The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-24
Telephone Strikers May Return
az individuals.
NEW MACHINERY ON MONDAY.
Company Satisfied Some Complaints
Were Proper-UnfuIhlled Promises
VIII BE Redeemed-PoIicy IL to
Deal Literally with Faithful
Employes-San Francisco TeIe-

John I. Sabin, president of the Sunset
Telephone and Telegraph Company,
reached this city yesterday to look into
the troubles of the local branch OF his
company Late last night ne sent to. the
Post-Inteliigencer a statement giving the
companys position 1t reads as follows
Seattle, July %. 1900.
To the Post Inteliigencer: As not only
the telephone subscribers, but the general
public have more or less become inter-
ested in the trouble between the tele-
phone company and some OF Its en-
ployes, | beg leave. through you, 10
briefly state the company's position
which is:
that the demand for telephone service in
Seattle had outrun our facilities I'M
mediate steps were taken TO furnish az,
ditional machinery, the last or whlch VIII
be in position and ready for use next
Monday morning. The manufacture or all
telephone machinery is over one year De-
hind orders for same.
Seocnd-Two weeks ago large number
of operators left the switchboards and
declined to return wflen l interviewed
them by telephone next day Whetner
they were right or whether they were
wrong. II was absolutely necessary that
others should be empfoyed without de-
lay.
..Ird--The new employees are all Seat
tile girls. and as long as they give satis-
factory service will be retained
Fourth-Upon my arrival on the ground
today | am satisfied tina. some OF the
complaints of the operators as 10 salaries
and hours Of labor were proper, ana as
far as | can trace any unfuuiied prom
Uses / will redeem them. .
Fifth recognize the fact that for all
practical purposes the only empioye or
the telephone company who comes in d.
rect and daily contact with our patrons
is the telephone operator. II is fuliy un-
derstood in California. and thougnt II
was in Washington G. certainly VIII DE
hereafter that while there are num-
Der of officials of the company-ehief
operator. manager, traffic manager, SUI
perintendent etc. between the operator
and the president of the company, al
ways exercise the right to deal directly,
when necessary, with the operators, ana
they are allowed 10 and do appeal a.
rectly to me whenever they wish. The
policy of the company Is 20 deal nberaiiy
with all faithful employees, especially the
operators, whose ordinary work Is SO try
ing under the best of circumstances. ana
particularly so In growing city ike
Seattle
Sixth-If the general public who are
now expressing so much sympathy WITH
the operators and their hard work. VIII
kindly remember after this matter Is
adjusted, that they can assist themselves,
the operators and the company IN the
service which they receive by refraining
from harassing and abusing these same
operators II will make II more pleasant
all around. The best of telephone service
is at times irritating. IL does no sood 20
business as well that of everybody else
who depends on your operator for service.
l make this statement. fully understand
ing what | say. The telephone girl i5 not
In our immediate presence. she Is at the
other end Of the line. and we all. more or
less at times, do and say many irritat-
ing things. II is simply human nature.
Seventh--As noted in the third state
ment, we cannot re-empioy all of the
operators who went out, but we will re-
ceive individual applications from all who
signed the petition to return and MI the
twenty-five vacancies we have today and
other vacancies when they occur.
Eighth find the operating room and
the telephone subscribers complaints re-
quire the undivided attention of an intel
ligent telephone man and have none here
who can be spared from tneir other du-
ties I have this day increased the force
in Seattle by ordering from San Fran
cisco such a man. lie Will be on the
ground Wednesday night, and meanwhile
undersigned assumes direct charge of the
operating department.
JOHN I. SABIN,
President Sunset Telephone ana Teie-
graph Company.