The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-11-27
Highest of all in Leavenng Powe-Latest u Govt Report
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"Hello, Central"


A visit to the telephone exchange of the
Michigan Telephone Company at liz west
Main street, is full of interest 1t is gen.
orally known that a telegraph operator has
to pursue long course of practice to attain
proficiency, but as the telephone is so much
simpler than the telegraph it is not so well
known that telephone operators need
similarly long course of training.
The telephone operator must be as quick
as lightning, as patient as Job and as secre-
tive as politicians private secretary. The
operator sits before an upright cabinet,
which, in the upper part, contains hum
dred, more or less, black hinges, each of
which covers up number engraved on
small brass plate. Suppose your number is
''34" and you ring up Central" A mag
net acts, releasing the catch of one of these
hinges which drops, disclosing No. "a. Be-
low the square Of hinges there is row of
holes, similarly situated, and numbered to
correspond with the brass plates. The
operator Immediately grasps plug at
tached to an insulated wire and places 1t i'm
the hole No. 81, Suppose you desire to
talk with No. 6; the other end of the cord
bears similar plug which is placed in the
hole No. 6. The operator then closes the
hinge over plate No. "a. rings up No. 6 and
moves little lever which cuts herself out
so that she cannot hear the conversation.
When you are through talking and "Ring
off," the hinge oyer No. drops, showing
that the conversation is ended. Both plugs
are then pulled out and fall into their places,
a weight being attached to the cord under
the table and hinge No. is closed. If a
subscriber does not "Ring off, the operator
has to ''break in" to know whether the
users are still talking. There are a number
of these plug cords and a number of the
''breaking in" switches, so that the operator
speaks to only one at time. The operator
wears small, round receiver which is held
over her ear by metal band which rests on
the head.
The back of the cabinet, or switchboard,
as 1t is called, contains an array of wires
which would frighten novice to try to un-
derstand, but which are easily traced out
by expert. Every line That cones into
the office Is provided with ligntning ar
rester. These contain piece of carbon
which burns out in case of lightning strik-
ing the wire, and prevents the switchboard
from being burned out.
The state lines, of which there are SIX at
the Owosso office, have switchboard SINH
lar to the local one but not so large. 1t is
in charge of Miss Alice Hubbard, and the
Owosso business is sufficient to keep her as
busy as Miss Emma Payne who operates
the local switchboard. Ernest Frazier is
night operator. Edward G. Stacey is gen.
eral manager and is thoroughly acquainted
with the business and operative de tails Of
the telephone system. The Office contains a
small, we'll lighted room with a long dis
tance telephone so that one can converse
with different points of the state without
having his conversation heard by another at
this end of the line.
There are two styles of telephones in use,
the long. distance, in which a very low tone
of voice can be heard easily and the COM
mon telephone which sometimes requires
more than ordinary strength of voice.
On the whole. Owosso's telephone service is
equal to any In the state, and those in
charge being always obliging, prompt and
polite are deservedly popular.
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