The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-03
A Big INCREASE,
Telephone Subscrib-
ers Grow in
Number.
SERVICE MUCH IMPROVED.
Company Has Arrange
ments That Are I'm
excelled.

Telephone business is booming in
Worcester. The recent decrease in
rates for residence telephones may ac-
count for the present rush in this line,
but glance over the list of subscrib-
ers the past few years shows a steady
gain all the time. During the past two
years the number of subscribers in the
Worcester exchange has nearly doubled,
until the present time, when the total
figure is upward of 1900.
A review of progress in telephone
business for the past five years shows
that this branch of business, in addi-
ton to a steady growth from the sub
scription standpoint, had experienced
many radical changes in the conduct of
telephone service.
When the new building was occupied,
a few years ago, it was thought that
worcester had reached Nthe acme of
perfection so far as a system was con-
cerned and that few changes would be
necessary for several years at least.
The growth of the exchange. in the
past two years has outstripped the
imagination of officials of the company
even, and during the past year force
OF switchboard men has been almost
constantly employed improving and
adding to the present system at the
central office. AT present the toll line
Faculties are inadequate, and work will
pegn at once on the installation of
several new sections of switchboards,
which will require additional operators
to handle out-of- town business.
A radical change now in process of
completion, practically does away with
cable boxes on poles in various paris of
the city Heretofore when line trouble
was reported on a certain pole, it was
necessary to send a man out, who. in
addition to following up the line, was
obliged to climb a pole and inspect the
fuses in the particular box where the
line wire connected In winter, when
poles are liable to be crUsted with sleet,
this feature is particularly disagreeable.
With the new arrangement all lines
come into the central office, where the
wire chief can do his testing without the
assistance of a lineman, thus saving
time and labor for employees and pro-
viding for much quicker clearing of
trouble.
Another new feature of recent date,
is the manner in which toll line calls
are received. Until a short time ago the
subscriber in giving an out of town call
was switched across the room to the tall
board where the call was taken by the
operator in charge of the line desired,
who, after recording the call, would
make connections as soon as the party
wanted could be reached. Oftentimes
during busy hours of the day consider
able delay was experienced. An oper-
ator might be engaged in getting a
connection with a distant point when
the call showed on her board. To drop
the connection while recording the new
call would mean a loss of time, and in
consequence the subscriber would be
obliged to wait. With the rapid increase
of eX-territorial business it became
necessary to arrange better facilities.
An Independent set was installed and a
special operator placed in charge, whose
sole business is the recording of calls.
AS fast as tickets are made out they
are placed in a shute connecting with
the tollboard and passed along to the
operator desired. By this plan opera
tors on the board are able to give their
entire attention to making and watch
ing connections and much more salts
factory results are attained.
Nor is this the only time saving de-
vice employed. Some of the principal
Offices in the city do an immense
amount of business over the telephone,
NdlAIS TIE SAINT pCOplC cllllOob dclllJ
In order to do away with the necessity
of asking the question familiar to every
telephone subscriber, relative to the
number and ma ne of the party wanted
and the name of the calling party, a
sort, of code has been adopted. For
instance, Mr.. Smith calls from the office
of the Washburn & Moen company for
Mr4 Jones, at certain office in Bos-
tong When the same call is recorded
almost daily or several times day, a
code number is agreed upon, and in
stead of going through the regular
form, the caller merely mentions a
number which is understood by the
operator, and the call is promptly rec
ordsd.
In November, 1894, the total number
of subscribers was 1851. In 1897 the
number had increased to 1898, and
during the past two years there has
been an unusually rapid growth until
the present list of subscribers, includ-
ing contracts signed, is upward Of $500
Five years ago the total number Of
operators was less than half that al
present The toll-line business handled
by these operators now requires a force
of ten, while the force handling loca
business was eight or nine, as com
pared with 1S at the present time.
The increase in facilities and number
of employees has increased correspond
ingly in all departments, until at pres
ent the total number of employees
compares favorably with many of tn,
manufacturing plants of the civ