The morning call., 1892-09-15
TELEPHONES In BUSINESS.
Use of Long Distance Instruments by
Commercial Men.

EIectIcai Engineer.
A surprising feature of lODg-distance tele
phOny is the remarkable amount of buSi-
ness that can be crowded into very short
conversation. The fact that the c0mmuni
cation obtained is an actual conversation at
first hand between the persons most directly
interested In the matter under discussion is
what renders the telephone so far superior
to the telegraph for many purposes. Cues
tlons and answers are exchanged i'm medI-
ately without the annoying delays incident
to telegraphic dispatches Propositions can
be made and commented on, modified or re-
jected in manner quite impossible by tele-
graph !; in fact, all the advantages OF per-
sOnal interview are obtained without the
expenditure of time and trouble involved in
a Journey Numerous instances could be
given of the number of business questions
that can be disposed of in single talk over
the wires within the minimum time of five
minutes. Probably the best on record is
that where two business men, one in New
York and one in Boston, discussed and set
tied four entirely distinct affairs In one min
ute and half.
Two of the matters dealt with involved
large sums of money, but the men were
able to lay their heads together, figuratively
speaking, so well, although literally they
were SO far apart that it took them but
few seconds in each case to decide on what
how many kilograms would have been re-
Quired to do the same amount Of business,
leaving entirely aside the question Of time,
which is so often of the first Importance.
Every day cases occur where the lOng-dis-
tance telephone enables business TO be done
that the telegraph cannot aid, and where
the only alternative would be long and
expensive journey. For instance, not long
ago New York man was notified that his
draft on house in town far up in the in
terror of the State had been allowed to go
TO protest. and in order to protect his inter-
ests he was on the point of undertaking
a journey that would have kept him
away from his Office for three days, when
a friend advised him to telephone to the
bank which held his draft He did so im-
mediately. The bank informed him of the
state of affairs, and recommended a lawyer
in the town to take the job in hand. BE
had an interview by telephone with the
lawyer. and gave him instructions to pro-
eeed, and the same afternoon the lawyer
reported that he had got out an attachment
and that the draft would be fully covered.
The time spent by the New York man over
the affair might have been an hour, and the
total ex, ense was for three conversations
one with the bank and two with the law
yer-as against an absence from town of
two or three days and travelling expenses.
amounting to $40 or $50. The actual saving
of time aud money is by no means the only
recommendation IN favor or loDg-diStance
telephone communication.
Often it renders possible the transaction
of business which could be done In no other
way, and many times q five-minute conver-
sation pays for itself th0usandfold. To
manufacturers having their head offices in
New York. branches in other cities and
towns and factories somewhere in the coun-
try. the service has become practically
indispensable.