Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-08

world is shouting "HelIo Central;" tha
is, IS many of them as can afford to ante up
the necessary cost. The balance of the world
SAYS the same thing through some other fell
lows telephone. In fact it may be said
that If entire and harmonious communism
prevails in any two matters in this country,
il is in the use of telephones and umbrellas;
with only the distinction that umbrellas are
portable and telephones are not.
PIrTsBuRe's FIRsT TELEPHONE.
Telephony in Piftsburg dates back to the
year 1879, when the first telephone was put
in between the First National Bank Build
ing and the rooms of the Iron Association
on Fourth avenue. Ten years is not so long
ago but that many can recollect what a
furore the "talker" created and how much
commotion was made all over the country.
Having gotten into the historical vein, it
may be as well to remark that the Central
District and Printing Telegraph Company
was founded in Pittsburg in 1874 offering
the Morse dot and dash and printing system
to about 60 enterprising merchants, who
wanted to reach each other in some manner.
The system was cubersome and, replaced
with the Edison telephone, was too dead to
die. The first telephones were all Edison.
with Edison transmitters. This was before
Blake had invented superior transmitter,
which Edison had to have and before Alex
ander Graham Bell had laid the foundation
OF prineely fortune by filing a cayeat in
the patent Office embodying what have since
been claimed as Daniel Drawbaugh's ideas
In the first year of the introduction of
telephones locally 203 were placed in Pitts
burg. Since then the increase in the
number of purely local instruments has
averaged 300 per annum, there being now
$500 instruments in the two cities proper.
Manager Henry Metzgar assumed charge In
1881. There was an immense district to be
worked with Pittsburg as the center. In
this district there has been an annual in
crease Of 600 a year. It is bounded by
Wsynesburg on the east youngstown on
the north, Wheeling on the south and Bell
aire on the west Hardly place which has
ceased to be village in this territory but
has its telephone connection with Pittsbure.
In this expanse Of uncounted square miles
there are at present over 5000 telephones.
thousands of miles of wires and hundreds of
Thousands Of people who rise up-or, rather.
ring up-and call Edison blessed.
As for the financial operations of this tel
ephoDe district, it may be safely estimated
that 81, 25O, ,000are invested. Telephones are
in two classes. Those in business houses
command rental of Ss4 yearly. Those in
private houses cost $75 yearly to the user. Il
is safe to presume that OF the 5000 tele-
phones in the district half are business ad-
iuncts, and, on the other hand, half are in
private use. Rough calculation makes the
private whisper boxes yield an income of
SS57, 500. and the business instruments are
good for S340, 900, an annual income of $780,
900. to say nothing of the out-of-town tolls
On suburban instruments it costs cents a
minute to converse. The rate is % cents for
each five minutes, the same rate going for
fractions of the allowed time. These out-of-
town calls average 300 per diem, not in
considerable income by the way. There are
many who yell monopoly, but they find a
telephone as necessary as DO other people
who grin and bear the high prices
MANAGER 1EETzGAR TALKS.
Manager Metzgar, whose principal bust
ness il Is TO glue his ear to the telephone re-
ceiYers and listen patiently to wrathful re-
marks about crossed wires, saucy operators
nd various other hifehea bound to happen |