The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-21
THE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.
improvements with a View to Better
ing the Local Service.


Substantial notifications have recently
been made 10 the arrangement and fitting
up OF the central office quarters of the Sa-
vannah telephone exchange, which add
very much to the comfort and appearance
OF the rooms at the corIier of Bull and Bay
streets. By new partitions, supplied with
blind Stats, which admit of free circula-
ton of air, the different departments,
operating room, managers office, inspectors
shop and ineman's room, have been re-
located for the better accommodation of the
company's business. Paint, varnish and
tastefully selected wall paper give reju-
venated and C eerful aspect to the whole,
which undoubtedly has beneficial effect
on what the patrons of the exchange are
most interested in, the service.
Besides these features new switchboard
with room for 600 wires has been placed in
position, and also an ingeniouslY devised
duplicate for the use Of the chief operator
The switchboard is the name of the appar-
atus for executing tho order of each sub
scriber for joining his wire to that of tue
party with whom he wishes at the moment
to communi ate.
1t is stated that the number Of calls per
subscriber per day in Savannah, exceeds
that in any other telephone exchange in the
world. The demands upon the operators
rare combin itiou of qualifications, patience,
seif-possesSion, quill mental action. a.-d
nimble, expert fingers.
There is no field of public service where
detlc .enceS become so quickly apparent to
the persons served, and perhaps none In
which these so quickly try the temper of
the average citizen. Manager Rood, while
recog izing this, lis attention to the fact
that it is possible for the subscriber himself
to be the one in fault in such cases, as is
often shown upon investigation. For ex-
ample, subscriber depresses the lever and
gives his order without first putting the
hand telephone to his ear, and gives
his order at the same instant that an
other does The result is, the operator can
not distinguish either order.
Another subscriber calling from another
station forgetS that he is away from home
and gives his own number instead of the
number of the station where he happens to
be- 1t is very easy to trace the confusion
resulting from this; all liable to be charged
to the telephone operator, when she SIMPLY
did her duty.
Another subscriber calls his own number
first regardless of the rule The operator
cannot know this, and the caller receives a
loud ring, while the party called receives
only tap, perhaps too light to attract at
tention. This may also result in disconnect-
ing the party wanted from some other with
whom he is talking, which will be very an
noying; but the operator is not in the least
to blame. Subscribers often repeat their
orders several times rapidly without wait
ing TO give the operator chance to execute.
This is only confusing.
Subscribers sometimes suppose that the
party they called for is not rung up, though
the single tap acknowledging the order has
been received. This is Incorrect; the party
called is always rung up, but the caller cai-
not hear the ring. If the called party does
not answer promptly, the exchange is not
to blame.
Mr.. Rood further explains that the oper-
ators have no transmitterS and cannot
talk back" to subscribers. TIE chief
operator must be called when necesSa y.
He spoke of the disposi ton of subscribers at
times to tap on the transmitter. This not
only does no good but does harm. 1t may
produce trouble which will take an In
spector long time to trace up and remedy.
There IS no doubt, from a conversation
with Manager Rood, that botn he and hi.
superior officers, and the employees under
him have the most sincere Intention to
make the Savannah tie ephone service
recognized for its excellent quality, and
they will doubtless have the cooperation of
the subscribers so far as that is necessary