Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-01
rHE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.

The Richmond Telephone Exchange has
continued to grow In size and popularity. and
is now very important factor in the future
growth and Guancial prosperity OF tue city
Its value as ume-saYer IL beyond compute
ton. and were tue valuable and which 10 rem
deIs 10 the transaction OF daily commercial
and manufacturing business TO be suddenly
Withdrawn business would be paralyzed.
Some idea may be gained OF the value and
usefulness OF the Exsha0ge from the average
number OF recorded switchboard connec'
items: Average daily connections, 1000
average weekly connections, 10000; average
monthly connections, $4,000.
During the month OF october the above
averages were largely exceeded. the sctual
number OF connections recorded being &c.,
lO2. making an average of nearly 0,000 coz
nections for each Of the regular day Ope-
raiors.
On several occasions single operator has
recorded lS0 connections within the limits
OF an hour and fifteen minutes, wcich would
mske an aggregate OF 3,Si1 connections re-
corded by the entire force q Cpersiors during
that period. The above figures represent
appIOximately the number OF connections bad
through the Exchange telephones outing the
various periods mentioned, and give lar IN
dex Of the value and utility OF the Telephone
Exchange service. They also announce TO the
impatient subscriber who grum0les because
he cannot secure immediate connection Win
busy transportation Office that there are
several other subscribers In the city besides
himself VINO occasionally utilize their tele-
phones.
The largest number OF connections are
made between 8 A. NJ. and II NJ, and the
busiest hour OF the day II from 1890 to ll:30
A. NJ.
During the year lust closed the number OF
subscribers has increased 10 about 135-a
gain OF nearly 100.
Within the last twelve months many I'M
proyements have been made In the eX-
change plant and tue centra'olllce appll-
ances.
The interference with the service due to
the leakage from the eleciTic-ight currents,
which at the beginning Of the year almost
entirely prevented the use at night OF the
| telephones in the section Of the city north OF
Main street aud west Of Ninth street, bias
been entirely obyiated by the introduction OF
a device invented by superintendent Nc
| Cluer, and the subscribers located in thlt
section now enjoy perfect immunity from
the earsspitting and voice drowning noise
| with which they we're wont 10 be greeted
every time they attempted to use their tele-
phones after the electric lights were ablaze
Announcements are being made to apply
| SUPERINTENDENT McCiuer's device To the Sec
lion OF the CITY north OF Main street and easl
| of Ninth street The subscribers N which
section, especially upon the route trayersed
by tbs electric ears, are now greatly incom
NODDED at all hours by the leakage from thC
Electric railway currents. II is hoped tha
this much. needed relief will be successfully
applied early in this month.
| Ia obedience to that desire which has ever
actuated Superintendent NcCluer aud hi
company to adopt the newest and most per
feet devices for the Improvement OF then
| Telephone IL change service. this Inventor
| will be applied 10 other sections OF The cit!
whenever the necessity for II arises by reason
OF the extension OF the electric light or Elec
trio railway plants.
Two additional sections OF the Cole an(
Gentry multiple switchboard are now IL
process OF construction and will soon be con
nected into the exchange, thus providing
additional switchboard facilities 70 accom-
modSte The constantly Increasing volume o
business. The present force OF operator
! being at times somewhat overlaXed addition
al operators 10 preside at the new switch
! board sections are now IN training.
With the anticipated growth OF the city II
size and population, IT is confidently believed
| the Telephone Exchange viii continue Il
increase in size, value, aud importance.