Letters to the Editor
Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", October 1983, page 31
Dear Crown Jewels,
The photo enclosed (cover, shown below) is of a
double insulator bracket that I purchased at a flea market. The embossing reads
CUTTER SO. BEND IND. This might prove interesting to any of your readers that
collect pins and hardware. Unfortunately I have no other information on this
bracket.

The drawing at the right is of the Ohio Brass link strain insulator
used in the Muskegon area. (Nick-named "Hog Liver" in some areas. -
Editor)

The other drawing is when I went collecting with my father about
thirteen years ago.
Sincerely,
Steve Kella

Dear Dora,
The word in the August 15,
1983 issue of U.S. News & World Report tells us that American Telephone and
Telegraph Company will no longer be using their familiar bell inside a circle
symbol as of January 1, 1984. Their new symbol will be a globe girdled by
electronic communications. The article, "Farewell to Ma Bell," also
tells us that American Telephone and Telegraph Company will also be giving up
the name Bell, which has been used since the pioneer days of the telephone
industry. These changes were announced on August 3, 1983, and are the result of
the break-up with AT&T. The twenty-two local telephone companies which will
be separated from AT&T by the end of the year will continue to use the Bell
name, however.
Undoubtedly, collectors of AT&T artifacts will find these
changes quite interesting. who knows, with all the changes which will occur
within AT&T and the separating local companies, Bell telephone-related
items which are commonplace today may indeed be valuable to future generations.
Sincerely,
Joe Maurath, Jr.

Dear Dora,
The Cal. Electric Works at the left was
dug just two years ago on an old line that was put up in the late 1870's between
Nevada City and French Gulch in northern California. The line had been cleaned
years before, but apparently this critter eluded capture. It's also the only
known double stamped specimen in existence. And the man that dug it didn't even
collect insulators. I've been waiting for some history on the Cal. Electric, but
it hasn't arrived. So, if possible, Dora, could you add a little history on it
in the mag. It would refresh a lot of us.
Thanks a million,
James Ziggores, Jr.
- - - - - - - - - -
James, there are a lot of collectors of Cal. Electrics out there. How about
giving us some history.
Dora
Dear Dora,
Am enclosing pictures of the out of
shape threadless I showed you and Don at Rochester.
In going through some of our
notes after returning home from Rochester, found that we had purchased it at the
Montgomery, Alabama, Bottle & Insulator Show last year. Got it from a friend
who had dug it in the Alabama River at Selma. He found a block at the same time,
too. He didn't really want to sell it (the insulator), just brought it in to
show us his find. And, of course, I fell in love with it -- even the pin hole is
out of round. I finally convinced him I would give it a good home -- and you know
the rest! He went home with my money, and I went home with his insulator -- both
happy. He did say he wouldn't have sold it to anyone else, though.
Phoebe Adams
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