The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-25
THE TANGLE
OVERHEARD IN THE
CITY OF WICHITA
WIRES AND POLES

on bright, clear morning when the air
is keen and fresh and the humidity of
the atmosphere at its minimum. one can
pass through the main streets of Wichita
and gazing for once above will see a myr-
lad network of wires. It seems almost
as though the citys principal streets
were rooted over with metallic curtain
of ramifying iron and copper wires
stretched from numberless poles. ard
, issuing from various quarters.
This is the nervous gsnglia Of modern
commercial life: the very essence Of being
to all the worlds active affairs. These
wires and these ungainly poles with their
shining blue iusulators, are the arteries
of energy through which in never ceas-
| ing hum and buzz go the messag es which
make or unmake the Spectator and busi-
ness man. awaken heart thrObs of JOY 20
the swain. or throttle the hone Of one
who learns of the death Of "A loved one.
These wires silently droning away the
hours OF day and night tell tales which
would stsrtle the world and they unite
in one great common body antipodsl ends
OF the earth. That electric thrill started
in Wichita follows the sun in his course
and issues forth TO vaStcr continents the
story of today and here.
As hint of the perpleXing may tanrle
OF this immeasursble and important sys-
| tenn Of modern hurry. these facts may be
cited as giving a slight idea of the i'm
mensity Of this little appreciated ave
nue. OF communication: From Chisholm
creek bridge to the corner OF Douglas and
from 20 TO % feet and skirting both sides
Of the street. For long ways going
west on the north side there are hut two
wires on one cross-arm. on the south
| side there are five cross-srms to the pole
and averaging five pits 10 the arm and
carrying many wires. They average three
poles 10 the block. but there are some
blocks with four poles. A. the corner %
Main and Douglas the poles are very
much higher. and as though in the ete--
nal fitness Of things and according 10 the
unities of artistic and graceful symmetry
the big pole on the left side bends toward
| the south and the right hand one toward
the north.
| The Missouri and Kansas Telephone
! company has scattered over the city %
poles or = miles Of pole lines in the city.
1 These poles range from . 20 % feet.
! There are IS cingle circuits and SIX double
circuits. The toll Hne poles make ius.
three miles. There are 7ls wires enter
ing the central Office.
These wires are divided as follows. 20
city subscribers. motor circuits. . Ere
alarm wires. 4 D. T wires. toll lines.
; tap circuits. This system requires 2500
18-pin cross-s,rns with .. 90 pins and in
sulat0rs. There are also $3.50 porcelain
/ knobs. Issuing from the east side 81 the
central echange are three cables carrying
On wires, with Il open wires tn ADDITION
on their lead ~ poles The heavy. green
glass insula,ors hollow would hold a. a
banquet board four ounces 81 nqUid. and
just few good stin horns ont u such q
drinking glass would make any man want
10 ron his own vailse Manager p. r
Z DucEsn has now = force of twenty rner
( employed rebuilding me entire ;elepaone
. system end when complese3 there ALL bs
sin further additions az wires and D1ies
( with their fixtures. Tho wre tzsd fal
telephone purposes T. tae EGhiesf in ~.
service averaging shoat .. pounds 20 ,hs
mile TIE heavy iron wire o. telegraph
nc eta1H tA4 fftfA l-sta VIZ fttalr
pounds 90 TIRE mile. while me shade light
er copper wire soee 20 pounds % 10
mile.
TIE Postal Telegraph company IN tal,
city has nve main AIRES cu-eriHz -hel,
offce ~ t1e Citizens Bank bYiiding
a bout sNEoies in 5he cry and six mls.
of zires and poles. averaging one ioaz
cr0ss-srm - the pole Their Esrss -.
toth ihe heavy iroa AMI the Hgater cog-
iu@r-
TIE Western Tnfou as rheir First s-ree
station have go al forty-H.ne wires enter
ing th4 u1ain officr. fncia3lHE az cirruse-
S,rlctly within the city d'sfTle-s an8 -
the railway -tEht - way. sbey have falrt5
poles ~ varying hegnt acc7-dssg 20 80
s-rtan ia the ssre~-z. bss- aseraEiuz 90.
standard - f@.r- TIE isruance from thes'
le-sce ea-s tae Poaez lu the streer e rad.
~ rsre= is-wirs gshse= On F5r-s str~e-
11t+y esq h4ys lie o~iis % nstisry %
ihe o-c~. I'D &anag-r suEiFa1 ~
rsspp-5 - as h-ai - Whss- .a.ficsi
ard pllEziis ue-s-
Th- WscG1A Ca. E..e.rie I5sat sHf
Po@er e.apauy snee sn AZ f~ea,y-ss'
ssrss sfteriag an5 iszsfnE sh- pass'
asass- ara saeee e. lsso ~ sa~fr sss-
- ~ 1fEnie- in.sn1@-r a<hts affer
.sz1EE sz1 u vz-.o1S sr--zS. a=1 49,