The morning news., 1897-07-26
LONG DISTANCE LINES OPEN.
SAVANNAH CAN TELEPHONE BRUINS
WICK AND JACKSONVILLE NOW.

The Formal Inauguration of the
Lines VIII Take Place To-day and
TO-mOrrONv-Savann Mayor to
Telephone IA Greeting TO the Mayor
Given in savannah To-day For
Jacksonville and Jacksonville
VIII Return the Compliment To-
mOrrOw-The BELL People Pushing
Their Long Distance Lines.
Savannah viii have long-distance tele-
phone connection with Brunswick and
Jacksonville after to-day. In fact, the
lines have been in operation several DAYS,
but have only been used in an expert
mental way
They win be formally inaugurated to-
day by the Southern Bell Telephone and
Telegraph Company, and Savannahians
will hereafter be able to talk with the
subscribers of the Brunswick and Jack
sonviIle exchanges, 50 or 14O miles dis
tant, or with individuals not subscribers
by payment Of messenger fees, with the
same facility that the members of the sa-
vannah exchange talk with each other a
block away.
The Jacksonville long-distance line
will be formally opened this afternoon.
Manager Polk Of the Savannah exchange
has invited a number of leading citizens
to be present at the new telephone ex-
change building at O'clock, when the
lines will be opened. Mayor Meldrim was
TO have formally opened the Jacksonville
line. with a conversation with the mavor
OF Jacksonville, but he is out Of the city
and will be represented either by Alder
man Hamilton or Alderman Charlton or
owens The Mandolin and Banjo Club
Will also be present and will play several
selections for the Jacksonville listeners
A number Of ladies have been invited 10
MI. folks residence on Duffy street and
several solos, with piano accompaniment.
VIII be sung. The listeners will
pe IN the Jacksonville exchange.
Where thirty-six telephones have been ar
ranged with connection with the Savan-
nah exchange, so that the conversations
and music in Savannah may be heard by
mat number of people in Jacksonville
tomorrow afternoon the concert will
ne given by Jacksonville and Savannah
ians will be the listeners. The formal
opening here will take place in the draw
4 n
Manager Polk has issued invitations TO the
formal Inauguration of the line. The
same number of telephones as were used
IN Jacksonviile-36-Win be arranged so
that the same number of people Will be
able TO listen at the same time to the
concert and conversation in Florida. The
programme will probably be similar to
that arranged by Manager Polk for the
entertainment of the Jacksonvillians.
After the formal opening the lines will
be free to the subscribers to the Bell tele-
phones for one week. After that the rate
Will be s. cents for three minutes CONVEX
sation with Jacksonville and So cents with
Brunswick. Night conversations will be
at half rates.
This is the first long distance line out of
Savannah. 1t has been building for some
months. The wires are of heavy copper
and conversation can be carried on with
perfect distinctness. At present the line
extends only to Brunswick and Jackson
vile. The company is building to Darlen,
however, and will have a line to that
point In short time. The long distance
system will be extended as rapidly as the
lines can be built, and Savannah will soon
have telephone connection with all the
leading cities of this state and of Florida
and South Carolina.
A feature OF long distance telephoning
Is that IL is not confined to the subscrib-
ers to the company, being operated on the
same principle as a telegraph company
An added convenience is that any sub
scriber TO the Savannah exchange may
call for a party, either in Brunswick OF.
Jacksonville. who is not subscriber TO
the exchanges at these places and by
payment of messenger fees he will be
notified that a party in Savannah wishes
to talk with him. If he is found and re-
spends to the call, the conversation is
charged for, otherwise there is no charge,
except the messenger fee.