Lompoc Telephone Battle

Lompoc telephone and business history interconnect in the early 20th century.

KM of Montecito sent me a photograph of George Washington Moore Sr.. This Lompoc rancher/merchant also fathered the man of the same name who founded Moore General Mercantile Store in1878, sold in 1990. The photograph shows an older man, borne out by the handwriting as ‘Grandfather Moore.’ I date the photo by the suit to the first quarter of the 20th century. The rough texture of the fabric on the suit and shirt shows Mr. Moore as a working man.

A professional photographer shot this silver gelatin print in a studio. It took a knowledge of chemistry and lighting.

The light source is from the right side, a soft light, from a north facing studio window. In the early 1900’s Lompoc had SOME electricity. But I doubt that a photographer relied on that variable light source.

KM also sent me a calendar, given to Moore’s customers: “M. M. CO’s Hardware, Groceries, Boots and Shoes, Hats and Caps, Dry Goods and furnishings ARE BETTER.” A specialty advertising firm in Coshocton Ohio printed the calendars. Lovely expressions adorn the cover: “Motto: Quality, Service, Satisfaction,” and “We need your trade and will endeavor to hold it.”

Tale of Two Lompoc Telephone Companies

What really intrigued me? I spotted TWO phone numbers at the top of the calendar booklet: “Phone Home 383, Pacific 8-R.”

In 1917 Lompoc one didn’t expected a business to have two working phones. So why did George Washington Moore’s shop?

In Lompoc, in the days when “important” business calls came in at M and M and CO’s shop, two competing companies existed. Neither company let calls from the competitor THROUGH. So if you wanted to retain your customers, with one or the other service provider, you NEEDED two phones.

Oscar Explains

I found this tidbit of Lompoc history recounted in an issue called “Respectable Town,” #26, 1980, of the Lompoc Valley Historical Society, Inc’s Quarterly Bulletin. It cites the reminiscences of Oscar Fabing, who worked for BOTH companies.

“I recall many times when the telephone rang, a person picked up the receiver and said “hello.” If no answer they said “wrong phone” hung up and took up the receiver for the other company.” What a place was Lompoc! And what a pain the caboose for George Washington Moore in 1917.

Another Issue of the Lompoc Valley Historical Society, Inc.’s Quarterly Bulletin #81,1999, gives a timeline of phone service coming to Lompoc:

The first telephone system was ONE telephone at the Lompoc Post and Telegraph Office connecting Lompoc with Purisima Point, 1885, though the Western Union Company. In 1892, Western Union withdrew service leaving the Lompoc telecommunications field WIDE open. William Barker, a Lompoc entrepreneur with contacts in the ‘phone world’ in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, jumped in. With his connections eight Lompoc businesses had a phone by the end of 1882. By 1893, Lompoc businesses had 23 phones, with service only to Santa Ynez, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, and Santa Maria. Expanded in 1894 to San Francisco and Los Angeles by (sources are not clear on the original name) either Sunset or Pacific Telephone Company.

Need for Two Telephones

In 1908 Home Telephone Company ‘burst’ upon the Lompoc scene and Pacific Telephone refused to interconnect with users of the other. George Washington Moore’s Mercantile company required two phones.

Oscar Fabing, just a teen at the time, serviced BOTH company’s lines. Fabing recounts in the Historical Society Bulletin of 1980 that the (respectable) Lompoc house at Walnut and J Street was sold in the early 1900’s to Tim Armstrong, Maintenance Manager for Pacific Telephone Company, managed by Arch Reed. From another house, M. Buchanan managed the Home Telephone Company. The enterprising young technician Charles Dougherty rose to the high position of manager of Pacific. But the world changed for the young men of Lompoc.

In 1917 a mandatory draft began. Fabing signed up fast and hopped the first train to Santa Barbara from the Surf Station.

KM’s photograph of George Washington Moore is of little value (except great sentimental) to anyone but KM. Both are promised gifts to the Society of California Pioneers, of which KM is a member. I bet you never thought ‘the titans of telecommunications’ battled it out in Lompoc on the stage of the Moore Mercantile Company during the first quarter of the 20th century.