The San Francisco call., 1897-11-01
Annoyances Caused by the In
novation of the Party
Line Scheme. +
PETTY MANAGERS IN KINCLY ROLE.
Individual Gases of Harshness and
Spitework-Why Subscribers
Make Complaint.

L
preston that have aroused people TO pro-
test and action; action that placed the
victims of cruelty and persecution upon
the pedestal of popularity, and con-
clusively demonstrated that only little
publicity is necessary to fan the spark of
human pathy into a strong and vigor-
Gus flame. Right here in this city exists ar
industrial evil that would, were the whole
truth known, draw down upon the heads
of those in authority the severest con-
demna.ion. 1t is the honda in which
are placed the female employees of the
telephone system.
Not only is suffering caused he opera
tors by this system, worthy of perpetual
tion only under the reign of Manchurian
dynasty, but the public is forced to put
up with annoyances well nigh unbearable.
They pay for a service they do not get in
many cases at all, and pay we'll at that
In other instances the progress cf their
business is retarded and their own per-
sonal convenience and comfort made sub
sidiary to the desire of corporation to
lessen in some degree the expenses of
their pursuit, monopolistic though it be.
In nutshell, the cause of this existing
evil-detrimental to the health and nerves
the third com mandment being so often
broken into smithereens-is the fact that
few girls are expected to do the work of
multitude Tor an insufficient remunera-
tion. Yet if they fail in their task, make
some trivial bIunder, and some I city
manager discovers the fact, grievously are
they made to pay the penalty.
The principal offices of the corportion
are the Main Office, the East Office, the
West office. the South office, the Mission
office ana Grant office. Ali these are kept
open day and night-that is, operators are
kept on duty at them constantly. A
larger force by far is main tanned during
the DAYTIME han at night at them all.
After or $50 o oclock-the Ime varies
with the otfce-one girl is expected to
answer all the subscribers of the NJ lssion
office and two of those Of the other
branches, except the Grant office. where a
boy is kept on account of the fact that it
is open to subscribers ali night.
From 8 or $3.50 P. NJ. until nearly mid
night these girls are Kept constantly on
their feet running from one end of their
board to the other in order to make
switches. Sometimes so many of the in
dicators fall at one time that a few min
utes elapse before a subscriber is answered
Then there is a kick" coming and per-
haps threat to call UP the chief operator
and report the poor 'hello-girl." No
several of these complaints are made the
girl is tined by beins laid off or forced to
work overtime by some petty manager
Not long ago one of the girls in branch
office fell Ill and sent word to the manager
OF that branch she could not come to
work. He ordered her 10 do it anyhow
She did so and was a few minutes late.
The manager gave her nine hours over
time, despite the fact OF ner illness Yet
this same manager, who used to be COM
mon switch board man." and Is accused
OF getting bad case of "swelled head"
over his promotion, is also accused of
other things, which, If known would
cause him to lose his position in nstantly.
But the girls keep these facts to them
selves, afraid of complaint and summary
dismissal if ii were known they had COM
planned to their friends
Another girl. considered one of the best
opera tors on the system, incurred the dis
pleasure OF the same tyrant, who had once
attempted undue familiarity with her and
been verbally castigated. He proceeded
to encouraFe her In talking to certain OF
her subscribers when she was idle as
means OF amusement, though he well
knew she had never neglected her board
while so doing. Next came a COMPLAINT
and her dismissal. with that of her as
sistant.
Then there is the party line" nuisancs,
ior which the girls are in no wise to
blame. That is an innovation OF the
company. In party line there are many
subscribers on the same circuit and If one
OF them happens to be using the phone
the others have TO wait. 1t is not 10 be
wondered at that subscribers lose their
tempers when they lit the trans
mltter off the hook and find
some youthful emulator of Romeo
hsplng IN dulcet strain to his Juliet, the
wire supplying a modern substitute for
the trailing ivy Of the balcony, and both
unwilling to permit a busy man to use
the line for commercial purrose. In
! stances are plentiful where only one tele-
phone OF party line could be reached
late at night Tor person wishing to call
up physician In hurry being forced to
lose valuable time in hunting another one
because those using the line refused 10 re-
linquish it.
VI course, keeping sufficient force OF
girls at work could not obyiate the lncon-
venlences of the party line-that would
require such a radical measure as total
aooiltlon-but 1t would give subscribers
something like the service for which they
pay, would do away with a prolific source
OF profanity and vulgarity, would insure
prompt service in the commercial and
medlcai world and would relieve large
mum Der OF girls, sometimes the sole sup
port OF family of worry main and al