Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-01-05

North office in splendidly equipped
building ON Chicago avenue near Clark
street They have also during the year
built new buildings. each of which
was splcudidly equipped with all the
newest and most perfect as well rs the
most costly apparatus. the Lake
View" West" Yards" aud Went
worth" exchanges. As may he well I'M
agincd. all of this has cost money.
much money
The public at large does not and has
not done the Telephone Company tull
Justice. because. while it has II fair
idea of what is paid in to- the com.
pany. it has no comprehension of what
is paid out 10y the company. In mos,
If not all other lines of business II grcat
business can he carried on ut much
smaller pro rata of expense than can u
small business. but with the Telephone
Company It is different. In their line
the greater the volume of business
done the greater is the pro rata of cN-
pcnSc. BESIDES their subscribers i'll
Chicago. there are over eight thousand
subscribers in the neighboring towns
whose "'phoncs" have direct vonncr-
ton with the Chicago exchange. There
are about eighty local exchanges III
these towns and to hc added to all
these there are 1Oi toll stations where
there are no exchanges, making alto
gpthcr more than $50 different commit
mites whose "'phoncs" are served by
| the Chicago Telephone Company. The
subscriber may readily understand that
each "'phonc" added to the system or
! To the connection makes his own
phone" more valuable to him. he.
! cause 1t Is more useful to him ana en-
nhlcs him to reach more people there
| by, He, however does not understand
that each "'phone" added To til" Sys-
TEN adds proportionatcly to the cost oI
operating the system. When there
were but few hundred subscribers
they could easily he served promptly
and without mistake hut with 3o.Oo)
"phones." each liable AZ any moment
To call for connection with any or all
of the other 3i.900. it is only by the Use
of the best appliances and an army oi
trained and trustworthy employees that
even n scmblancc of efficiency can he
obtained. In spite Of all these diiii-
culties the company Is giving most
excellent service. The great merchant
can talk with his customers In more
than $50 different communities. my
lady on the North Shore drive can chat
with her friends on the far South Side,
alike undsturbed by the tens of thou.
sands of communications on business,
politics. religion or social matters. tell
Ing tales of Joy or tales of woes. daily
borne by the tccmlng wires through
out this vast community and for many
miles around. This IL only accomplish
ed by the Use of brains. an cnormou,
outlay of money and an infinite and
never-tiagging. painstaklng care Of cv
cry detail by IN army Of carefully
trained employees.
During the past year they have plac
ell "'phOncs" with more than on
thousand residence subscribers on thu
North Side at rental guaranteeing no
less than one dollar and fifty cents pc
month. These are placed with ten sui
scribers on u line. This service Is thu
far experimental: II the experiment
shall prove successful and wlthou, In
pairing the general service It will b
extended to the other Chicago office
, as rapidly rs possible.
Practically. they give "'phoncs" n
any price desired. the cost drprndin
upon the character and amount of sci
vice rendered.