Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-06-01

A Talk About the Telephone


Local
A Talk About the Telephone
Those who see the telephone for the first
time think it is queer thing, but if they
wei.t to the central Office on Main st. they
would think it still queerer institution
Standing in front of large board, which
is laced with wires and dotted wit b screws
stands young man presenting most re
markable appearance. He wears on hi
head what is called head-phone which fit
something after the fashion of comb. Ir
the top of that comb is wire that runs VI
to the ceiling. and to walk back and fortf
as far as that wire will let him go is the
daily leg exercise he can get. But there
is other exercise for him. Every moment
people are calling over their wire 20 on
3d." "52 on 49,, and SO on; the words are
distinctly heard by the young man through
his comb ard bis hands are kept busy COD
Meeting the wires named. So people can
converse over them. Il is hard to over
estimate the convenience and saving OF
time, and facility Of trade that this big
board covered with wires gives our people.
On Wednesday we sent reporter around
to get an idea of its value from some of
those who have adopted the phone.
Mr.. Reeves Gait, butcher, said it was
the greatest convenience he had ever had
hands. Though you need not put that
down." he added. ''for then every man in
my business will want to put in one.''
Mr.. S. 7. Thornburg, liveryman. said 1t
was of great practical benefit to bis bust.
ness. Many persons ordered carriages
who would not take the trouble to walk
down to the stable. In the matter of Or
dering calls for passengers, baggage,
checks, &C.. it was invaluable, because the
ladies can attend to it themselves.
Mr.. W. T. Tams, Cashier of the Angus
ia National Bank, said he would not be
without it for good deal of money. All
the telegraph business of the bank could
be done over it with speed and secrecy.
1t was but few days ago that while the
3 offerer of certified check stood at the
counter talking, bank in another State
was reached by phone and telegraph and
an answer was received that the check was
good. AS for his private use (Mr. T. also
has phone at his house, it had become
indispensable and had saved the hire of
servant girl whose duty it was to do er-
rands. All errands from the house, from
ordering coal or groceries to call for
physician were now done by the phone. In
q case of sickness physician had been
summoned by phone and arrived in nine
minutes from the time of call.
Messrs. Wayt & Bro, druggists, had
given the phone a thorough test and
thought it worked perfectly. They con-
stantly receiving prescriptions night and
day by phone and put them up. Many
cases occur when the patient, knowing his
disease, phones his physician his symp-
toms and the physician phones to us the
prescription and the whole matter is at
tended to in less time than it takes to tell
It, the medicine being sent to the room of
the patient who has never left his bed nor
seen physician.
Kayser, Shirley q Taylor, dry goods
merchants, thought the phone was great
convenience in filling orders, and gave
many instances of it. They had just sold
to lady at one of the schools two dresses
by phone She phoned her order and the
clerk put various patterns on the counter
and described them to her through the
phone, with the price. She was suited and
the goods were sent up. Many ladies dis
like the bother of making toilet for the
street. and make regular use of the phone
through which their orders are filled salts.
factorily.
Mr.. W. Fl. Weller, dry goods merchant.
thought the phone was of great practical
use to him, even now in its incipiency
but if it is taken to any considerable ex-
tent among the merchants and at residen-
ces it's value will be incalculable. Mr..
Weller thought at present it paid him if
for only one reason; it retains custom
that might otherwise go to the nearest
point to the buyer. Merchants would,
be thought, find that they would have to
take the phone to protect their own inter-
ests whether they wanted to subscribe to
it or not.
DIR. A. NJ. Fauntleroy said it was at all
times great convenience and sometimes
of critical Importance. He had sent pre-
scrlp.lons from his residence without the
trouble of going downtown. In one ins
stance after leaving case,in which he had
been In consultation with another physi-
clan. unexpected changes 10 the patient
occurred. His residence being connected
by phone with the patients house he was
instantly advised Of it and prescribed &C.
cordingly by phone. He was kept advised
by phone of every symptom until the hour
when be was to meet the other physician
again in consultation. This one case
would well serve to illustrate how we'll the
phone serves both physician and patient.
Messrs. Eakle Il Jones, grocers. said
their phone had already more than paid for
itself by the increase Of business It
brought. The change of one gentleman's
Trade, alone, to their house would repay
what they paid for the phone.
Our reporter took these subscribers to
the phone at random. but we presume if
the whole list was poled the value of the
phone would be as heartily endorsed. OF
course as the field of It's usefulness is en-
larged it will become yet mora valuable.
Church Notes.
at the Baptist church last Sunday, at
the congregational meeting, the Finance
committee reported deficit of $500. The
amount was at once made up by subscrip-
tion. At this church Rev. DIR. Basil Man