Looking Back to 1916: A War Tax on Telephone Calls and Telegrams

From the October 12, 2016, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"You will notice on your telephone and telegraph bills nowadays that an extra penny is not added, and although a penny is the smallest denomination of American money, with some business concerns that added penny for war tax amounted to considerable in a month.

"Telephone calls that went over a fifteen cent charge were taxed a penny, while telegrams of all kinds, way bills, etc., were also taxed.  The penny can now go towards the high cost of living instead of the war fund."

And, We Weren't Even At War Then.  --Cooter

The Evolution of Communication-- Part 1

From a Vaseline ad in the November 26, 2012, Time Magazine.

And, Vaseline is over 140 years old.  A Timeline:

3200 BC--  In the Fertile Crescent, cryptic messages set in stone tablets.

1870s--  The telephone invented

1920s  Initiated in the mid-nineteenth century, telegrams became widespread for communicating right away with far-flung places.

Make Mine a Singing Telegram.  --DaCoot