Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-07-17
ABOLITION OF THE HELLO GIRL.
Success of the Automatic Telephone
Switchboard.

A man named Stronger has invented
an automatic telephone switchboard
that abolishes the hello girl" When
the subscriber wants to talk with No.
43S or 962, he presses in rotation little
buttons bearing those numbers, and an
apparatus in the telephone exchange
automatically connects him with those
with whom he wishes to converse.
The first use of the automatic switch
board on a large scale will be made
in Chicago, where the Illinois Tele-
phone and Telegraph company has ac-
quired the right to operate the system
for 80 years. 1t announces that it will
have an exchange working in the
Windy city early next year with 10000
subscribers. Albert G.. Wheeler, an
electrical expert, is at the head of the
Chicago concern.
The hello girls" of Chicago are in
a panic at the news. They see the
without the slightest hope of resusci-
tation. They would like to get hold
of Mr.. Stronger, but so far he has
kept carefully out of their way.
The claim is made on behalf of the
system that it has been used so long
and so extensively on a small scale
that it's merits have been absolutely
proved, and that it will not only do
away with the "hello girl in Chica-
go, but that in New York and other
cities where telephones are used she
will soon be as extinct as the web
footed dodo of ancient history.
The system has been in operation in
Augusta, Georgia, since 1897. 1t
started with 25O subscribers, and at the
beginning of the present year had near
ly twice that number It's switchboard
has capacity of 1000 subscribers
Those who patrOnize it prefer it to the
Bell system, it is asserted, on account
of it's greater simplicity. Instead of
conversing with "hello girls" who is
not always there, the subscriber him
self calls up the person with whom he
wishes to converse. He can reach at
any moment of the day or night any
subscriber on the list.
Another automatic exchange where
the apparatus has had a fair trial, and,
it is said, has answered all require
ments, is at Albuquerque, N. M. The
institution there has nearly 800 sub
scribers, twice as many as the Bell
company. They believe that they can
call UP a felloW-subscriber much more
quickly than they could by the old sys-
tenn.
In Geneva, N. Y, is an automatic
exchange with more than 10 subscrib-
ers. There are over 200 miles of wire
in use in that city, and one lineman
and the manager are able to attend to
the maintenance Of the exchange, col
lections and the business in genrea1.
This makes a large saving, as the sal
aries of the hello girls" are an impor-
tant feature of the expense account of
every exchange.
At Oneida is another exchange of the
Stronger type, the subscribers of
which seem to be thoroughly satisfied
with the service This is operated by
storage battery plant. Attached to
the switchboard is an ingenious sys-
tenn for detecting trouble along the
line. The slightest disturbance is
promptly detected and remedied, it IS
said, generally before the subscriber
has even had knowledge of it.
The abolition of the 'hello girP' has
minor disadvantages at first. People
find a certain amount of difficulty in
working the automatic call, but it is
really not very complicated. Of course
at the beginning a subscriber who is
ringing for No. 568 is likely to get
ratified and call up No. $50 and No.
865. But after a little practice, and
after he has called up half the people
subscribing to the exchange to ask
them if they are ''it,' he can generally
manage to secure the person he wants.
Another advantage asserted for the
system is its absolute secrecy; there
being no "he1lo girls" to hear the con-
versations, there is necessarily no one
to repeat them. Murder plots and all
sorts of vilIainy can be arranged be-
tween the subscribers and no one will
be any the wiser.
Other cities using the system besides
those mentioned are Albion, Auburn,
Perry and Amsterdam, in this state;
Laporte, Ind, Chester, ILL.,, Princeton,
N. j., Aiken, S. c.. and Albert Lea,
Minn.-New York Journal.
CLIATP on TTNnCT ETSM NEEDED