The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-02
WILL CLAIM A FRANCHISE
CITIZENS TELEPHONE COMPANY
GRANTED RIGHTS IN 1855.
Something About the New phone
Scheme--It Does Away with the
"HeIIO" Girl.

T. w. Tyrer general superintendent of the
Automatic Telephone Exchange Company.
of Washington and London, is here in con-
sultation with the officers of the Citizens
Cooperative Telephone Company. 1t is the
intention of the Citizens Company to adopt
the telephone and exchange system made
by Mr.. Tyrer's company and that gentle
man has on exhibition at the DeniSon House
q complete exchange and lines ready for
use. Only five telephones are in use, but
this is sufficient number to show fully the
workings of the system. The principal fea-
ture OF it is the elimination of the ex-
change girl. The connections are made au-
tomatically, each subscriber being able to
call another subscriber in less time than it
takes him TO get in communication with the
exchange by the old system.
The telephone has receiver and trans
mitter apparently like those used on the
long distance telephones now in use, though
it is claimed there is a big improvement
in the transmitter and the evidence of the
improvement is seen in the fact that per-
son may stand back ten feet from the in
strument, talk in an ordinary conversational
tone and be heard at the other end of the
line distinctly. The noticeable difference be-
tween this telephone and those under the
Bell patents is the addition of disc con-
tanning the ten figures. TO call any num-
Der the subscriber removes the receiver
from the hook which holds it and turns the
disc to the first figure of the number want
ed. The disc flies back and the other figures
are turned il. the same manner. The sub
scriber is then connected with the number
he wants and only has to turn crank to
ring up the telephone of the person with
whom he desires to communicate. His bell
rings at the same time if he gets the other
telephone, but in case the phone is in use
he knows it to certainty and at once, for
then his bell does not ring. When sub
scriber is done talking the hanging up of his
receiver disconnects his line. The exchange
is a very simple looking affair and cleo
tricians say it is simple as it looks.
Twenty-Five thousand subscribers may be
connected with one exchange and one man
can care for it. Here are some of the points
wherein the company claims superiority
over the telephones generally in use:
instantaneous, direct and automatic
connection with the telephone OF any de-
sired subscriber.
Entire absence of delays; frequently oc-
casioned by Indifferent operators, Inability
to handle business promptly, or unsatlstac-
tory response, they are busy
absolute secrecy, so essential to profess
sional business men, and no hello girl 10
Cant be shut off, as it is impossible to
interrupt parties talking.
Continuous service night and day, al
ways uniform, reliable and efficient 1t
never tires or sleeps.
Economy of operation, as manual labor
is dispensed with, thereby securing to sub
Scribers a great reduction in charges for
service, bringing its use within the reach
of thousands heretofore unable or unwilling
to pay the exorbitant rentals demanded.
Superior telephones, loud speaking, long
distance granular carbon transmitters and
highest grade of construction throughout.
metallic circuit connections to every
telephone. insuring perfect service and free
dom from interference from other electrical
Increased capacity of the switchboard,
which is five times greater than the null
tiple system, and allows unlimited use OF
Automatic disconnection when you are
through talking by simply hanging up the
receiver.
Capt ]. L. Bieler, president Of the Citi-
zens' Company, says 1t is the intention of
that company to go ahead at once putting in
plant. He claims the company's franchise,
granted in 1885, is still good, and that the
company has only to formally notify the
Board OF Public Works of its intention to
make use of the streets for stringing wires
and building underground conduits There
is a clause in the franchise requiring the
company to begin work within thirty days
after it was granted and II mas been
claimed that the inactivity of the company
caused the forfeiture OF the franchise. MT.
Bieler saws he has good legal advice to the
effect that the franchise is still valid and
that the company will proceed on this as
sumption He says the company did proceed
to put up wires and to build an exchange
and actually had subscribers who paid rent
ais Then the Bell Company obtained an in
junction on the ground that it's patents We're
being infringed The Citizens Company will
claim that il did its part as far as II could
and is now in a condition to go further, hav-
ing a telephone system that cannot be at
tackled in the courts.
The Citizens Company proposes to solicit
for subscribers at once. 1t will agree to put
the instruments in and give the service free
OF charge until it has two thousand sub
scribers Then the rate will be s. a month
for business houses and 81 for residences
within a given limit of distance. Rates will
be slightly higher for longer distances from
the exchange.