The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-29
NEW TELEPHONE SERVICE
WILL PROBABLY BE IN OPERATION
IN JANUARY.
Franchise Obtained at IrvingtOn-
VIII start with Over Three
Thousand Instruments.

I'VE hope TO have our phones in opera
ton some time I'm January" said S. p.
sheeriu vice president of the New Tele-
phone Company yesterday. "All our under
ground conduit work has been completed
and the men are now drawing the cables.
Beside this about 80 per cent. Of our poles
are erected, and perhaps go per cent. OF the
service wires strung. AS yet none Of the
aerial cables have been run. For sixty days
our men have been wiring residences and
business blocks, and we have the wires for
about 1900 telephones ready, so that all to
be done is to attach the instruments and
make connections Our switchboard and
other equipments are being made by a fac
tory in Chicago that IS devoting all it's time
to our work. You will remember that when
we incorporated last January we undertook
to have the assurance of 1000 telephones.
BY the time we got ready to make our con-
tracts we found that we would have to put
in switchboard for $500 phones and this
has had to be increased again to 5000. All
our conduits, cables. rooms in the exchange,
etc, have been provided for on an ultimate
basis OF 10000. We hardly expect to live to
see the time when that capacity will be ex-
hausted, although some business men have
predicted we would have 5000"
Mr.. Sheertn thought that the underground
cables would all be in the conduits by Dec
Is. After that the work of making house
connections and downtown distributions
will be rapidly pushed. The company has
put in over a mile and a half more under
ground conduits than its contract with the
city required, extending its mains as far
north as Eleventh street, beside which there
are laterals across Pennsylvania, Illinois
and Meridian streets. BY having gone
half mile further north than the other cleo
trio companies, the wires Of the New Com
pany will come out at a different point
and their cables will not conflict with those
Of others.
Last Saturday night the New Telephone
Company was given franchise for the
town of Irvlngton. Harry b. Gates, secre-
tary of the company, said that service to
Irvington patrons will be furnished with
out additional charges. There will be no
party lines. Irvington patrons are to have
the same character of service as Indian
apolis subscribers. Mr.. Sheerin said that
the out-of-toWn service Will be found en-
tirely satisfactory to local patrons. Ar
engagements for lines connecting OUTSIDE
cities with this city are being pushed
rapidly, and the undertaking is meeting
great encouragement, he said The officers
of the company feel that they have ac-
COtIlpllSnGQ more lilclIl l1SJ COulu nave
hoped for Just five months ago yesterday
the first ground was broken. Meantime the
company has been deferred by heavy rains,
had to suspend work on account of the big
encampments that were held here, and was
otherwise retarded The ordinance was not
ratified by the Council until June, and
SINCE that tim time. f. !. Taylor of Fort
Wayne, has been the company's legal ad-
wiser when 1t came to buying apparatus,
so that they hope to avoid lawsuits I'm
making our trenches and carrying on the
work. said Mr. Sheerin, mot life has
been lost. There was one man that sue
ceeded in falling into a ditch. He had to
get through. two lines of guards, ignore
soon as he fell into the ditch he was heard
to shout: They will have to pay for this.
they will have to pay for this Our men
pulled him out and wanted to send for
doctor at once Never mind said he,
never mind. I've got my own doctor!' One
for the city ambulance, which was in
charge Of a physician from the D1spensary.
He examined the man and asserted that he
was not hurt at all. That was the only
thing that savored of an accident that has
attended our work"
The New Telephone Company is installed
in the old Vajen property, on North Me-
building was found to be admirable for the
purposes. A large force is now at work
testing all the apparatus as rapidly as 1t
arrives. The company expended about
81 900 for testing machinery. Some Of the
instruments are almost marvellous in their
little instrument by which they can locate
within a foot any defect in line, though
It may be two or three miles away from the
exchange. 1t hardly seems possible"