The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-06-06
THE NEW TELEPHONES.
the EXCHANGE OPEKfTING VERY
SIIIsFICIORILf.
The street Committee Decide to Extend
tho Time for Completion Ninety
Days Longer.

The Council Committee on Streets met
yesterday afternoon at 1 clock IN the
ohice ot the Richmond Telephone Com
pany. IN the Times Building. The fol-
lowing members were present. Messrs.
Alleh, chairman; Bahen, Blanks Bloom
berg, Burton. Ferriter and Mcdowell.
The committee were received by Presi-
dent Robertson ana Captain A. Is.
Guigon, counsel Of tho company, and
shown through the various rooms occu-
plcd by the telephone exchange. Upon
entering the operating room the mem
bscs first viewed the cable rack. to which
at present fourteen big cables are at
tached that are introduced through one
OF the windows. There the wires con-
tanned in the cables are distributed and
led to the big switchboard, in front Of
which five operators will be seated dur
ing the busy hours OF the day.
Provisions have been made at once for
the supplying of 1900 telephones. and
the arrangements have been made in
such q perfect manner that each one OF
the lady operators can reach 800 or 400
different numbers from her seat. All OF
the apparatus is made OF the very best
material. and. as far as possible. have
been constructed IN this city. There is
no noise TO be heard. and neither the
operators nor the subscribers will be dis
turbed by the talk OF others when they
make use Of the new phones.
EXCHANGE IN OPERATION.
Three lady operators were at work yes
tcrday attending to the business Of the
company. and 80 telephones are already
I'm operation As President Robertson
stated yesterday. this is the first COM
paav that starts I'm IN this country with a
complete plant OF 800 subscribers. Others
have heretofore commenced on small
scale and have gradually extended and
enlarged their business.
Another room is set aside for the use
OF the engineer Of the company ana
there can be seen maps giving the loca-
ton of every cable and Of every pole
~ the company. While the old telephone
company has 100 poles erected. the
Richmond Telephone Company under
system Of wire crOwding had only 70
erect 600 poles for the transaction OF its
business, and most Of them have oeeh
located in alleys, not a single pole nav
in., been erected on Main or Cary street
Afe~ thorough inspection Of the teie-
nhone oxchanbe which gave full salts
faction 10 the committee. a business meet
inQ was held and Chairman Allen stated
that the meeting had been called az the
REQUEST OF the Telephone people who
were anxious % have a further extension
OF time granted. lie then called on tho
CITY Attorney 70 explain the PROPOSE
tOu.
ANOTHER EXTENSION.
Mr. Meredith first read Section Of the
ordinance which grants the Richmond
standard Telephone Company permission
10 construct its lines. 10 reads as fol-
lows:
The work mentioned In this section
shall begin in thirty days from the date
Of the approval of this ordinance ana
shall bo completed within ninety days
from the expiration of said thirty days
unless the failure 10 complete said WORK
Within ninety days above specified shah
result u the opinion OF the committee
from unforeseen. extraordinary and i'm
pfr.on4l causes. iu which ease the SAID
,nrrarv shall Doe entitled TO such fair
and rcaonabIe extension of said ninety
DAYS as may bee granted hy said COM
mittee.
alr. Meredith next read a resolution
picDared by. the company asking the COM
mlttee for another extension Of ninety
DAYS from to-day during which their en-
tire telephone system is 10 Doe completed.
The preamble of the resolution set forth
that the work has been delayed in part
because the old Dominion Electrical Con-
sfruction Company did not live mp 90
IT'S contract also 10y strike among the
employees. the delay in forwarding ma
terials. etc.
Alr. Meredith said be thought the reso-
luton was satisfactory bat be- ala not
have the time to go over IL in detail in
asmuch as a. had been presented 90 the
committee ON the very last day before
the time allowed for The completion Of
the work had expired.
Captain Guig0n explained that the COM
mi,tce Rad been invited at this late day
10 inspect the work in order that they
insight te able to see the exchange in ac-
tual operation. he said Doe felt confident
that 10y July ist about 600 or 500 telephones
would Doe in operation.
70 BEGIN SERVICE.
Mr. Ferrltcr moved that the resolutions
Doe adopted. and Nr. Bloomhers asked
that IL Doe 50 amended ass to state that The
company should at once give service
whore phones had been placed in posi-
tion. and that the now phones Doe added
10 the circuit ae rapidly as possible.
Mr. Mcdowell desired 90 know under
what conditions subscribers would De
furnished with telephone service. and
Captain Guicon stated that the price Of
1913 per year had been fixed by the city
ordinance While it was desirable no SEE
cure contracts for five years yet II was
rot necessary 10 subscribe for longer than
one year at time.
TIE resolution was adopted as amended
and the meeting adjourned.
THE members Of the committee were
then invited hy President Robertson in-
10 am adjoining room where refresh
mcnts were served. which had been snp-
piled by Mr. William Rueger. tie we'll
known restauratcur on ninth and Bank
streets.
Tho committeeman expressed tncm'eiF'7
a. Pleased with the excellence oil TIC
wo.'S 0f the company