TElephones in the Virgin Valley
It took many years for the invention of the telephone to reach Virgin Valley. When it did, it was not through the efforts of some large corporation or famous person. It was the idea of a farmer in Mesquite, Hubert A. Leavitt.
On May 16, 1908, Leavitt had completed a telephone line between Mesquite and Bunkerville. It was a very poor line, mostly glass bottles tied to limbs of Mesquite Trees for insulators. But it worked. Once the concept was proven, other men joined the plan and provided money to improve and lengthen the system.
The first Board of Directors were Hubert A. Leavitt and Jessie Waite, of Mesquite, James S. Abbott, Joseph I. Earl, of Bunkerville.
On June 27, 1908, several citizens of Bunkerville, Mesquite and Littlefield met together and appointed committeemen to canvas the towns for the purpose of soliciting information and subscriptions for the building of a telephone system from Moapa, Nevada to St. George, Utah via Bunkerville, Mesquite and Littlefield. Edward Bunker was to visit St. George, Ira J. Earl to visit Littlefield, Bishop William E. Abbott, and Hubert A. Leavitt to visit citizens of Mesquite, James S. Abbott, Thomas D. Leavitt and Frank Cox to visit Bunkerville, and D. Henry Leavitt to visit Moapa.
On July 17, 1908, the stockholders’ meeting was held in Bunkerville. The Bylaws, including Preamble and 15 articles were read and approved with one amendment…the name of the company to be the Rio Virgin Telephone Company. The meeting was then adjourned, and a new meeting was called to order. At this new meeting a motion was made to take over the company that had been operating between Mesquite and Bunkerville by paying the face value of $285.00. It was decided that the price to be paid for cottonwood poles at least 13 feet long and 3 inches at the top end and straight, would be ten cents. Men hired to install the telephone line would be paid $1.50 per day.
By April 16, 1909, the Rio Virgin Telephone/Telegraph Company had wire enough to connect Bunkerville, Mesquite and Littlefield. All poles were in the ground.
On April 24, 1909, at 3:00 P.M., telephone service between these three towns was established. People in Littlefield were excited to hear a message from James S. Abbott of Bunkerville, sixteen miles away. The cost of a phone call from Littlefield to Mesquite was 20 cents.
By September 6, 1912, the telephone line was extended from Littlefield 10 miles towards St. George. Hubert A. Leavitt predicted that they will be able to say “Hello” to Central in St. George by October 1, 1912.
On March 5, 1914, the telephone line to Moapa, Nevada was completed.
In 1917, J. Lewis Pulsipher, the largest stockholder in the telephone company, purchased enough more stock to permit him to take over the Rio Virgin Telephone Company from Moapa to St. George, Utah. He set up a central in Mesquite and hired Nancy Bowler as operator.
Old Telephone Log Sampling
December 7, 1908: Minutes of a Rio Virgin Telephone and Telegraph Board meeting held in Bunkerville, Nevada
Present were all the members of the Board. President William E. Abbott, Presiding. A motion made by Director Bunker that we allow 20 cents each for phone poles 16 feet long and 4 inches at the top. Pulled and piled in the towns purchased. Motion Carried:
Motioned that President Abbott and S.A. Bunker be appointed to locate the route for the lines. Motion carried unanimously.
Motioned by Director Bunker that Director Joseph H. Reber attend to the securing of the poles at Littlelield. That Director Hubert A. Leavitt attend to the gathering of poles in Mesquite and that S.A. Bunker attend to the same business in Bunkerville.
Motion Carried:
Motioned that we pay $2.00 per day of eight hours for a man and $1.50 for a team for the same time.
The Secretary was authorized to confer with State Senator Levi Syphus relative to the perfecting of our incorporation under the laws of the State of Nevada.
An assessment of 10 cents each was leveled on all stock subscribed and not paid up. Some to be due and payable not later than February 1, 1909. The motion was carried.
Motioned that we concentrate our efforts on the line between here and St. George Ut. Motion carried:
Motioned that we authorize Manager Abbott to contract for 50 pine or quacking aspens poles.
(final line illegible)