Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-04-20
TIE TELEPHONE.
So:ne Account OF Its Rise and Gro tn !
This CITY.

way to connect 0lnceS anu residences nea'
the centre Of the city with factories, MILL
Or depots in tie suburbs or q short distance
in the country. Later telephone Ex-
change was established in the northwest
angle of Centre Square, by which all the
undivided lines were placed in communi
cation with each other. This gave quite
an impetus to the business and some fifty
subscribers were soon obtained. As the
business increased greater facilities were
demanded, and the managers OF the enter
prise cast about for more convenient quar-
tcrs with better facilities for extending
their lines. Last winter the third story OF
the city hall was leased and the company
at once commenced fitting it mp. A strong
cupola TO cary the wires was built, extend
ing twelve feet above the apex of the roof
of the building. The cupola is square,
SIX feet in diameter. framed with two
thicknesscs Of inch boards, placed diagon
ally and covered on the outside with heavy
lin, PAINTED. There are six rows Of Cross
arms on each Of the four sides of the
cnpGia, capable Of carrying three hun
!red wires, though at present there are
less than ore hundred in place. These
wires ladate from the cupola in four diff
iereut directions, SO that there is no
greater strain on one side Of the cupola
than another. The wires that enter the
rupola are all insulated. ard arc carried
Gown to the instruments in the operating
room in wooden cases, SO that no wires
"r2 visible in any part Of the building.
AS stated above, the Exchange head
quarters are in the third story of the city
hall, formerly used by tho City cornet
band but the desolate, barn-like room
has been rcatiy changed in appearance.
IL has been sub divided into four com.
rartmcnts-:il operating room, an Office
lOr tho manager, laboratory for the bat
toIicS and Instruments, and I room for
patrons or others who may have occasion
10 visit the Exchange. There is also a
small! room or closet where subscribers
wh0 may wish 10 scDd strictly private
messages can do so over q tYiro cut off
from the general system.
The managers office and tho operating
room are handsomely papsred and COM
inrtab!y furnished. The latter contains
two Of Charles Williams latest impro we'd
switch boards. each having fifty wires,
and or each of the wires are from ono TO
three subscribers. The boards are
;n0uhtcd on 4 handsome walnut stand.
.'hero is 2 generator for each board, and
chese can be operated separately or con.
nccted at pleasure. When the operator is
seated in fco0j Vi the switch board, the
transm;tter son a level with the operators
.nouth, so that messages may be sent
without the slightest Inconvenience. The
phone car be handled with ore hand the
generator with tla other simultaneously.
Each bpa,l is supplied with IA alarm bell
1"! the night operator, so arranged rs to
he thrown of in day time There arc
thrce rows Of lightning arresters On each
side. extending from the top of the cupola
10 the grnn.i end perstratiDg the ground
SIX ic:t, 80 protect the instruments from
lightning.
Miss Sadie EvcrtS, daughter OF j.
StIickler Everts, the veteran line builder,
i< Inc senior operator. and Miss Bessie
Caller. the junior Both these young
Ea,!ie& are int ligent, and capable. Trey
state that their occupation is generally
very pleasant, Though it oftcu happens
that they have calls from halH :. dozen or
more subscribers NJ iho same instant, and
that being unable to wait Oh mere than
ono ~ = time, there is an unavoidable
delay, wirvca: some impatient parties oc-
rasi"naily h'rrme imp"rtincnt simd pro-
fame Hnt G,csa ara exceptions, Of rare
occurrence, good breeding and polite
langia@u ling tle lu!3. Ia answer to
rcl,i cseItatlve nf the iNTELlI"ENrER they
;ii.t.ni that they could hear tie ctnversa-
lion passing h,twGen two polS3ns talking
tr":l different Parts OF t!,e city, Il they
chs. tn listen ; but they have neither
ti...e lU, imCi.nGi;nn to do so. When twO
nr ,iir"r subscribers; have their telephones
.nn"eala;; or the Same wire, they, too,
can near convCi' alton passing over that
wire. whrt'!rr it bo addressed to them or
in .,,.!nn one III a different part of the
town Occasionally ludcrOus mistakes
occur from this source, and it is always
we'll before sending a message to inquire
vino is ut tie ot!:cr end OF the line.
Since The ro:nplny have got into their
new quarters ttl-ir business Is rapidly in
ctraslng New lires of poles and wires
Lave been put up in all parts of tho city;
.i... company is now independent of tho
telegraph r,1.nptnies and all poles used by
;hem are exclusively their own, except =
few on which are the wires OF both the
lire department and the telephone. The
number ii subscribers in this city is twice
rs large aS il: was a few months ago, aud
there are ina,a applicants thar they can
- .'nce accommodate.
Fac clnrp.t.y Is rapidly extending its lines
10 other :owns. Lancaster is now connect
and York and lines are now building,
and y il! vc.y *.,tu be finished, which will
rorH"c: ne "itn Harrisburg, Mechanics
bur, Carlisle a,il other points in tie
,.Imhtsiaisi vii'c;. 4 limo connecting
t.an@a3.Gl' with Nanhcim and Lititz is
vr!i under S.;I - Ne !iales being dug and
the pos: .''s l,.' "ruunl over the greater
u;;la e: the r,,!7-H. Other lines will be
hIliIt t. Mile; arilg Safe Harbor, Quarry
Vile, %trishHr,c New Holland. and indeed
avryv considerable town ia the county, as
.aptiIy as t:,ey may be needed or can be
a.;uir..t! As these lines extend they
VIII c..amsc1 with those Of other counties,
AID in :, very few months it is expected
we will BE in telephone communication
with Philadelphia, Wet Chester, Reading.
Allentown, Mauas, Chunk and other dis.
tant cities.
The general manager Of the comrany,
wnici IL knuv as the Pennsylvania Telc-
,.,.u,c Co.nltny, is W. Earr the division
manager, =. G"!iaub2r.,..r the manager
%: ihe Lancaster office, i'has. +. Ham
bright thc day operators Misses Everts
a.:'i Calder, and tho night operator John
lmmai. Tho cor;St ACTION and rearrange-
. lu"n: of the poles and wi,es in this city
was u:"lcr the infringement of VIM. New
hall, Of Washington. Most oc the work
was done by Ssrick Eveits and William
.i;::.n:O.,. o.. this city. veterans at the bus.
mess and who i:I0w all about it.
Nh. !anib:ieht informs us that the
nilice w!l; Hr KEPT open day and night for
the ;iccniIin oi;.tioa oc the public. He
says tho telephone is largely used in con-
meet ion with tlla tCic~raDh in the trans