Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-02-21

A Talk with Col. T. b. A. David
I. In Relation TO Introducing IL


Here.
The Wheeling Telephone Company Is
in a cataleptic or comatose condition, 70
ali intents and purposes, strangled IN us
infancy by the surprising wisdom OF the
CITY Council in its usual embargo on
enterprise. The company had Just
budded into existence and was strug-
cling under the load OF the great II
pense connected with the enterprise.
N asked Council for the right OF way
through the streets Of the city, which
Was granted, but as an after thought, a
heavy tariff was put upon IL: The city
must have Tree use OF its wires n IN
struments. Perhaps Council was not
aware that its burden Was heavy, or
perhaps its action was based on the
philosophical paradox: When a body
tends to fall, place a welghto on The heavy
side 10 steady it. However, the uiu-
mate capillary was placed on the cameis
back-and the back broke.
Nobody who has had the opportunity
OF examining the operation OF teie-
phone exchange, and the innumerable
benefits 10 be derived thereirom, VIII
deny the advantage 10 the city the IN
PRODUCTION OF an exchange would be. IL
Was freely said that Council knew 1t and
therefore, thinking the enterprise Il GER
tain one, went in Tor the plcklngsi uha'
il would not have done 81 had the COM,
pany been an old and powerful one and
willing to sue for right OF way. But
that Is neither here nor there. The
telephone company has apparently
crumbled, and the Pittsburgh District
Company has entered for the prize.
Col. 4. b. A. David, President OF the
| company, was in the city for several
DAYS Of this week, aud a REGISTER repre-
sentative had a lengthy interview with
him in relation TO a telephone exchange,
it being public news that such was his
mission In the city.
MANY persons are familiar with the
operations of an exchange, in theory at
least, but perhaps an equal number Will
read with interest \ brief description.
The system resembles, in principle, the
messenger and alarm system now IN use
here. Every subscriber receives u teie'
ubone. connected with the central office,
which is the general headquarters and
and which is, As Col. David says, the
liyeliest, n~oisiest place in the city The
interior Of the exchange presents To view
A complicated mass Of wires, key boards
and switches, a. unintelligable TO the
| ordinary observer as Egyptian hieroply-
| phies. But by means OF these switches
| any one subscriber may be enabled to
ait in his office and carry on cOnversa-
ton with any other. He signals the
central Office and asks to he connected
with MIR. A. Mr.. A. is informed, the
connection made aud they converse Ms
readily ~ il seated in thu same room.
As an instance: The writer was once
sitting in the news room Oi u
Pittsburgh paper, where information
Was brought in that n serious accident
had occurred at ClairmOnt, at the water
works. The telephone WAS brought into
reauisition, connection was made at the
central office, and in five minutes the
reporter was obtaining the particulars
directly from a man at the scene OF the
accident, seven miles away.
Well, Wheeling is 10 have a telephone
exchange, aud in the near future, too.
This comes from Col. David and IL rell'
able. He 10 not prepared TO give dates
or figures, as matters are yet ia an IN
definite shape. lie thinks Wheeling Is
a fair field for operations aud Will readily
support the exchange. He will return
H. the city, ere long, and will then be
able to furnish complete figures aud IN.
formation. Now what will Council do,