The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-08-10

A GENERAL CONVERSATION
INDUCED In. A board OF directors could
thus hold a meeting by telephone, all OF
them being in various portions OF the city.
However, The rules OF the Exchange are
very stringent in enforcing the privacy OF
conversations. An operator who should be
detected in OYerhearing conversation will
/ be discharged on the spot. so that mes
sages by telephone are even more private
than by telegraph, for while In the former
they do not even pass through third party,
a telegram must be known TO at least TWO
besides the parties concerned. Beneath the
horizontal strips Of the switchboard are
what is known as the Law-system tables.
| These are furnished with connecting
screws and holes, each having a number
over II corresponding TO the station number
OF a subscriber. Through these holes pass
the flexible cords, having pulIeys and
weights beneath TO pull them back in place
when q discOnnectiOn has been Ordered),
and hard rubber and metallic plugs or pegs
above, the plugs and cords representing the
ends OF private wires OF the different sub
scribers. Now, it may be easily seen
HOW A CONNECTION IS MADE.
For instance, the cal-so familiar to sub
scribers and OperatOrS-cOmes. " Halloo
Central! One hundred and twenty-five TO
seyenty-six."
The operator picks up the two plugs re-
presenting those Nos. and he places for
moment the one called Q2j) on the cali
plate, which rings the bell OF 125. He then
inserts the two plugs on some one OF the
horizontal strips, thus placing the two sub
scribers in direct communication.
Another interesting question is
HOW YOUR BELLS ARE RUNG.
Formerly, to ring your bell the operator
struck with greater or less rspidity the
plug Of the subscriber called upon the call
plate, which is separate strip placed in
the wooden frame OF the switchboard, be-
low the connectiOn-stIips, and 20 connected
with the batteries that when struck it sends
a broken wave OF electricity on to the wire
OF the subscriber and rings his bell. This
was, however, troublesome and not uni
form, and great improvement has been
made in this regard by the introduction OF
THE AUTOMATIC POLE-CHANGER AND CIRCUIT
BREAKER.
This instrument stands in case against
The wall at the end OF the switchboard, and
Is in electrical connection with the call
plate. IL i set in vibration by local bat
tCry, and is as regular as the ticking OF
clock; thus keeping constantly throughout
the day vibrating or broken current OF
electricity passing through the c1ll-plate,
so that when the plug OF any subscribers
number is simply placed on the cll'pIate,
his wire is set in vibration 10y The broken
current and his bell rung with great regu-
lariiy.
As the business increases during
THE BUSY HOURS
OF the day more operators are needed to
receive and execute orders than at otner
times. So there is a provision made Tor
this in the circle-wire switchboard, by
mems OF which the clrcle-wire may be di-
yded up into loops representing equal sec
tions or divisions OF the city.
At : O'Clock in the evening, after busi-
meas is generally suspended, the pole
changer IS taken off, and the circle-wire
sections or loops connected into one i'm
mensc circuit, consisting Of about twenty
five miles Of wire.
At the same hour the head-phOnes are re-
moved from the heads Of the operators, and
the circle-Wires connected to nght-bells or
vi6ra,ors, which are rung by the subscribers
pulling the switch or call-eyer halfway
down, and this attracts the attention OF the
operator at any hour OF the night.
TESTING POR TROUBLES on CIRCLE WIRES.
When the existence Of fault or trouble
OF anv kinda break, a ground, a cross, or
an escape, any Of which will interrupt busi-
ness-is detected by the experienced ear Of
a circle-wire operator, the various loops or
sections OF which the circle wire is com
posed are at once tested by the chief opera
tor and the loop or section upon which the
trouble is found to exist is Immediately isO-
lated by being disconnected or detached
from the other loops or sections OF the city
and an operator detailed 10 listen on that
loon alone. This is done for the double
purpose OF preventing the fault on that one
loon from interfering with the service Of the
other loops, which are thus preserved intact,
and TO enable the chief operator, with
the assistance OF the inspectors, 10 "lOcaie" 5"
the fault eXpeditlOusly-and with a. little
interference with the service as possible.
Complete lists OF The subscribers on the yari.
GUS loops, arranged in the exact order in
which their stations are "cut In on the
circle wire, being kept in the operating
room, it Is only necessary for the inspectors
10 visit a few Of the stations, and mo-
mpntarily "Open" or "grOund the circle
wire where ii Is connected TO the sub.
Scribers' instruments To enable the chief
operator to locate the fault with
UNERRIXG CERTAINTY
between two contiguous stations. As soon
as thus located the inspectors are required to
make critical examination Of the wires and
instruments OF the two stations, where the
trouble is usually found to consist Of broken
pbOne. cord, broken otfice.wire, or defective
call box, and is OF course remedied without
delay. Failing TO discover the fault after
careful examination, however, the two sets
OF instruments are "cut out OF circuit
or detached from the cailing-wire. II, after
this is done, another test still reveals the
presence OF the fault, it IS now proved be-
yond a doubt that the trouble is on the line
or bouse.tops, and then, and not until then,
an order is issued to the inemen, directing
them 10 examine the line betreea the tlrO
stations Oniy, when it is usually found and
repaired in a few moments, but one house
top having to be yisited--lhus avoiding the
necessity Of having the linemen clambering
OVER THE HOUsETOPs,
and running through The houses Of citizens
continually, as was once the custom, and
silenclng the most serious objection upon
the part Of both tenants and landlords TO
the erection OF telephone fixtures upon
their buildings. BY this system OF testing
for faults much time is saved to the em-
ployes and protracted Interruptions to the
service are avoided, a fault usually being
located and remedied within half hour
from the time OF its appearance, II during
the day time; whereas under
TIE OLD SYSTEM
OF starting the linemen out to search over
fifteen or twenty miles OF hOuse-top wire
for trouble, il was no unusual occurrence