The 1906 Payphone
Originally payphones took
silver dollars, that was in the late 1880's. This payphone is made
from a common Western Electric common-battery wooden wall phone and an
1898 Gray Paystation, not to be confused with the 1899 Paystation2.
(just kidding!). This phone features an OST (outside terminal) receiver,
as well as a black and red "rattlesnake" pattern cord. The Gray Paystation
as shown takes quarters, nickels, and dimes. The nickels (5¢)
make a bell sound. The dimes (10¢) make a bell sound twice.
The quarter (25¢) makes a gong sound. The operation of the phone
was simple. You lift the receiver and wait for the operator.
The operator then asks for the number. After the number was requested,
she instructed you to deposit the correct amount to pay for the call and
would listen for the bell sounds over the line, then connect you.
There were no refunds and these machines were easy to abuse. A common
trick was to ring up "no sale" on a cash register and fool the operator
into thinking the bells on the paystation had rung. The sign to the right
of the photo dates from the early 1930's.