Rock Island daily Argus., 1892-11-09
NEW HELLO DEVICE
A Great Improvement in Tele-
phones.
IT Is A PROMISED INNOVATION.

An Arrangement That VIII Make Connsc
hons Automatically, Promptly and Ger
tainly y-Somsthing Of An idea of How It
WIN Work,
The papers some time ago interested
the public with what seemed to be sensa-
tionsl accounts of an automatic tele-
phone exchange, which had been de-
signed TO supersede tie kindly ministra.
tions of the telephone operator in maxi
ing connections at central station and
which seemed likely to accomplish its de-
sign. Since then nothing has been
heard OF this invention, tine Stronger
automatic connection switch board, till
within a day or 30. Wednesday Chicago
sent delegation of her prominent citA sus
to LaPorte, ILL.,, to witness the operation
OF the device there, it having
been placed in practical operation there
several months ago. During the time it
has been in use there it has also been the
subject of additional study and improve
m snt, and now Il is about as near perfect
as it can be made till another revolution
Is wrought in the whole system. A rep
resentative of the Chicago Post who &C.
companied the party to LaPorte wri es
this of the operation of the device that is
soon to throw thousands of young Il dies
on the American labor market, reduce
the price of telephones, increase the num-
Der of the subscribers, and make life gem
orally more endurable and less fatiguing
than it is now:
There was no apparent difference in
the new telephone box from these COM
monty in use, except that Immediately
under the transmitter there were several
keys on buttons. One of these buttons
was marked release" the Others units, -
items" and Hundreds" These buttons
were the secret of the new system, and
the prime factor in making. the position
Of the "hello" girl untenable.
The visitors crowded about the SUPER
intendent as he proceeded to demonstrate
the workings of the new telephone.
Suppose" he said, you wish to call
up No. 121. First you press the unit
button once, two pressures on the tens
button follow, and then you complete the
call by single compressor of the key
marked 'hundred.'"
The superintendent pressed the b utton
as he spoke. turaed the bell key. was al
most Immediately answer by respon-
CT 20 rir nd
peared on disk on the face of the
phone" much as the numbers appear on
cash register when the button is press
ed. be turntd to one of the party and
said:
No. 121 is on the other end. Talk to
him"
The person addressed was modest
But don't know l21," he said
That's all right" said the superinten
| dent, talk 10 him anyway"
The,gu took the receiver. The ex
| preston of his face indicated that No
| 12l was asking what was wanted. u
simply wanted to congratulate you or
| the fact that we can reach you without
the aid of telephone glrl," was the
audible reply.
Everybody applauded, and everybody
wanted to try it. Not that telephonins
! by the new system sounded any differen
| from talking oyer a wire in the loud way
but there was curiosity to undergo thC
| experience of talking to listener at ths
other end of the wire without the posi-
bility Of interruption hy the squeak,
voice of telephone divinity.
Now" said the superintendent, "wei
cali up another number, and rs / pres,
the buttons you will notice the action O
the figures on the automatic switch
board
| No Sc was called up-that is to say
''units" vas pressed six times and tens
five times. All eyes were turned toward
the automatic switchboard. As the but
| tons on the phone were pressed an auto
matte arrangement similar to that on tn,
telephone box brought out the figure
SO" Switchboard and lone" cores
ponded.
The superintendent spoke to 49, wht
had promptly responded, explained tha
the subscriber had been called up to illus
trate the working of the new system to
party of Chicagoans, and spologized TO
the Inconvenience caused.
The apology was evid antlv accepted
for the superintendent smiled. 9TH,
subscriber says Lsporte's bigger towI
than Chicago today" he remarked.
A number of other experiments wer
made. One IF the most interesting wa
an illustration Of how Interruptions c.
be handled. While ia king to one sub
scriber there WAS violent ring at tn,
telephone. Secretary Harris was couver
sing with No. 40 at the time "Excus
me moment" he said to 40" and ther
he pressed the key marked release.
That shut 40 off and permitted the sec
retsrv 10 learn who was calling. No. 4.
wanted TO speak to him. There was
brief conversation snd then the secretar,
pressed the release" button and iuatsnt