Evening journal., 1898-04-06

one OF these little brass shutters drops
before the operators eyes, and she
simply withdraws the plugs from the
holes and the weighted cords carry
them back to their places for future
use. With all this to go through be-
tween the time OF giving the calls and
getting the number It will explain to
many persons why their impatience is
both uncalled for and wasted.
There are about $50 numbers on the
local switchboard, which extends from
one end OF the room to the other. The
numbers run consecutively, fifty to the
board. II stands to reason that the dis
tance between say 10 and $50 must be
well on to twenty-five or thirty feet
one being at one end OF the board and
the other at the other end. II
10 asks for $50. the indi-
Gator. or little shutter. drops and dis
closes 10. Il strikes the little sprlng
and opens communication between the
subscriber and the operator by means
OF the head phone she wears. He says
10 wants $780," The operator has lit
tie transmitter hanging in front of her
on level with her mouth. She imme.
dlately telephones in a whisper to the
operator at the other end OF the switch
board to connect her with $50. AT the
Is just like the cord" which she pulls
down what is known as splice" Il
Is just like the cord which she pulss
UP from below the indicator for close
connection. The plug OF this splice she
inserts in the hole numbered 10. The
operator at the other end OF the board
pulls down a splice and inserts the plug
in the hole numbered $50. The opera
tor then pushes the BUTTON and the
Two subscribers can talk to their hearts
content. Sometimes 1t is necessary to
use three splices.
This is the way the thing is done; 50
you might just as we'll save elbow
grease and quit giving long and vio-
lent rings. They rack your phone and
bother NO one at the other end OF the
wire. but they prevent other subscribers
from getting their numbers promptly.
At the local switchboard one girl
is expected to take care OF one hun
dred numbers. At the long-distancv
board it takes three girls to look after
a like number. At both boards they are
on the move all the time, noting the
drop of the indicators, receiving num-
bers, putting plugs in the holes, clos
ing the little shutters, watching the
clearing-off indicators, removing the
| plugs from the holes, replacing the
cords and splices and putting up The
| little shutters which show that sub
scribers are through talking. The long
distance operators not only do this
but also keep a complete record of al
calls out OF the city, together with tn,
charges, and against whom they arr
to be made. Over one OF the wires OF
the long-distance board, telegraph mes
sages and telephone messages are pass
ing at the same time, without any IN
terference whatever
The service comprises twenty-five
operators There is one special oper
ator, known as 500. She has entire cen
troll of the operating room and sec
that the rules OF the company are obey
ed. reprimanding when necessary ant
giving praise when it is due. To us
an American term with an Irish twist
she is the boss There are seventeen
regular operators and three or four re
lief and night operators, making up tn
quota. The busiest time of the day
from a. m. to 4.30 p. m, and durin;
that period the seventeen operators ar
all on duty and as busy as bees. At
a. m. there are six operators on duty
At 7.30 the number is increased I
s: half an hour later to 13; at $50 I
Is; at S.45 to 16: at 9 to II, and at ]
to IS. During the late afternoon tn
number begins dropping off until ther
are but 4 on at 10 O'Clock at night an
then it dwindies to two from 10 Pm
to z a. m. Each girl makes eight an
] three-quarter hours.
., There are about 1000 wires runnin
! into the building and the calls ru
from 5000 to 5000 a day This make
each operator have about 500 calls
the course of her days labor, and
! can be readily understood that she hf
not much time to devote to anythin
outside of her work. Most OF the gir
are from is to 20 years OF age, bl
s there are some who are older. The
u must be possessed OF intelligence to I
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