New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-05

,o,,r ryAsPERATING MsHAPS ARE
CAUSED
,ns Used IL CENTRAL OFFICES TO
PREVENT THEN, AND WHY THEY
soNrTMEs FAIL.
soMrTIMEs FAIL

,,o, the telephone has become
u i beyond question. and stil there are
'''S'', subscribers and other people VINO
als ,ns,rnnent wish. for their peace Of mlnd'
Dhsuo machine had never been IN
- and that the days might return "hen
,,y hut sure letter was used for ordlhar!
., ~. telegraph for rush messages Inc!
=. .rswer'-"The line IS busy still busy
~, ali Won when they're through" and sim
...soges from central which usually come
i in the greatest hurry, have caused
n,ocn,atjons and EXPLANATIONS when are
-, tho TELEPHONE offices as wire METERS.
Pm, there is one form Of annoyance "h'ch Is
=. worse and much more detrimental TO 'he
".,. condition Of the subscriber than the
49,, s,accato answers from central That is
a. failure to answer at ALL
q, such cases" said a drug clerk IN a store
,,.-s there is a public telephone with no Doo'h
,.,r,s =, "the man who wants to talk takes 1t
-, q, The hell He usually rings and rings, and
..,s, al the noise he can. laboring under the
illumination that he makes an equal amount Oh
"a. a, the Office which he is calling only
.r nsople know that the operator who receives
he call and who must make the connection Tor
I'm does not hear the call at ALL but sees It,
W never give It away. and they ring like so
rspv alarm clocks. and often quote ancient his
Dy ii the same time
STRANGE CONVERSATIONS HEARD.
Then the drug clerk told Of The peculiar peo-
ii. who come to the store to use the instrument,
and the strange conversations which some or
them carry on of course" he said, I'VE don't
listen to what they say but we can't help hear
jng and the most remarkable thing Is how one
catches on to tn. conversation by hearing only
one end Of it, We have a girl here every few
days who came In at frs in a tmid, half
hearted way and spoke in a low tone, and
bgshed when she paid her 10 cents. Now she
beams and smiles when she comes in-always at
the same hour-and even when she smacks her
lips in a peculiar manner and asks. Did you
,s.ch that she seems Obvious Of the fact that
he boys behind he counter are making guesses
q the rest Of the talk.
One nan came in recently and rang up CEN
rl and SAID. '7-7-9-1O9th, please. and after
short time We heard him say, Hello. Mamie is
1al you? The answer must have displeased
In Tor be slammed the phone on the hook and
ZIG the bell load and long, and then rOared into
b. receiver I said '7-7-9-109th! What
lumber did you give me? You understood IS
3 did you? Well YOU give me what l asked
g. and in d hurry"
Then he wcited and waited. and after a long
the rang again and shouted. Give me the man
ger He must have been placed in commune
a-on with that person, for we heard him tell
.E he had been connected with the wrong tele
LONE Misunderstood me. did she? Wei. l
pis plainly enough and it was simply her in
s'saton and that's not all-aftcr she knew
'an wanted she simply ignored the call, and
''' I've missed an appointment. and your Office
80 blame Cases Of that kind are not un-
- and It's fun to see a man or woman all
's'i to send some real nice mess age and then,
',A they're turned loose on the wrong person.
" ~ how their manner and looks change a
al 'of the manager usually follows. eXplana-
rs ere made, But the error always has an
'''l On the person who got the wrong number,
III The displeasure makes itself manifest in the
Ns Of conversation
HOW THE WHEELS GO ROUND
he experience Of the nan who called for
~@Ae and probably got Mike" is not an un-
"a one and a visit to any Of the twenty
.''n9le exchange would be source Of COM
vi 10 those who had suffered similar disap-
,arnent becaus r would give them an idea
~" he whec.- go round in telephone Of
~ ana how perfectly they must be adjusted
'"S properly. There the operators. each one
receiver fixed uy means Of a wire cap 10
eIr SIT IN long rows shoulder to shoulder
D'n' Of larg- switch boards. Suspended from
" and on a line with the mouth Of the girl
Uansmitt-r Rows Of miniature shut
10 mont Of "a D. operator correspond as to
''''s with the ,~. phones which they repre- /
=. H@a when one Of these falls in consequence !
e.. ing al m. other end the operator plugs |
go asks. What ulmoerY
D. number given by the caller is repeated by |
II. '''~'oF' d test IS made to see whether the |
T.. engaged or uol and if it is found to be I
c. number ls 'c4I.d up." and. as far as |