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Telephone Exchange. The telephone first came to New Hamburg in 1885 as the village was on the line from otratford to Berlin (Kitchener) ana Guelph. Among the first subscribers here were Ritz and Company, publishers of fie Independent and Volksblatt newspapers. In the first year there were seven subscribers. Others were the Exchange Hotel, John Koch, Grand Trunk Station, Imperial Hotel, Buckel and Meyer, John Miller- grain merchant, queen's Hotel, Mrs. J. Ernst, Joseph, Rau - New Hamburg Brewery. The Sell Telephone manager was W. H. Boullee, a druggist, who opened his office from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on week days and 2 to 4 P.m. on Sundays. In 1889 J.P.Ernst, produce merchant, became manager. When he took over there were 15 telephones in the town and service was available only in the daytime. His regime lasted for 23 years. On fey 1st,1911, 24-hour service was introduced. On February 10. 1910, a fire destroyed the exchange and the millinery store of Miss L.S. Rabb. In 1924 Mr. L. Hoststler became manager, serving in that .capacity until 1936. The last local representative of the company in New Hamburg was Mrs. K.M.Doerr. The change over to dial system was in March, 1964. Bell Telephone bought the Ritz property on Peel Street, tore down the buildings and erected a new building to house their equipment.