The herald., 1898-01-02
SILENCE AND DISPATCH
THE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE
OPERATING ROOM
Growth of the Telephone System in
This City and State-How the
"Hello" Machines Work

How many people are there who, hav-
ing enjoyed the convenience of tele-
phone, find they can exist with any COM
fort without one? And how the little
negative annoyances incidental to it's
use dwindle to nothingness in compari-
son with the positive luxury these al
most human mechanisms place within
reach in daily life.
That the telephone has grown to be a
necessity in the complexities of modern
life, and that the habit is widespread, is
shown by the records in the telephone
office here, as elsewhere, and to say that
the management is doing all in it's power
by constantly adding to and facilitating
the service everywhere is only giving
credit which is well merited.
There is at present telephone COM
munication between 796 cities and towns
in California, with subscription list of
over $1,000, and any one of these sub
scribers can talk over the wire with any
other one in a different city or town up
on payment of tariff rate which varies
with the distance between the points in
question.
A record of the length of conversa-
tion is kept by means of a calculagraph,
which is near the operators hands on
the switchboard. Immediately the con-
nection is made a slip of paper is
stamped with the exact hour minute and
second; when the last good bye" is
said the same slip is stamped again and
the time consumed is thus exactly reg
istered.
When a subscriber asks to be given a
certain specified time in which to talk,
stop watch is used. 1t Is started af-
ter the connection is made and at the
end of the given time is stopped. If the
subscriber wishes to continue the watch
is started afresh and so on. In the
sunset" department of the main office
in Los Angeles there are one chief op-
orator, two order line operators, and sew
en- operators at the switch boards all of
whom are kept busy constantly.
The new west division Office, which
was opened about seven weeks ago, is q
handsome square building of concrete
with tiled roof and surrounded by a
beautiful lawn. 1t Is located at 1916
South Hope street, and is under the
management of H. G. Phillips. Their.
are 16 operators and the building is
equipped with every convenience and
necessity that modern science, inge-
nuity and invention provides.
In the large main room, the north wall
fsNlined with switch boards of the latest
desigH; the chief operators table is in
the center of the room and the man
ayers desk and public telephone desk
occupy respectil ely either side of the
main entrance. The room is Lighted or
three sides and on the fourth are retir-
ing and lunch rooms for the operators
Potted plants and flowers are placed
about, and altogether the new west di-
vision office is the most complete, thu
best equipped and the handsomest or
the coast.
Since the mother-in-law joke grew
frazzled with age, the telephone, ant
more particularly the telephone girl
have been considered legitimate prey fol
the funny papers and the space paid
wits. One visit to the operating room Of
the main office of the local telephone
company dissipates any desire to laugh
at such jokes in future by arousing a re-
spectful regard and attention instead.
Almost absolute silence reigns there
The only noise is the continuous click OF
the plugs which complete the circuit that
renders the use of the phone possible
There are fifty-six operators employed
there, all girls, and yet there is no
talking, no giggling. The answers given
through the transmtters which are sta
tionary in front of each operator are in
SO low tone that they are inaudible two
feet away.
1A11 .~I1 20 s--I-y
in small round hole in front of each
girl and the dropping of number above
is the only signal of a call. The
plug is reached for and placed in it's hole
in silence, the circuit made. BY that
time the light again signifies another call
and so on. At the busiest boards the
number of calls often runs above five
hundred in an hour, and the two opera
tors at each board are kept so busy there
is no time for persifage.
S. r. Moore, the switchboard man
ager Miss M. B. Hart, the service man
ager of the whole southern division, the
local chief operator and the assistant
chief operator are in command of this
most interesting room, and they with the
operators are under a constant strain
with eyes, hands and heads ever on the
alert to interpret the intricate system of
signals Alright and answer the telephones
from all parts of the city, which now
number nearly 1000, and make the proper
connections.
Back of the central operating room are
the luncheon rooms, which are presided
over by colored cook-for the company
provides lunch for it's employes-and a
half hour daily is allowed for the meal
These rooms, together with the business
offices, and the private office of Assist
ant General Superintendent G.. H.
Hinchcliffe comprise the down town or
main Office of the Telephone company
and a visit from those who are already
subscribers or who would be such would
be liberal education in more ways than
one.