Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-22
OUR TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

COnnpGny-A Perfect Service to be E.r
pected.
A GLOBE reporter was accorded an in
teresting interview by Mr.. Downs, the
manager of the new company which has
recently purchased the Northwestern Tele-
phone exchange, as heretofore noticed in
the GLOBE, which resulted in gathering the
following facts as regards the future of the
system in this state.
The new company first considered the
purchase some two or three months ago,
but quickly decided not to. However, the
president and number
of the directors came out
here and contracted the ''Western
fever in malignant form and resulted
in the purchase as first contemplated.
The first and main object of the new pro-
prietors is to furnish the subscribers per-
feet system, such as must give entire sat
isfaction in every instance. The company
expects to expend more during the coming
year than the entire net earnings of the
system in perfecting it. A deal of the
wires of the city are found in fairly good
condition, but others are quite bad, and
need a general overhauling, so to speak.
The company ordered yesterday two
FIFTY-EIGHT WIRE CABLES,
which will connect the city hall with the
Syndicate block, from which they will
branch out to various points
to supply the needs of patrons.
These cables are constructed of lead and
contain fifty thoroughly insulated wires
each, so furnishing sixty separate and dis
tinct lines in the space of three-fourth of
an inch. That many new wires are pro-
posed to be strung up in the
business center of the city, although
to the residence and suburban
portions of the city, it is impracticable to
use the cable system, which is too cumber-
some, owing to the fact that connections
would be frequent and corners or devia
tons too diverse. The cable system does
away with the common nuisance of filling
the air with perfect
NET WORK OF WIRES,
as does the old independent wire system.
For long distances these cables have not
given satisfaction, but work to perfection
for a few hundred feet. Experiments are
now being made and the cable system will
doubtless soon be brought to a still
higher degree of perfection. There is
one in use IN Boston, con-
taing 100 wires, but the fifty wire cables
are much easier handled, although it is
| trouble someto make close connections with
either. Within three months
AN ENTIRELY NEW SYSTEM
J will probably be adopted and in full oper-
alton, which should include switch boards
and the number" system. Up to 900 sub
scribers, it is not especially difficult to call
| the names of the individual subscribers in
making connections, but over that number
nothing but the number" system can be
practically employed. Between Mime
apolis and st. Paul there are now but
two wires in operation. Yesterday a crew
of men were set to work in putting up
new cross arms on the poles, and in four
] teen days some fourteen new additional
wires will be ready for business. The
company yesterday closed a contract with
the Fargo exchange through which that
system passes into the hands OF this COM
pany, and will eventually lead to a con-
nection with Minneapolis and st. Paul.
The new company will take possession
April LIST. It is also contemplated to have
in full and satisfactory operation some
TWENTY WIRES TO CHICAGO
within the next two years. Mr.. Downs
stated that he had talked over
the wires for distance OF
500 miles with no inconvenience, and he
knew no reason why the distance could not
be greatly increased with satisfactory re-
suits. A test with good results has beer
made between Cleveland and New Yorl
over a composition wire,
COMPOSED LARGELY OF COPPER,
which, by the way, is a strong conductor
The Minneapolis and st. Paul system
will be ct once
EXTENDED TO wINoNA,
taking in all the intervening towns anC
cities large enough to support a centra
Office.
THE TOLLS
will be much less than those
of telegraph. A material reduction il
company can arrive at an equitable ad
justment ofithe same. They will probabl..
vary from 50 to Sc per month, according
to whether the subscriber has an individua
or separate line or whether there are three o
more subscribers on the same line.
In majority of the cities the boxes ar
of which are on separate wires. 1t ma.
be three months, however, before rates ar
thoroughly established.
The company will make special poin
of not putting people whose peculiar bust
ness or use for the line will aid to confic
with each other the same wire.
Underground wires have been teste'
to considerable extent in PHILADELPHIA
and have failed to give GOO
results. They are laid in pipes, but from
the electric currents in the ground or from
other causes they have thus far failed. A
s. Temple, thorough and practical cleo
trician, will be placed in full charge o.
this system. Mr.. Downs, also, is one o
the best and most
| SUCCESSFUL ELECTRICIANS
of the East. He began his business caree
as locomotive engineer. He then began
the study of telegraphy, having had liberia
experience in opposition lines, land brough
from the worst to the very best many o
the systems in the East. He made cleo
tricity the steady pride and ambition O
his life, and now stands acknowledged a
the head of his profession. He has climbed
the ladder from the bottom round upward
and for his wonderful success
, hos only IN thanh his oun indomit