Sinepuxent Telephone Company
company · until 1903 · no longer operating
The local telephone company that first wired Ocean City to the mainland, with its main office at Berlin and lines reaching Snow Hill, Ocean City, Ironshire, Newark, Bishopville, Showell's, Selbyville, Grey's Corner and Campbelltown. It was owned principally by L. L. Dirickson of Berlin, and was bought out at par plus a premium for goodwill by the Diamond State Telephone Company in January 1903.
In the record (1)
1903 · 1903-01-10
The Diamond State Telephone Company buys out the Sinepuxent Telephone Company in January 1903 and by June has rebuilt the Salisbury–Berlin–Ocean City line in copper, with private long-distance calling.
Democratic Messenger, 10 January 1903: "The Diamond State Telephone Company Tuesday last bought the lines, rights of way, franchises and equipment of [the Sinepuxent] Telephone Company. [The] Company has its main office in [Berlin] and its lines connect with Snow Hill and Ocean City, taking in Ironshire, Newark, Bishopville, Showell's, Selbyville, Grey's Corner, Campbelltown. The Diamond State Company has already a line built from Salisbury to Ocean City, running through Berlin. A new line will be built north from Berlin to Georgetown, Del., where the main trunk line will be tapped. This will carry the long distance business from Snow Hill, Berlin, Ocean City and other points on the line direct through Georgetown, instead of through Salisbury. The Sinepuxent Company was owned principally by L. L. Dirickson of Berlin." By 23 May the rebuild was done: "New poles have been erected throughout and two pair of wires have been put up; one pair of iron wires to handle the local business... and one pair of copper wires for through long-distance calls... This will make the service through this section sure, prompt and efficient, and will do away with the annoyance of cross talk and listening on the line, thus insuring a private conversation with the party at the other end. New rates between Salisbury, Berlin, Ocean City, Snow Hill and intermediate points will go into effect on June 1st."
The first thing Ocean City got out of the Bell system was the ability to stop the neighbours listening.
Diamond State Telephone Company
Source · checked 2026-08-06