The morning call., 1893-05-28
"HELLO FRESNO"

Progress in Long-Distance Telephone
ing.
The o. ening of the teleph one company's
lines to Fresno. which occurred last month,
marks the beginning of an era OF long distance
telephonIDg on this coast.
M[&A The company is now build
~ TX .|SS ng lines by means OF whlch
fGi/+ES%#L.lf1 will, ere long. be possible
lNLCrAe&Nx/ i talk with Los Angeles, San
NIX ez$Ee III Diego and all important points
W, gv(S% IN Southern California as
easily as to-day can talk
with Oahand. The vast improvements in e-
phone apparatus and lines, which have made
possible easy and convenient communication
between New York. Philadelphia, Boston,
Chicago and nearly every important town in the
East, have made 1t incumbent upon all tele-
phone companies in the United States 10 avail
themselves of these improvements for the
benefit and convenience of their subscribers.
The advantage of The telephone over the
telegraph and other means of intercommunica-
tOn is so we'll known that it Is hardly
sary TO allude TO them. but the following may
p rhaps be mentioned with advantage. The
telephone subscriber can communicate with his
correspondent wherever the lines extend, and
Immediately upon prOpounding question can
receive an answer without
Also If II be necessary to ~ "a WA
obtain information from Isl - I'M
other parties, get 1t within i0f />ElSeE = ,lSl
few minutes and transmit I l Yh>k4SlES&%~l |
to bis correspondent. With \SSrASa15SSA Loj
the telegraph, it is only pos Wy szszasSS5seZ3
sible to send limited mes \SSc12I
sage, vague in express SSEGRS
sion and very often, on ac-
count OF the publicity which must necessarily ac-
isfactoiy, and reply can only be obtained after
hours of waiting, and then II the reply does not
cover all the points needed another message
must be sent and more hours OF delay eXper-
fenced; whereas by means of the telephone
questions can be made explicit, any obscure
points explain d and an answer Obtained
within five minutes. In the East, where the
long-distance telephone Is extensively used.
even the railways feel the effect OF this perfect
means OF communication.
In The past. when important affairs were to
be transacted, the business man boarded the
train at night, went 10 Philadelphia. Boston or
Chicago, transacted his business ana returned
in one, two or three days, as the case NAV be.
Now, by means of the telephone he talks di-
rect to the parties with whom be wishes 10
transact business, and instead OF several days
waste OF time, with heavy exprnse for travel
ing and hotel charges, he transacts and COM
pletes his business within lew minutes at
nominal cost.
pany has within The past TWO years expenoed
a vast amount Of money in perfeciing its long
distance system. II is now possible to commu-
nicate by means of the latest improved instru-
ments over perfectly constructed copper lines
with every important town in Central Caifor-
MIA, and when the lines now build
ing are completed every town In California
will be connected d by means of his vast system,
and IL is only the matter OF year or two before
1t will be possible from San Francisco to talk
with all important points in Oregon and Wash
ington.
Not alone In instruments and lines have im-
proyements been made, but also in the meth
ods OF connec Ing subscribers through the
switchboard. The San Francisco Exchange Is
now being equipped with apparatus by m ans
of which. instead of the old method OF tedious
ringing and "neliOing," waiting and calling, all
that will be necessary 20 the subscriber Is to
take his hand telephone from the hook, ask in
a low voice for the number required, and
without questions or talking with the
operator he will, within ten seconds, be con-
nected with the person lie calls for. After fin
Ishing his conversation the act of hanging up
his hand telephone Will automatically dlscon-
he can obtain ir Immediately by simply follow
Ing the same procedure.
The telephone cOmpany's desire u give Its
subser bers the best possible service tAas also
caused the placing OF its wires underground In
all towns where the disturbing Influences OF
electric light or electric railway wires intor4
fered with their operation, and The service now
given through the underground metallic civ
cult system on this coast Is equal to any tele.
phone service in the world.
The charges on This coast are as low or lower
than any in the United States where equal
facilities are secured. aud it appears to be The
aim of he management to not Only give the
most perfect service to Its patrons, but also TO
give il to them at rates which must result in
almost universal adoption Of the telephone as a
means of communication.