Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company
Encyclopedia
Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company was a major manufacturer of telephone exchange
equipment. It was founded in Chicago, Illinois, by Milo G. Kellogg, an electrical engineer. Along with Western Electric
(who supplied the Bell system
), Automatic Electric (who supplied General Telephone) and Stromberg-Carlson
, it controlled the nation's supply of telephone equipment until after World War II
.
, and received two degrees in engineering from the University of Rochester
. He married into one of Chicago's most prestigious families, and relocated to Illinois.
In the 1880s, Kellogg had been a manager at Western Electric
(he was superintendent of Western Electric's Chicago manufacturing and research plant) and the Southern Telephone and Telegraph Company
. In 1897, with expiring, Kellogg set up his own manufacturing firm, Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company. Kellogg himself held more than 150 patents, and he had invented and patented the Divided Multiple telephone switchboard
. The new company manufactured the equipment as its flagship product. This switchboard offered greater flexibility and efficiency than earlier designs in handling large numbers of telephone subscribers at each urban exchange. Kellogg Switchboard & Supply primarily supplied local independent telephone companies
.
. A bitter stockholder fight ensued, which led to Stromberg-Carlson's reincorporation as a New York
state corporation in 1902.
Milo Kellogg recovered his health, and discovered what De Wolf had done. Kellogg sued to stop the sale of his stock. In two separate decisions by the Supreme Court of Illinois
—Brown v. Cragg, 230 Ill. 299
(1907) and Dunbar v. American Telephone and Telegraph, 238 Ill. 456
(1909)—Kellogg retained ownership of his company.
. Kellogg Switchboard & Supply was supported by the Bell Telephone Trust
(which at the time owned most of Kellogg Switchboard's stock), the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, and the Employers' Association of Chicago
. Kellogg Switchboard sued to stop the Teamsters from engaging in their sympathy strike
, and won an injunction forcing the drivers back to work. The Kellogg company refused to negotiate, fired nearly 90 percent of its workforce, and broke the strike.
ing system in 1950.
The ITT Corporation
purchased a controlling interest in Kellogg Switchboard & Supply in 1951, rebranding the new division's equipment as ITT Kellogg for a decade. Among ITT Kellog's acquisitions in the 1950s was telephone manufacturer Federal Telephone & Radio.
In 1989, ITT sold its telecommunications product lines, including ITT Kellogg, to Alcatel, now Alcatel-Lucent
. The company's U.S. operations were later sold and went private. What is left of Kellogg Switchboard & Supply now goes by the name Cortelco Kellogg. It is owned by Cortelco (Corinth Telecommunications Corporation) and is based in Corinth, Mississippi
.
On December 12, 2008 eOn Communications announced an agreement to acquire Cortelco Systems Holding Corporation.
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
equipment. It was founded in Chicago, Illinois, by Milo G. Kellogg, an electrical engineer. Along with Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
(who supplied the Bell system
Bell System
The Bell System was the American Bell Telephone Company and then, subsequently, AT&T led system which provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984, at various times as a monopoly. In 1984, the company was broken up into separate companies, by a U.S...
), Automatic Electric (who supplied General Telephone) and Stromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson was a telecommunications equipment and electronics manufacturing company formed in 1894 as a partnership of Alfred Stromberg and Androv Carlson. Along with four other companies, it controlled the United States national supply of telephone equipment until after World War...
, it controlled the nation's supply of telephone equipment until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
Kellogg was born into a prominent and wealthy New England family. He attended prep schoolUniversity-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
, and received two degrees in engineering from the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
. He married into one of Chicago's most prestigious families, and relocated to Illinois.
In the 1880s, Kellogg had been a manager at Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
(he was superintendent of Western Electric's Chicago manufacturing and research plant) and the Southern Telephone and Telegraph Company
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
. In 1897, with expiring, Kellogg set up his own manufacturing firm, Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company. Kellogg himself held more than 150 patents, and he had invented and patented the Divided Multiple telephone switchboard
Telephone switchboard
A switchboard was a device used to connect a group of telephones manually to one another or to an outside connection, within and between telephone exchanges or private branch exchanges . The user was typically known as an operator...
. The new company manufactured the equipment as its flagship product. This switchboard offered greater flexibility and efficiency than earlier designs in handling large numbers of telephone subscribers at each urban exchange. Kellogg Switchboard & Supply primarily supplied local independent telephone companies
Independent telephone company
An Independent telephone company in the United States was a telephone company providing local service that was not part of the Bell System group of companies, "Ma Bell", before the 1984 Bell System divestiture or breakup of the Bell system...
.
Fight for control
In 1901, Kellogg fell seriously ill. His brother-in-law, Wallace De Wolf, proved to be a poor manager. Concerned that the company might fail, De Wolf secretly sold a majority of Kellogg's stock to Western Electric. Easily manipulated by Western Electric executives and legal advisors, De Wolf also helped Western Electric attempt to take over the country's other large telephone equipment manufacturer, Stromberg-CarlsonStromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson was a telecommunications equipment and electronics manufacturing company formed in 1894 as a partnership of Alfred Stromberg and Androv Carlson. Along with four other companies, it controlled the United States national supply of telephone equipment until after World War...
. A bitter stockholder fight ensued, which led to Stromberg-Carlson's reincorporation as a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state corporation in 1902.
Milo Kellogg recovered his health, and discovered what De Wolf had done. Kellogg sued to stop the sale of his stock. In two separate decisions by the Supreme Court of Illinois
Supreme Court of Illinois
The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five appellate judicial districts of the state: Three justices from the First District and...
—Brown v. Cragg, 230 Ill. 299
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(1907) and Dunbar v. American Telephone and Telegraph, 238 Ill. 456
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(1909)—Kellogg retained ownership of his company.
1903 strike
In 1903, the Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company was the target of a bitter strike by the Brass Molder's Union Local 83 and the International Brotherhood of TeamstersTeamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
. Kellogg Switchboard & Supply was supported by the Bell Telephone Trust
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
(which at the time owned most of Kellogg Switchboard's stock), the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, and the Employers' Association of Chicago
Employers' Association of Greater Chicago
The Employers' Association of Greater Chicago was a nonprofit association of employers based in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded as the Employers' Association of Chicago in 1903, although it was also known colloquially as the Chicago Employers' Association...
. Kellogg Switchboard sued to stop the Teamsters from engaging in their sympathy strike
Sympathy strike
Secondary action is industrial action by a trade union in support of a strike initiated by workers in another, separate enterprise...
, and won an injunction forcing the drivers back to work. The Kellogg company refused to negotiate, fired nearly 90 percent of its workforce, and broke the strike.
Post-WWII history
The company prospered in the early 20th century. It introduced the Relaymatic automatic switching system in 1939 and a crossbar switchCrossbar switch
In electronics, a crossbar switch is a switch connecting multiple inputs to multiple outputs in a matrix manner....
ing system in 1950.
The ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
purchased a controlling interest in Kellogg Switchboard & Supply in 1951, rebranding the new division's equipment as ITT Kellogg for a decade. Among ITT Kellog's acquisitions in the 1950s was telephone manufacturer Federal Telephone & Radio.
In 1989, ITT sold its telecommunications product lines, including ITT Kellogg, to Alcatel, now Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent is a global telecommunications corporation, headquartered in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France. It provides telecommunications solutions to service providers, enterprises, and governments around the world, enabling these customers to deliver voice, data, and video services...
. The company's U.S. operations were later sold and went private. What is left of Kellogg Switchboard & Supply now goes by the name Cortelco Kellogg. It is owned by Cortelco (Corinth Telecommunications Corporation) and is based in Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
.
On December 12, 2008 eOn Communications announced an agreement to acquire Cortelco Systems Holding Corporation.