The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-26
NO EASY OCCUPATION
THE TELEPHONE GIRLS LOT ONE
FULL OF TRIBULATI0Ns.
She Must Keer Her Eyes Straight
Ahead All Cay Long-But She
Wouldn't Wear Black

end to the patrons of the telephone ex-
change. The phrase doubtless originated
with the invention itself. Everybody in In
dianapolis who uses the phone knows the
dire meaning of the words. They indicate
that the man you want to talk to is busy
and that your chances of getting him are
slim. They're talking now." comes to your
ears sometimes as soft as the whisperings
OF love- Once in a while it is exasperatngiy
harsh and again Ii strikes your ear like an
icicle. 1t all depends upon the imperious
young woman at the other end Of the line.
She has you at her mercy and can follow
the dictates of her own sweet c~aprices. But
these hello girls nave their troubles as
well as other people. They are doubted on
every hand The average telephone patron
knows just what he wants when he rings
his bell. If he doesn't get it he blames the
girl in the exchange. Sometimes he swears
at her but he often overlooks the fact that
nearly three thousand other people are as
apt to use the phone at that particular time
as himself. So the hello" girl gets a ques-
tionable blessing and the Central Union
Telephone Company goes down in his opin-
ion.
A visit to the big exchange at the corner
of Ohio and Illinois streets is enlightening.
The place is a myriad of wires and electric
buttons and young women who are not per-
mitted TO stare at visitors. Eighty-seven
thousand feet of wires come into the build
Ing from every section of the city through
heavy lead cables. Eighty-seven thousand
feet of wire are confined in these cables in
side of the building. There is one man in
the employ of the company who is familiar
with every foot of this wire. This individual
is the wire chief a1o ne is indispensable. All
day long he sits g. a desk and every hour
in the day he is In communication with the
inspectors. He knows where every connec-
ton is located ard he can tell in an instant
where the last repair has been made. By
means of an electrical apparatus. the wire
chief is able to locate within five or six feet
a defect In a wire, no matter in what part
Of the city the trouble may be. He is abso-
lutte in his authority and is looked upon by
the company as a sort of a wizard. If a
telephone wire is crossed, the wire chief Is
the only man in the employ of the company
who can sit in his office and point out the
locality. Otherwise it would require a half
days work to locate the trouble. The ap-
paratus which assists in this marvellous work
is called the milestone Bridge"
THE OPERATORS LONG HOURS.
One hundred people are constantly en-
p,oyed by the telephone company in keeping
up the service. About half OF this force con-
sists of women and girls. who are known
as operators" From Z o'clock in the morn
ing until 6 o'clock at night thirty-six girls
are employed at a switchboard one hundred
feet in length. After 6 o'clock the force Is
gradually decreased. After 10 o'clock two
girls. with a night manager, take care of
the service. People are employed in all
sorts of capacities. The switchboard is a
marvel of mechanism. It has fifteen thou
sand spring jacks or holes in which plugs
are inserted to make the connections, and
200 drops
These Drops said one of the managers,
indicate the number of the phone when
there is a call. The subscribers ring the
bell and the drop falls in the exchange.
The operator notes the number and makes
the connection. Sometimes it is not posi-
BILE to connect the patron with the phone
he calls for because 1t is in use. At other
times the operator is busy and ann at
tend the call. Here is where the trouble
arises. a man rings his bell and gets no
answer. and then gets out Of patience. He
conceives the plan Of ringing his bell until
he does get an answer. and proceeds to grind
away until his arm grows tired. Here is
where he makes a great mistake. When
the drop falls it remains in that position
until the operator has time to make the con-
nection. 1t doesn't matter how much ring
ing is done after that, it won't get the at
tention OF the operator any quicker. She
is not annoyed by the constant ringing, and
Is not aware that it is going or. People
might save themselves much undue exercise
by keeping this matter in mind"
The rules of the company for the govern
ment of the operators are rigid. and, In most
instances, they are strictly enforced. The
thirty-six girls who manipulate the switch
board are in charge of a chief operator.
This official is a soft-voiced, raven-haired
young woman. who sits at a desk in the
center Of the room. A metallic receiver Is
worn over her head and her quick ears are
always on the alert. She may hear all that
goes on over the line, and knows I'm an in
slant whether an operator Is ''gossiping' or
attending to the company's business.
THE TROUBLE CLERK.
AT the side OF the chief Is another official
whose duties are important. This is the
''trouble clerk" She is a plump girl, with a
golden head and slim, tapering fingers. 1t
is the business of the trouble clerk to re-
cord the numerous kicks that are regis
tered during the day. II the chief operator
can't adjust them amicably. they go on the
book ana the local lududSeT tries his manu-.
The chief operator has found from expert
ence that the men who patronize the line
are more tractable than the women. The
men VIII swear. perhaps. and grow dam
gerously violent. but they are easily pla-
Gated, and the matter ends there. The
women are unforgiving and won't be paci-
fed. In one or two instances telephones
have been taken from customers who per-
sisted in firing ''cuss words into the dainty
ears of the operators.
The telephone company expects dignity
and politeness from Its employees. Particu-
lar attention Is called to the disregard of
proper phrases on the part of the operators.
did you git 'em?" used to be a familiar
query of the operator. but it doesn't go any
more. did the party answer" is now in
vogue In the exchange. One of the rules
posted on the wall of the operating room
reads: Except for the purpose of looking
at the clock operators are expressly forbid
den to look around from the board" This
rule Is gall ard to the thirty-six
young women who are compelled TO stare
straight ahead of them when visitors are
passing in the rear. Operators are not al
lowed to address each other by their Chris
ffon ~ rrhffo ~ H,rfv Tf 4.