AUGUST 10, 1946 – Unveiling of the Plaque Recognizing the Location of the World’s First Long

-distance Phone Call Photo

Bell made use of the telegraph wires of the Dominion Telegraph Company between its office in Brantford and its office in Paris. Because the battery power available at Brantford was too weak for Bell's membrane telephones, the Dominion Telegraph Company provided power from Hamilton and Toronto. Bell connected his membrane telephone and triple mouthpiece to the wires at the Brantford office, then at the Paris office he connected his iron box receiver. Through bubbling and crackling sounds, Bell could hear the voices from Brantford. By using high resistance electro-magnetic coils at each end of the line, the sounds were transmitted and received so clearly that Bell could recognize and name whoever was speaking On Jan 20, 1878, Professor Melville

Be11, Alexander’s father, transmitted music by telephone Burford was chosen as the site because a new telegraph line had been installed between Brantford and Burford. Over 20 miles of wire were used Choirs and soloists sang back and forth to each other. The first telephones in use in residential houses were in the Pleasant Ridge Road area in Brantford Township at the top of the hill on Highway 53. Both homes were owned by members of the Ballachey family. Bell strung wire along the fence lines, Joining the two phones in the houses. John Penman (Penmans Knitting Mills), Andrew Baird (Wincey Mill) and Charles Whitlaw (Flour Mill) were among the first to have a telephone connection between their home and their Paris Mill businesses