In the early days of telephones in the Mississagi River Valley, everyone was on a party line, which meant that only one household could have a telephone conversation at a time, and if anyone else picked up their own telephone they could hear the conversation going on. Everyone had their own individual ring, such as two long and two short.

Party lines were a great form of entertainment, because if people realized that someone else was having a conversation on the telephone, they would pick up the phone to listen. Listening in on other people's phone conversations was a common activity of the time and was known as "rubbering".

Each time someone else picked up the line, the people having the conversation would hear less and less, until finally they would have to ask everyone to get off. Although no voices were ever heard responding to these requests, several clicks would be heard and the line would 'mysteriously' become clear again.