San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-08-23
THE TELEPHONE SYSTEM.
The Wires I'm Bad Condition-Street
Car Companies Interfere
Manager Miiburn May
RPSiOn

Manager Miiburn May
Resign.
OF late there have been many com-
plants about The telephone system in
this city, and at times IL is an impOs-
siDility to get connection with the
central office A reporter yesterday
visited the central office and had
talk with the manager, Mr.. Milburn,
VINO said:
"San Antonio ought to have thor
oughly reliable telephone system. We
have enough subscribers. about 600,
and If matters were different, we
could have one. In the first place, L
will tell you, since you have asked
why so many complaints are being
made, just the reasons. Our wires
are run into by street car wires. They
run over us, under us, on top of us,
and how in the world can we
satisfy our customers when the
charged electric wires are at all
times conflicting with our telephone
wires? Our men are almost afraid to
climb pole for work, for fear of
meeting with instant death from some
of the charged wires of the street car
companies. They should be made to
arrange this matter in more salts
factory manner. Then again, we
have seven lady day operators, who
are busy the entire time. They an
swer on an average fourteen calls
minute, making two calls per minute
for each operator. Some one Will
ring up central and il we do not re-.
spond at once they will lay in q com.
plant. Now, the reason for our not
answering calls, at times, immediate
ly, and sometimes not until the sec
ond ring, is on account of our switch
board. Several weeks ago. when we
had lightning storm, our night
operators became frightened and
covered the board with sal ammo"
MAC, thus causing q rust on the
many pieces Of metal. This is the
reason we do not hear the first ring,
because the keys do not drop, We
are working on the board constantly
now with files and matters will be
satisfactory to the public soon."
us there any truth in the rumor
that there will be q change In the
management OF the office" asked the
reporter.
II am compelled TO 90 out and
time and it is not what q manager Is
expected to do. / wear out at least
$40 worth OF clothes per month. Now,
1 do not intend to stand this any
longer. If there is not a change l
will resign my position. l have COM
municated several times with Presi-
dent Baker, of Galveston, request
ing vacation of three months
and rs yet it has no. been granted.
II it is not, will be compelled to re-
sign and then don't know what will
become of the system in this city, for
no other manager would spend most
of his time at manual labor"
Mr.. Milburn, as manager, is
and the sympathy and financial
aid of the telephone company,
he would beyond q doubt, furnish the
phone subscribers with telephones
equal to any in the country. He is al
so very strict W tn the employees Of his
office; that is, ne Is always willing to
protect their interests. Rules are
laid down that no communication
with the operators, excepting on bust
ness matters, shall be had; mo visits be
made on the young ladies while on
duty; that no business man, not being
phone subscriber, shall have access
to the use of a neighbours instrument,
and in all, the rules are such, that,
were Mr. Milburn supported by the
company in his undertakings, he
would furnish good telephone service
in San Antonio.