The morning call., 1894-04-22

tenn and unbroken telephone communica-
tion furnished from San Francisco to Los
Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino
and 129 towns and places IN that sec
ton of the State. Thus an idea is given
of the magnitude of the telephone system,
which. within a few months, will connect
San Francisco by network of wires with
all important points in the State Of Cali
fornia.
Not alone in the extension of lines
throughout the State have the improve
ments been made, but in this city the
system of cunduits and cables, commenced
some three years ago, is now almost COM
pieted, and the wires which formerly in
cum bered the streets have been placed
underground and renewed from the in
fuence of induction, and they no longer
impede the fremeD in their duties nor
present an unslghtly appearance Oh the
streets.
To further add to the convenience of the
system an important improvement has
been invented by General Manager Sabn
which does away with the necessity for
ringing bells and asking questions. This
substitute IS switchboard which so facll-
itates the work Of the operators that sub
scrlberS can obtain more prompt and eft-
cient service than is given in any other
system in the United States, so that the
San Francisco service IS now considered
the most perfect If any city in the world
SINGS Professor Bell first invented the
telep h one land be undoubtedly has the
distinctive honor other parties have put
in CLAIMS, but since the time it was first
introduced the instruments have been
moving on toward psrfecti II through the
aid OF Edison, Blake, Berlinger and Haun-
tngs, ana all of these have taken out pat
ents both in this country and throughout
the world.
But in the United States this class of
no 10 10 I'D fod hu ha
American Bell Telephone Company, which
subleases to districts and territories.
The patent under which the Pacific sys-
TEN is operated belongs to Professor Bell,
but it ex pired on the Both of last January.
This covers the hand telephone, but it is
proper 10 say that no system can be oper-
ated In satisfactory manner without the
battery transmitting carbon telephone,
which is covered by numerous unexpired
patents. The Blake transmitter embodies
other patents issued TO Edison and Ber-
linger for a micrOphone. which fact is III
dicated upon the Instruments.
The switchboard Is what IS known as
the multiple system and is described as
follows:
The method is simplicity itself. You
take the hand telephone from the hook.
This rings your bell at the central office.
Place the telephone to your ear, give the
number wanted and retain the instrument
us
When the conversation is finished you
hang up the telephone. and by that act
your wire Is disconnected. The method is
the most speedy and satisfactory which
has yet been devised. The service is called
THE Limited Express" In the same
apartment as the switchboard are the
lightning arrester. battery-room and the
testing operator. This last is designated
No. 65 1t Is the duty of IS to receive all
com plants regarding tie wires and to see
that they are recti6ed at once.
The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph
system was organized in 1880, and its ter
ritory is the entire Pacific Coast west of
Ogden. That portion of this territory
lying outside of the city of San Francisco
Is subleased to the Sunset Telephone and
Telegraph Company.
BY the terms of this suitcase this CON-
pany has the privilege of all the patents
that were owned or controlled by the
American Bell Telephone Company. In
this city the underground wires are Of the
most improved kind aud cover all of the
principal streets. The wires are protected
by lead-cOvered cables, each of 200 wires.
aud are laid to accommodate 1900 SUBJ
scribers, and the system is known as the
vitrifled clay c0nduits. The provision for
such large number of patrons was made
TO avoid any imm sdiate necessity for dig
ging up the streets to extend the system,
which is very important matter TO our
citizens.
The rates charged In San Francisco for
ordinary telephone use is SIS for residences
aud S. month and cents q connection
for business houses. For large business
houses, however. fat rate is made cover
ing all switching.
AS the system stands at the present time
in this State. verbal communication can
be carried on between San Francisco and
all the towns north as far as Vina and
south TO Tulare. 1t is known as the long,
distance telephone, under the management
OF the Sunset Telephone and Telegraph
Company. There are connected with the
system known as the Central, between
Vlna and Tulare, 265 Offices. 1t includes
1914 telephone exchanges. The Spokane
district has AZ Offices and The Oregon Al.
The Southern bas SO. making a total OF
$50 in all. 1t has otal mileage OF 1900
miles of wire in operation. and long-nis-
lance lines are now under construction
which will eventually put S Francisco
in communication with all the prin cipal
towns in California. Oregon and WASH
ipgton. At the present time the longest
line in operation is the one from Vina to
Tulare, q distance of 470 miles.