Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-12
TALKING OVER THE WIRES.
The New Telephone System to be In
Operation To-Day.

Ahe new IeiephOno system W W -
Operation To-Day.
"Rello! what do you wantf No, is
engaged chirped pretty young girl all
in one breath as she sat with her lips
close to a queor-looking little box at
tached to the jet end Of a gas bracket in
the telephone central Office yesterday
when NEWS reporter walked in.
Seated at an odd sort Of table on raised
platform were three or four young ladies'
leaning forward and seemingly busily en-
gagged over their work. Little strips OF
brass crossed themselves on each dainty
head and held ''reoeIver' TO each right
ear. In this manner the right
ear was devoted to the public and the left
ear to the company. A confused mel
loing' all the time, accompanied by
stHccatO bellishments on the part o.!
the young ladies, who pulled out and
pushed in screws of brass plugs, gave the
impression that somebody was doing a
good deal OF talking over the wires.
Now you see just how we do business
up here,' said Manager Valleau, rising
from his desk, in front Of which was a
little brass switchboard and series
Of electrical apparatus. Supt. East
erlln was quietly sitting by bis side,
and the two gentlemen volunteered to eX-
change.
I'VE are all ready now" said Mr.. Val
leau, ito take up our new System. To-
morrow we shall throw aside the old
methods Of operation and begin with the
new"
During the past two months the system
has been entirely changed. The old
magnetic system has been done away with,
and the new Low system has been intro
duced. To-day il will be put in operation.
Its use is entirely different from that
which has before been in operation. The
calling OF Central" and hello Central"
will be useless, as no transmitters
will be used In the exchange.
When subscriber wants to speak
with the central Office application
must be made to connect with
the managers station No or the chief
operators number 0. Instructions how to
use the telephone have been sent out to
subscribers. To call: "Put the hand
telephone to the ear, press down the lever
and give just the number OF the party
wanted and the number OF the
telephone calling, thus: "15 on
To-" Hold the lever down until
the bell is tapped, then release it and pro-
coed with the conversation. One tap of
the bell indicates to a subscriber when
calling that he has been heard and his or
der executed. If the party wanted does
not respond promptly press down the
lever and say, "Ring 20 again." Two
rings of tue bell when calling indicates
that the line which is wanted is in use.
When through talking press down the
lever. still holding the hand telephone TO
the ear in order TO be sure not TO interfere
with any other subscribers, and order a
disconnection, giving the number Of the
station with the word ''Oh;" thus, ia
OFF," A tap of the bell signifies that the
orders are heard.
In answering call simply put the tele-
phone to the ear without touching the
lever and give the number of the station.
! The management of the exchange asks a
strict compliance with the rules that have
been issued IN order that all confusion
may be avoided. The methods of the new
/ system are simple, and If the
/ public complies with them a great
| improvement will be brought about
/ in the telephone service. The SYSTEM is
/ the same as that already In operation in
! Charleston, Atlanta, Augusta, and in fact
| every city in the South where the tele-
phone is used. In introducing it here the
central office of the exchange and its
| appointments have been entirely re-
modelled, a new plant of poles and new
wires and apparatus have been put in,
and in fact there is very little about the
something over 100 miles Of wire strung
through the city. On Bay street
alone there are so miles
The Central office is divided
up into three principal rooms-the
operating room in charge Of the chei
operator, and in which the switchboard
is located; the managers office, in which
the business of the exchange will be
transacted, and the battery and supply
room where are arranged in tiers the cells
Of the principal Grayot battery, which is
the motive power of the intricate ap-
paratus which carries the voice over
1 miles of wire.
The visible life of the exchange is in
the operating room. The operators have
fast work to perform, as from $500 to
1000 connections are made every day
The busiest hours are between 10 O'Clock
in the morning and 1 O'Clock in the after.
noon, and from 4 to 8 In the afternoon
Very little is done, and there are very few
calls before $3.50 in the morning and after
at night, probably not more than 200 al
together on an average. The average
total Of messages sent over the wires IS
| represented by the number Of connections
made, but not by the number of calls.