Early U.S. Telephone-based Entertainment Companies: Telephone Herald, Telectrophone and the Michigan Tellevent

Thomas H. White -- October 16, 2009
 


This is an overview of the information -- admittedly fragmentary and incomplete -- I have found about two U.S. telephone-based news and entertainment services in the first two decades of the 1900s: the United States Telephone Herald Company and its affiliates, plus two Telectrophone comapnaies, and the even more obscure Michigan Tellevent Company.
 

United States Telephone Herald Co. (New York City)
Incorporation:
State: Delaware
Date incorporated: unknown
Termination: Charter repealed January 28, 1918 (Two years taxes unpaid)
Offices: 110 West Thirty-fourth St.
Officers/employees: Manly M. Gillam (Pres. & Dir., 1909, 1911, 1913), William H. Alexander (Sec. and Treas., 1909, 1910), James Gillies (Treas. & Dir., 1911, 1913), Cornelius C. Balassa (Sec. & Dir., 1911, 1913), Ladislaus De Doory (1910, 1911). Directors: S. Baum (1911), Henry W. Davis (1911, 1913, 1915, 1917), Arthur L. Gillam (1911, 1913), Ernest C. (Edwin D.:?) Morse (1911, 1913), Frank Vernon (1913, 1915).
Service: Public demonstration on September 8, 1910 at 110 West Thirty-fourth St.
Other information:Functioned as a parent company for the Associated Companies. There was also a report of the existence of the Telephone Newspaper Co. of America in the 1911 Annual report of the State Treasurer by New York Treasurer's Office, plus the 1913 edition reported the existence of a Telephone Herald Sales and Supply Co. (New York charter forfeited 1929)


Associated companies


Boston Telephone Herald Syndicate, Inc.
Incorporation:
State: Massachusetts
Date incorporated: April 23, 1913
Termination: Dissolved February 21, 1916
Officers/employees: At incorporation: Ladislaus De Doory, John M. Grosvenor, Jr., Jesse W. Morton.


California Telephone Herald Co.
Incorporation:
State: California
Date incorporated: Charter proclaimed by the Governor, February, 1915
Termination: Charter declared forfeited and repealed for non-payment of taxes February, 1915


Central California Telephone Herald Co.
Incorporation:
State: California
Date incorporated: Charter proclaimed by the Governor, February, 1915
Termination: Charter declared forfeited and repealed for non-payment of taxes February, 1915


Massachusetts Telephone Herald Co.
Incorporation:
State: Delaware
Date incorporated: unknown
Termination: Corporation charter repealed January 24, 1916


New Jersey Telephone Herald Co. (Newark)
Incorporation:
State: New Jersey
Date incorporated: unknown
Termination: Charter declared null & void January 18, 1916
Offices: Essex Building (second floor), Clinton Street
Officers/employees: Captain William E. Gunn (V.P. & G.M, 1911, Pres., 1912), Manly M. Gillam (Dir., 1913), John P. Rainbault (General Manager, 1912), J. L. Spence (Chief Engineer, 1912), George Edward Bailey (Engineer, 1911-1912), C. S. Atkinson (Legislative correspondent at the N.J. legislature, 1912).
Service: Commercial operation began October 24, 1911, suspended late February, 1912
Other information:Investors: Mr. Blaidsdale, Percy R. Pyne, 2nd, H. B. Hollins, Charles E. Danforth


Oregon Telephone Herald Co. (Portland)
Incorporation:
State: Unknown.
Date incorporated: Unknown.
Termination: Unknown.
Offices: 506 Royal Building (Seventh and Morrison)
Officers/employees: P. W. le Mown (Secr. & treas., 1913), D. S. Doernbecher (Pres., 1913, 1914), F. M. Le Monn (Sec. & Mngr., 1913, 1914)
Service: Demonstrations, June, 1912, Fifth Floor Royal Building, Hotel Multnomah, Meier & Frank's Seventh Floor restroom.
Other information:June, 1912 advertisements said commercial service would start "around October 1st". In January, 1913, an advertisement for the service appeared in the Portland Orpheum, and that same month P. W. le Mown claimed there were 10,000 subscribers.


Pacific Telephone Herald Co.
Incorporation:
State: California
Date incorporated: Unknown
Termination: Charter forfeited for failure to pay licence tax, March 4, 1916
Other information:Case No. 474 of the Railroad Commission of the State of California (Pacific Telephone Herald Company vs. The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company), dismissed November 5, 1913.


Pennsylvania Telephone Herald Co.
Incorporation:
State: Delaware
Date incorporated: Unknown
Termination: Corporation charter repealed January 25, 1917
Officers/employees: Frank Vernon (Pres. & dir., 1913, 1915)
Other information:Corporate activity reported in 1912-1913


San Diego Telephone Herald Co.
Incorporation:
State: Unknown
Date incorporated: Unknown
Termination: Unknown
Other information:Corporate information reported in 1912


San Francisco Telephone Herald Co.
Incorporation:
State: California
Date incorporated: Unknown
Termination: Charter forfeited for failure to pay licence tax November 30, 1913


Southern California Telephone Herald Co. (Los Angeles)
Incorporation:
State: California
Date incorporated: Incorporation papers filed May 23, 1911
Termination: Charter forfeited for failure to pay licence tax November 30, 1911
Officers/employees: P. A. Grimes, F. N. Grimes and H. A. Schmidt (Dir., 1911)


Washington Telephone Herald Co. (Seattle)
Incorporation:
State: Washington
Date incorporated: unknown
Termination: Charter stricken during the period from October 1, 1912 to October 1, 1914 for failure to pay annual licence fee


Pennsylvania Telectrophone Company. (Philadelphia)
Incorporation:
State: Delaware
Date incorporated: August, 1913
Termination: Repealed January 23, 1922 (taxes unpaid for two years)
Officers/employees: At incorporation: W. G. Taylor, C. B. Bishop, H. W. Davis (all from Wilington, Delaware). 1915: Albert D. Miller (president), Joseph W. Kesfler (vice president), Charles F. Helm (treasurer), E. B. Raup (secretary)--all from Shamolin, Pennsylvania. 1913-1915: James Earl Miller (daily programming and publicity)
Service: Demonstrations, February, 1914, Gimbel Brothers department store.

Telectrophone Company of Southern California.
Incorporation:
State: California
Date incorporated: July, 1914
Termination: Charter forfeited for failure to pay license March 4, 1916
Officers/employees: At incorporation: T. S. Fuller, Thomas Connell, H. E. Richmond, Oscar L. Horn, Fred Donoghy


Michigan Tellevent Co. (Detroit)
Incorporation:
State: Michigan
Date incorporated: 1907
Termination: Dissolution filed August 2, 1909
Officers/employees: James F. Land (Manager, 1907), Arnold Augustus Schantz (Secr., 1908), E. L. Ford, W. A. Jackson, George M. Black, and James H. Swart