Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-18
SECRETS OF THE 'PRoNE.
Every Day Occurrences in the Tcle'
phone Operators Life.

Every Day Occurrences IN the Acic'
phone Operators Life.
1.-TWO forty-one on six" Manager Dill
Ion was sitting at the acting managers
desk al the Telephone Exchange when a
MORNING News man walked in yester-
day. Before him wass receiver and
transmitter. Holding up the receiver the
manager gave the order again, 1.-TWO
forty-one on six" Two torty-one" came
over the wire. Here you are now: just
the man l wanted" "Six out, he added,
turning to the transmitter aud lie hung
up" the phone.
"You see, we are pushing things.
I Twenty new telephones already this
month, the largest number we have ever
put in In a single month since the eX-
change was esta olIshed," and the man.
ager turned to his books and showed long
list OF new subscribers. "A good many
people are making themselves Christ
mas present OF a telephone, and by the
end Of the month We expect TO have at
least fifteen more in operation"
RI r-r-r-r-r-r-r went the bell.
"Hello!"
Mr.. Dillon smiled. and, turning to the
News man, said: Take nay receiver a
moment" A cruff voice snarled out
request TO talk with the manager. Mr..
Dillon again took the phone and listened,
smilingly. The man had a complaint 10
make. 1t was an old subscriber, who
said he must be addressed as Mister"
hereafter, or he will have bis telephone
taken out.
Another ring and another complaint
come in.
SIS this the managerr
sit i5."
well, my number is -"
~ es, know you, Mr.. -"
81 have a serious complaint to make.
Yesterday had some difficulty With the
girl at your end OF my telephone; she
wouldn't get me the party wanted, aud
reckon | spoke sharply To her. This
morning when | went 10 my 'phone to
ring her up sDe gave me an electric shock
from which have not yet recovered"
Very well, Mr.. -, am glad you
spoke OF it; the matter will he inyestiga-
/ It'd and satisfactorily adjusted"
That mau," said Manager Dillon, "has
q grievance. He thinks the girl made
short current or him-shocked him by
way OF revenge for the scOlding he gave
her. I'll tell you how it occurred. Mr..
- took hold of the receiver to release it
from the switch and at the same time al
lowed his hama to touch the switch. In
that way be established a short circuit
and the current played through his body
ib d bly &c LutHB Dub dEIS66UlS. All
this v must seriously and sympathetic
callv explain to MIR. -"
what feature occasions the most CON-
plant among subscribers
the breaking OF wires at this end.
| The cord attached to each plug is wound
with fine steel wire. These plugs are
pulled in variety of directions and the
attendant wTenching snaps the wire. We
average a good many of these breaks
daily. We can repair them III a few
minutes, but they always cause some one
trouble, The girls, you see, all wear
head telephones and never remove them
while there is pressure of business"
Glow about the night service?'
Most of the night calls are by the
newspapers, police, drug stores, doctors,
lire alarms, livery stables and hotels. The
doctors are getting to adopt the telephone
as a necessity. One gentleman told me
only day or two ago that he had to give
up his family physician because he lived
so far away and had no telephone. A
number OF them have had telephones put
IN their Offices and they all will in time"