British Columbia Telephone Company (B.C. Tel./Telus) Telephone Talk: Bound Issues January, 1913 Through December 1913 *DOCUMENTS DIRECT CONNECTION OF VANCOUVER TO NANAIMO ON 16 JUNE BY LAYING OF 30-MILE SUBMARINE WIRE*

British Columbia: British Columbia Telephone Company, 1913. Book. Fair. Hardcover. First Edition. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. 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: North Vancouver feature - 5 pages with photos; Activity in Plant Department - construction of many apartments in Victoria and Vancouver causing new conditions; Abbottsford exchange burned; Year's Business Shows Fine Increase; Monthly traffic record; New island route; Photo of the company's Victoria hockey team; New Westminster switchboard in action; Organisation Chart of the Traffic Department; Table showing 'Exchanges in order of per cent good toll calls'; Statement of Development - showing the number of operating phones in each exchange in the province; 7-page Feature on the Bayview area with several large photos of prominent home; Early spring construction; Traffic department conference; Full-page photo of the Western Fuel Company (Coal) Number One Mine at Nanaimo; New Central Building on Seymour; 5-page feature on Nanaimo with photos of salteries, the herring fishery, Mayor Shaw, the Nanaimo Exchange, and a great shot overlooking downtown Nanaimo and its harbour; Timing Conversations with a Calculagraph; Large photo of the Eburne sawmills; Fire damage at New Westminster Exchange; 4-page feature on Eburne with photos; Company bowling team - Victoria Commercial League Champions; Photo montage of operator's telephone sets; Great full-page photo of a commercial corner building in Duncan, Cowichan Merchants, Ltd.; 5-page feature on Duncan with several photos including one of the highly successful Duncan Creamery; photo of yachting on Cowichan Bay; Many gangs busy in the field; Weighing service; photos of telephone men at work in the field; photo of Comox and the wharf; 6-page feature article on Comox, including excellent photo of 'Flying Machine' logging in progress; Many extensions to outside plant; How telephone cable is made, 3 pages with photos; Full page photo of the Tug Dola with her tow the Princess Louise, at anchor off Port Grey; Super photo of Dozens of notable men aboard cable ship; Steveston Feature article with 3 pages and photos; 11-page major feature article on the consummation of the cable project connecting Vancouver to Nanaimo - great photos including erection of the highest telephone poles in the province at Brechin Mine, near Nanaimo, several nautical shots, cross-section of the Gulf cable, and more; Saanich Inlet cable installation; photo of the visit of H.M.S. New Zealand showing Hon. J.D. Hazen, minister of marine, Commander Halsey, Sir Richard McBride and Hon. H.E. Young, provincial secretary; Five-page feature on Nelson and area with photos; New Zealand's gift to the Imperial Navy - 2 page illustrated feature on the visit of the H.M.S. New Zealand to Vancouver, including shot of two of the monster eight 12" guns; Full-page displaing the 6 chief (lady) operators in Vancouver; 5-page feature on the Saanich Peninsula with photos of subjects including the Brentwood Bay power house, Mr. Luke Pither's model poultry ranch, the Holland Bulb Farm and more; Growth demands more outside plant; Photo of company baseball team; Illustrations of railway telephone device; Photos of the 3 chief operators of Victoria; The Growing of Hops at Agassiz - several pages and photos; Phones for Forest Protection; Manufacturing Protector Micas - raw material obtained from India; Photo of the City of Rossland; 4-page illustrated feature .