Dial phones comes to Springfield
“Dial Phones Come Tonight
“Tonight’s the night.
“At midnight, Springfield’s new dial telephone system is scheduled to go into operation.
“And Southwestern Bell Telephone Company officials said as far as they know everything is in readiness for the switch from a manually operated system to dials.
“Months of work by hundreds of Bell Employees laboring millions of hours will be climaxed with the switchover, which is estimated to take no more than five minutes, probably less.
“Bell officials emphasized again that the switchover cannot take place until the old manually operated board is completely clear of calls, so Springfield’s telephoning public has been asked not to make any calls at the witching hour.
“Distribution of new dial telephone directories was completed this week and, effective at midnight of course, everybody in town will have a new telephone number.
“For the last time, tonight you’ll hear the familiar “Number please”, and then the dials take over.
“Telephone company employees will be working far into the night, probably until dawn, checking every line in the city to be sure it’s operating okay on dial.
“You won’t be disturbed, however, [Bell] equipment enables experts to check your ‘phone without ringing it.” Leader & Press December 3, 1949
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