The following excerpt is part of an on-going historical record of what happened in Richland Parish in years gone by.

This article was taken from the May 3, 1902 issue of the Richland Beacon-News.

Improved Telephone Service

The directors of the Richland Telephone Company met here last Wednesday to confer with the manager of the Cumberland Telephone Company. The conference resulted in arrangements being perfected for the connection of the local line with that of the Cumberland Company. The Richland Telephone Company will be in charge of the local interests of the Cumberland Company.

The Cumberland Company will put in a new switch board here, and also furnish such new parts to the old phones as may be needed to make the service over the two lines perfect.

The Richland Company will run another line to Alto, and also probably a line to Wm. A. Boughton’s place. This line may be extended to “Gold Mine” place.

The connection with the Cumberland line here, and the other improvements to be made, will add very materially to the value of the service over the local line.

From any phone along the line a conversation may be held with any point between Shreveport and Vicksburg, or between Vicksburg, and including these cities, of course.

A conversation between Buckner, for instance, and New Orleans is something undreamed of a few years since, but, nevertheless, in a short time it will be a fact.