The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-11-23
H ELLOING 1900 MILES
LONG DISTANCE AND SHORT CIRCUIT
TELEPHONES.

who Tee the Former and What They Use
Them For-Ihe Charges Seem High, but
They Permit the Use of Considerable
Conventional Lecture For Test Calls.
A continuous long distance telephone
line extends between Boston and Mil
waukee. a distance, rs the line is run, of
1850 miles.
A reporter who was wondering, as
many other people are wondering, no
doubt, if the long distance telephone cir
cults are much used, and If go by what
class of people and for what purposes,
called TO ask those questions Of Edward
p. Meany, assistant general manager of
the company. in the main Office, at Is
Cortlandt street.
Yes" said Mr.. Meaney. 1.-THE long
distance service is used to such a salts
factory extent that it is being constantly
extended. In the far western part OF
our territory Milwaukee has been added
to the system. and this side Of Chicagoa
line has recently been run down from
Toledo to Dayton o., and from Dayton
extensions are making which will bring
Cincinnati and Indianap polls into the serv-
ice.
What class Of Interviews Is most
conducted over the ! niger circuits:
Il should say that social and domestic
affairs bring most Of the patrons now,
although there are IN business inter
views conducted
Mr.. Meaney explained that the charges
for long distance interviews are based
upon five minutes conversation as u
unit. That Is, the charge W New
York and Washington is 81, between
New York and Chicago 50. for each five
minutes or portion OF THAT time. This
does not include the time used in max
ing the connection OF bringing the par
lies to the ends of the line. All sub
scribers to the long distance telephone
can be connected with the circuits just
as they are il the local business. II ii
man is wanted who Is not d subscriber
to the long distance service, he is hunted
up and brought to ii central station
without charge.
When two people get fairly started Oh
a long distance interview, they can talk
from 400 to 600 words III five minutes.
according TO the subject and their famll-
iarity with it. Ii Is a fact that most in
terviews end before thu unit of time has
elapsed. one New York woman who
had her son at South Bend, Ind, where
he is at school. called up auyiously, asked
her startled hopeful if she had put his
winter fiannels III his trunk. II ne had
not m~aliciou-ly carried off his fathers
razor and if his tooth had stopped ach-
ing. Being satisfactorily answered Oh
all these points, SHE paid for the service
and went on ner way rejoicing.
Business men chiefly Use the long dis
tance service to consult about terms Of
contracts or to report the text of con-
tracts which must be repeated TO insure
accuracy.
The chief difference between the long
distance and the short circuits is that III
the former what is called Il metallic serv-
ice is used-that is, III talking between
New York and Chicago, a distance of
1000 miles. the service Is really over Z, 200
miles of wire. a. the wire, instead of be-
ing grounded at both ends to complete
the circuit. l. doubled or looped to make
the coluplefe circuit metallic. The in
structions for speaking ana listening are
the same as those printed for the use OF
the ordinary telephone, and the result,
70 far as hearing is concerned. is rather
better over a thousand miles than over
one. This Is owing to the metallic cir
cult, which does away with the madden
ing burr-r-r resulting from induction
and from the Use Of "a heavier and SUI
perior copper wire. The wire used III
the long distance service weighs $40
pounds a mile, the ordinary service wire
weighing but $40 pounds.
Mr.. Meaney said that while there was
no mechanical reason why the service
should not be continued across the CON
tinent, it is not probable that. for the
present at least, it will go beyond the
Mississippi river. owing to the great cost
of construction, operating and 1nainte-
nance expenses. When these facts had !
been gwen to the reporter. Mr.. Meaney
asked If a chat with Chicago would not
aid IN understanding Of the subject. The
reporter thought it might, and Mr.. Mea- !
ney drew toward him a movable stand
ard telephone instrument and called up
Chicago. That active city quickly re-
spooded. aud the telephone was turned
5ver to the reporter. The thousand-mile
away voice began in a clear singsong
voice. This is the Worlds fair tele-
phone exchange station
That's all right" said the reporter.
I'm a Sun man and wanted to hear
your voice"
Then it laughed and said III a natural
II have 10 answer aDyut % 'tt.t' cs.li,
u day, and 50 haze made MP d httle lec-
furs which | give tLelI free
Then a conve rs4tiur NJ several u'n-
utes followed. uuBroken Dy a"b1rr-I-r.r
s..zip-tsipg. or a single whats that:'-
New York sun.