line from Charlottetown to East Point and Cape Bear. When this was completed, toll stations were then placed on this line at Cardigan and Dundas. The office was in the home of Bella McVein (now Earl Mac- Donald’s house) in Cardigan. People would come to the office to use the telephone. It was used mostly for emergencies or important calls.

In 1906, the telephone office was moved to the McLaren residence — known today as the Scrimgeour home. Winnifred (McLaren) Vickerson was the first operator. In 1907, her sister, Della (McLaren) Scrimgeour, became the agent for the telephone company. She was assisted later by her daughter, Winifred.

In 1930, the Dundas Exchange was closed, and the Cardigan Exchange served the areas of Cardigan, Dundas, and Georgetown. At that time, the Island Telephone Company had 30 customers in the Cardigan Exchange, compared to more than 600 today. Office hours were 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Anyone who made a call after these hours was charged extra. Of the 30 telephones in the Cardigan Exchange, three (known as toll stations) were located at Woodville Mills, Georgetown, and Cardigan.

Mrs. Scrimgeour, fondly known as “Delli”, was an agent for the telephone company for 63 years. She had a switchboard operating in her home 7 days a week, 365 days of the year for 71 years. Many hours were spent sitting up all night during a serious fire, sickness in a family, or after a bad accident. On occasion, she was even called to assist a doctor to a home during a storm to deliver a baby.

At one time the village doctor was one of the many unfortunate people without a telephone. If a call came in for him, the operator had to deliver the message. The calling party was charged accordingly. At the end of every month, the operator counted all the errands that had been done and accord- ing to the distance the message was carried, she would receive payment for the extra work.

Late in 1970, Mrs. Scrimgeour had to give up the operator’s position and Mrs. Grace MacLean of Montague was appointed agent. She resigned in 1973 and was succeeded by Vivian Drysdale, who remained in this position until the exchange was converted to dial Sept. 1, 1977.

Others who worked in the telephone office in Cardigan were: Matilda MacIntyre, Pamela MacDonald, Beth Johnson, Jerry Sullivan, Pat Altass, Joanne Gardiner, Gert Allan and Thelma Johnston.