The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-07-14
TWO SIDES OF IT.
The Telephone Number System Agi-
tated.-Views of Subscriber and
More Words from the Man.
agement.
JUSTICE TALKS.

JUSTICE TALKS.
Rock ISLAND, July IS, 1885.
Editor ARGUs:-In your issue of the
18th inst, notice communication from
d. H. Louderback, Vice President of the
Central Union Telephone company, in
which he makes very weak attempt to
justify their ridiculous order that sub
scribers must call by number instead of
by name. He enumerates what he face
tiously calls "three advantages secured
by the subscribers as we'll as the compa-
pany" il this rule be carried out
He says: I'm the first place, if party
desires to talk with another party while
others are present, on business, by sim
ply calling for the number of the party
desired, it renders it impossible for the
other parties to know with whom you are
transacting your business"
Suppose we please Mr.. Louderback by
admitting that such is the case / still
claim that the rule would be unnecessary
and uncalled for as, when such contin-
gency arose (Which might be once in a
hundred times) he could call by number
if he wanted TO. Ii he chooses to dis
close the name of the party with whom
he wishes to converse, well and good, it
is none of the company's business; if not.
then let him call by number as he has
right to do. And right here will hazard
the assertion that the operators them>
selves would be as well satisfied with
names as with numbers.
He says: Secondly, it also avoids the
frequent mistakes that are occasioned by
operators in busy Office not distinguishes
ing the name of the parties called for cor
rectlY and giving you the wrong party 5"
That is Just where Mr.. Louderback is la
boring under mistake. A number is
more likely to be misunderstood than a
name. and l call upon the operators
themselves to verify the statement. and
also think the other subscribers will bear
me out in saying that it has been much
more difficult and taken longer to get"
anybody since the adoption of the num-
Der rule than it was before.
Continuing, he says: Thirdly, by each
subscriber having a small card placed on
the top of his battery box with the names
and numbers of the firms and individuals
with whom he transacts the most of his
business, he will find that the parties
whom he needs most will not exceed from
ten to fifteen subscribers" How does he
know that2 The number might exceed
fifty for all he knows TO the contrary; but
whether it does or whether it doesn't, the
telephone company is little cheeky
when its asks me 10 post up list OF
names for its accommodation. Neither
is their any reason or sense in insisting
that shall use list or call by number
unless choose to do so for my own in
terests. If John Smith has telephone,
and | wish to talk with him, it is my
business to call up the central Office and
tell the operator in respectful manner
what | want, and it is her business to
make the connection without any unnec-
essary delay or foolishness, which latter
is Just what it amounts to when she in
sists on having his number. She knows
his number and is her business to know
it-that is one of the things she is paid
for-and contend that there would be
1
worthy postmaster to put the letters in
our postoffice boxes unless every one hat
the number of the box on it, Mr.. Loud
erback's statement that the number sys'
TEN tends to prevent strikes among the
operators by enabling the company to fill
!, the place of an experienced operator by
| putting in q green hand, may be true TO ,
certain extent, but II would be ashamed Il
make such aAfstatement as that over my
own signature. They thus virtually SAL
TO the operators every time they tighter
down the screws, IF you dom
like it, pack up your buds and get
I'VE don't care, as we can put anothe
girl in your place tomorrow" The fac
that she has never seen switch board O.
, been inside the Office don't make any diff
ference, for the subscribers are obliged t.
call by number and any fool can fint
a number when she knows wha
it is. 1t would not be the frs
time the telephone company had lie
faithful and efficient employee go. mucl
to the detriment of the service, and in di
rect opposition to the wishes OF nearly o
: every subscriber to the exchange. Blu
, to 90 back to the vice president of tn
high and mighty Central Union Tele
phone company. He speaks of strikes
but wonder if, in the simplicity of hi
soul he for moment supposes that al
operator would strike when paid such
munificent salary as the lady operators 0
that company get Salary did sayH
meant to say pittance, and beggarly on
at that, but still there is some excuse whel
, we consider the extremely low rental W
are charged for telephone. To sum u
the whole affair would say that the tel
ephone company is too much inclined t,
be arbitrary and bulldozing, and under tn
present management the enforcement o
r the rules and regulations have been at
tended with the display of so much of tn
''smart Aleck" that subscriber have gen
orally become sick and disguised, so mucl
so that scores would have peremptoril
. ordered the immediate removal of thei
telephones if they could have well spare
them, and the company well deserve t
; lose all its subscribers unless radios
change is at once made.
4 In conclusion I would say that Mr.
Louderback will have to talk very niue
''louder back" or 'back louder" than h
has before he convinces the subscriber
to the telephone exchange in Rock Islam
e that he knows better what they want tina
3 they do themselves.
JUSTICE.
THE VICE PRESIDENTS SAY.
CHICAGO, July 10, 1885.
EDITOR ARGUs:-I have just see
copy of your issue of July 11tf
7 1885, in which you publish my letter.
think if you will take any number in sou
head and undertake to find this numbe
in the directory without knowing th
name OF the subscriber, you will find tina
it is pretty difficult task to do so, an
that it would not be such an easy thin
for the party who was present and hear
' you call for the number to ascertain VIII
it was, and it would necessitate his run
ming his finger down every number in tn
hook until he came to it, as they do nc