New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-30

vice on a large scale has already been taken up
by various important concerns. One of its great
advantages is that it practically abolishes
busy" as the number OF trunk lines joining the
branch switchboard to the main exchange can
be so arranged in proportion to the trafhc that
all Of the lines will never be engaged at the
same time thus nsuring prompt attention 10
all incoming calls
To give any detailed description o. the vast
and complicated plant required 10 carry on the
telephone service Of NeW-Nork would require
more space than this article may occupy. but
n broad outline Will afford some idea OF the
completeness Of the great sySteN when mas
been built up within III" last few ycars-ior II
must be remembered that when overhead wires
were declared against the telephone company
had 10 start in AL again. replacing not cnlN
its pole line plant by underground cables, Dut
also it's switchboard plant by entirely new ma
terial OF different design. rendered necessary
bv the complete metallic circuit working when
is imperative for the attainment Of good servlte
with underground cables. To start win me
subscribers station. every telephone user III
New York Is provided with long-distance
transmitter energized by two cells = poweri,l
battery. plus the usual receiver ana mashr.'
bell This outfit places the subscriber IN pos
ton to use the longest telephone circuits in The
country from his own station. The station Is con-
nected with the exchange by two copper wires,
separately insulated throughout, no connection
with the ground entering tie system. In the
uDtovn districts the wires usually go overhead
a short distance until they find an undeTgrounu
cable terminal attached To a neat tupCiar IRON
roof fixture The cable absorbs all the over
head distributing wires in It's district. ana dlNeS
underground with them bobbing up again
within the central Office building. where ti'
lines are led through lightning protectors 10 IN"
switchboard In many Of the blocks downtown
where telephones are thick the cables are leu
In a pOint within the block from Wnlcn olH'I
ca HES branch out in different directions to sub
distributing points with which the inside wires
OF the subscribers instruments are directly
connected. - 4,
4 line thus built Is practically underground
All th. way from the subscribers station to
the switchboard, end * absolutely SAFE IRON
all danger OF interruption unless the puliu-
ing c.Uapses or burns down. in which case
affairs are INTERRUPTED generally. the folloW-
ing fguros give an ida OF the extent or the I'M
foreground cable plant through which New,
Workers talk 17O0OG times a day The total
number Of lead-covered cables in use exceeds
90 and they have an aggregate iehStn OF -.
miles Many Of the cables contain 100 pairs
Of wires each. and the total length OF caOle
conductor is close to $4,000 miles or an aVera8
Of nearly three miles per station in the system.
The cable system contained IN the IRON tupc
suhWays. Of which every curious New 1orhVr
gets q glimpse now and then through an open
manhole gridiron the city in all directions;
reaching from river 70 river at an points, MS anu
and, hirt Y fourth To carry the subWays up
to Harlem many miles of trench mao 10 De
blasted out of COR iniol sold rock me totd =,
number ~ distributing points through when
tho underground cables reach tn" individual
lines of the subscribers is l.4Uo. At the other
end of the cables wc find the exchanges Ana
h.re note q popularity Of tn" NcW-Nork tele-
nhone cxchangc buildings which the illus;ra-
tion embassies are absolutely guiltless
- overhead wire. The New York telephone
huiiding instcad OF being adorned by the nuge
towers domcs or mere brutal rectangular iron
racks from which radatos huge web of wires
and cables that form a feature of almost every
Turopcan city IS no different in appearance
from the average office building. All the thou
sands Of wires that form such an imposing
array within enter inconspicuously through a
vault under the street.
OF tho twelve telephone exchanges that serve