The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-06-14
NO MORE HALLOA.
A NEW TELEPHONE IMPROVE
MENT TO BE INTRODUCED.
Tho Invention OF President ssbsn OF the
Local Compnny-The Question Of
Rates From tho Compa-
ny's stsndpoint.

The Sunset Telephone company pro-
poses to introduce in short time great
improvement. doing away with the
"halloa" system of calling central. The
new method is the invention OF Presi-
dent Sabin OF the company, who 10 as
expert an electrician az he is able az
manager. 1t is called the Limited Eek.
press system.
This system has been in use In San
Francisco nearly one year. A. present
nearly one half, or over 1000. OF the San
Francisco subscribers are using the new
style of machinery necessary ct each
Subscribers station to make the proper
connection with the new machinery at
the office. As far as the subscriber 10
concerned, with this machinery he al
ways has complete control OF the CEN
trail Office operator. There Ia NO bell to
ring at any time; the simple removal OF
the telephone from the hook and placing
the same to the Subscribers car gives
an automatic signal at the Office, and
the operator SAYS mum Der ?" subscriber
giver the number desired and second
operator makes the connection, and
rings the second Dell.
When the second subscriber takes his
telephone from the hook he gives an
automatic signal at the Office that he has
SO done, and whom either or both OF the
subscribers hang up the telephone alter
finishing the conversation, the reverse
signal lie given at the central office, and
tho parties are disconnected.
In order to make second connection.
80 II = M
times difficult, with this it is only necss-
ssry to remove the hand telephone from
the hook again. the same as at first.
Thus it will be seen that there ia no
delay in making connection or dis
connection, and besides the operator. ia
never upon the line at any time, except
in the first instance TO get the number
wanted. All other signals, such az the
subscriber called for answering the call,
the parties finishing the conversation
and desiring to disconnect, or new con-
pection wanted, are made by the auto
matte signals of the subscriber at his
tele phone, by the simple movement OF
the hook upon which his hand telephone
hangs.
The system is gradually being intro
duced in Oakland (the next exchange in
eize to Los Angeles) and q letter received
from st. Louis this morning says: Tho
limited express system will be installed
here just as soon as we can possibly get
the apparatus ready"
This is the result of the examination
in San Francisco by the electrician OF
the st. Louis company. The electric
ians from the headquarters in Boston OF
thu Bell Telephone company and from
the Chicago Telephone company have
examined the system and pronounce it
q success,
A small section of machinery for this
system will arrive in Los Angeles to.
morrow morning and telephones be
placed in the different newspaper offices.
In discussing the proposed arbitrary
reduction OF telephone rates by the city
council the officials of the telephone
company express the hope that when
the matter 10 fully explained that the
action will be reconsidered.
President Sabin yesterday said about
tine matter that under the present rates
here the profits are not over or ~ per
cent on the assessed valuation. San
Diego's charter provides for fixing the
rates but also stipulates that the COM
pany shall be allowed to make 7 per
cont. The states of Indiana and Mary
land have fixed telephone rates but it
was found necessary by experience to
rescind the rates. The lowest rate in
New York ia $3.50 year and 10 limited
to 1000 cells. An installation charge OF
$l5 10 made there.
In New York the old fiat rate was $240
a year for unlimited switching, but of
late it has been made 1920 for 1000 mes
cages and cents for each message after
that. These rates have been approved
by the press of the metropolis.
Some firms here make rs to 100
switches day, and the fat rates they
pay only amount to barely one-third OF
a cent per switch. On this account the
rates of SO and 2 cents per
switch per month for residences, and
81 and cents switch for bust
ness places, have been made go that
small users would not have to pay for
the heavy business done by business
firms, and 80 that there would be
M ore equitable distribution OF charges.
These rates were also to be made at the
new station in the southwest part OF the
city where work was abandoned yester-
day ON account OF the proposed cut. Mr..
Sabin says Los Angeles now has the
lowest telephone rate of any city OF its
size in the United States that has the
conduit system. and that to cut il still
lower will greatly hamper the extension
of the system.