Morning journal and courier., 1881-08-12

The New Switch Board at the Telephone
 Exchange in This City.
 On Monday morning last the Telephone Exchange in this city began operations with it's new switch board. This is the sixth pat tern of switch board that the company has used in this city within three and half years. The first were of course very crude, as they were made at the very birth of the business, when no one knew what was want ed or how the work was to be done. The board recently rejected was found good for limited number of subscribers and limited number of calls. It was quite sufficient when first put in a year ago, and the great improvement in the service which the past year has shown proves that it was an ad- vance upon it's predecessor. But the growth of the exchange here has been so rapid that the board was found at once too small and too slow in it's action. The switch now introduced has a capacity nearly double the old one, and the principle of it's construc- ton and work is such that it is believed that when the operators have become familiar with it the service will be more prompt and satisfactory than it has ever been. It is the misfortune of change like this that time cannot be taken for operators to become fa- miliar with new board before it is open for public use. The telephone office has to be open day and night and every day. There is no opportunity to learn new ways so long as the old are in operation. Sunday last was the only day the office has been closed since it was established in January, 1878. Conse- quently there is great deal of friction and 6 very considerable delay in the present ser vice occasioned by the unfamiliarity of the operators with the new machinery, but it
 will grow better day by day.
 It must be remembered that in the system adopted here every operator has to know the
 ''whole board, '' that is, on what wire is each subscriber, and what is his call. This occa- sions delay after any change which is not experienced in those cities where larger prices are charged and single wires are alone used. There the service can be very much simplifed. It is not generally known, but it is nevertheless the truth, that the tariff of charges of the Connecticut Telephone com
 pany are much below the average prices of
 other systems of the same size.
 The new board is of the pattern known as
 the ''Gilliland switch" It was manufactured
 by the Gilliland Manufacturing company of
 Indianapolis, and the board adopted by the
 American Bell Telephone company, in it's large
 exchanges at Boston and Chicago. It is also
 used in many other large places. In the ex-
 change here the operators are divided into
 two classes, switchmen and talking opera tors. The former stand before the board, into which the wires run. Across the board run number of brass strips, on which the connections are made by plugs. The talking operator sits at table with transmitter, a
 telephone and 8 series of calling and con- meeting keys at each table. When drop falls the switchman indicates to the operator ak %0I11 11o I,xz -,1,, 1ak oo11
 has come in. The latter presses key and finds out what is wanted, and, | if it is a connection with another subscriber says to the switchman, s'Give me such wire on such bar" The switchman puts anoth- CT plug in it's proper place and the table | operator calls on the party wanted, and the 1 connection is made When the conversation ! is over, the table operator by 8 movement
 lets his hand drop, an annunciation which | tells the switchman that the plugs in certain bar may be taken out, and then those wires | are ready for the next conner.
 l When this system is once familiar to the | operators it is very rapid. It has also the | advantage of demanding very little conVersa l tion between the operators, and enables the | manager to have much quieter operating | room than by the old method. Moreover, fl | admits of an almost indefinite extension without interference with the efficiency oi | that already in operation. Neither will there
 be with this board that overhearing of con- versation going on in the operating room while a call is waiting for an answer, whicE was so annoying in the old board.
 | An Elegant Toilet Preparation,
 \ Hair dressing and restorative is to be found | in LONDON HAIR COLOR REsToRER. It seldom ! fails to restore gray faded hair to it's orig inal youthful color and beauty Falling hail is checked by it's use, and it produces s growth of beautiful young hair, soft, glossy l and luxuriant. It certainly is the most | cleanly and effective hair restorer now before | the American people. A. A. Gibson, Barry. | town, Duchess county, N. Y., writes Dr. Swayne & Son, Philadelphia, Gents II en | close a postofice order for eight dollars please send me one dozen 'London Hai1 Color Restorer.' It has stopped my hail | from falling and restored it to it's natural col | or. It has proven satisfactory in every re pect. The 'Iond on Hair Color Restorer' can be obtained at all the leading druggists