionary (a few steps from this marker); P.T. Talbot & Sons Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Hays County Courthouse District (within shouting distance of this marker); Green and Faris Buildings (within shouting distance of this marker); The Courthouses of Hays County (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Old Triangle (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Marcos.
Also see . . . Telephone Service. Texas State Historical Association
The Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Company, organized in 1881 to operate exchanges in Arkansas and Texas, took over the Galveston and Houston exchanges and started exchanges at Austin and San Antonio. A Dallas exchange with forty subscribers opened on June 1, 1881, and a Fort Worth exchange opened on(Submitted on October 21, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)September 1 of the same year with about the same number of subscribers. The Waco exchange opened with forty-five subscribers on October 1, and during 1882 exchanges were opened in Brownsville, Brenham, Cleburne, Colorado, Corsicana, Gainesville, Greenville, Jefferson, Marshall, Paris, Palestine, Sherman, Denison, and Texarkana. The next step in development for the new Texas industry, connecting individual exchanges by long distance lines to allow people in one town to talk with those in other towns, was completed in 1883 with construction of the state's first long distance line linking Galveston and HoustonPhotographed By James Hulse2. The Telephone Story, Number Two Marker is the left marker of the two markers
Photographed By James Hulse, October 14, 2022
3. The view of the Telephone Story, Number Two Marker from the street
Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 78 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 21, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
