The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-10
THE VALUE OF TELEPHONES,

Reference has already been made in
those columns to how Union county has
introduced the telephone in nearly all
the country districts and how certain por-
lions of Wake county enjoy the advan-
+o8aS of telephone communication. Mr.. }.
u Green. of Union county, writing to the
Progressive Farmer, gives some informa-
tion about the cost and value of rural
telenhones that ought to stimulate prog
ressiye men to extend the telephone sys-
tenn into every neighborhood in the state.
We quote from Mr.. Green:
until q few years ago one concern
had a patent on the telephone ana ho
one could secure this convenience, even
in towns and cities, except at an enor-
nous cost in the way of rents But since
the time of the patent has expired, tele-
nhone factories have sprung up rapidly
ALI over the country, and yet some Iac-
tories can not supply the demand lor
,nbones and are frequently several weeks
behind with their orders. Now, instead
of one concern owning the Telephone
system. there are independent companies
In almost every town. The principal
towns and cities of this State are con-
nected by phone, and all that Is neces-
sary for farmers to be connected and on
| "speaking terms" with the outside World,
so TO speak, is to have line connected
with a town or city exchange direct or
IL the distance is over three or four
miles form a neighborhood telephone
company, put in a switchboard, connect
this with a town exchange or with some
other neighborhood exchange which has
connection with the town exchange-any-
way to get there the cheapest for good
service.
1.-The cost of establishing the telephone
system in the country varies with condl-
| lions. but under no conditions have we
ever known a farmer in this county
| (Unlon) after having had the use OF a
| phone in his house to entertain for
moment any idea of abandoning its use
on account of the expense, and even many
renters, who do not own the land they
cultivate, have phones in their houses
and can talk to persons in any part OF
the county or neighboring counties.
The first thing needed to establish a
neighborhood exchange Is to get a
switchboard and locate where all who
are interested can reach it with the
| least amount of wire. A switchboard OF
| from 10 to 20 drops costs from SOS to
$780, according to style and make. Each
line connected with the board uses one
drop, or number, but several phones can
be operated on one line and if the
bridging phones are used half dozen
| phones can be successfully used on a
| line. Party lines are, however, more
satisfactory if limited to three phones.
| The cost OF running a telephone line, out
side of the poles, is about $3.50. This
| includes cost of No. II WIRE inSulators
and brackets or pins. Either cedar or
oak poles can be used and farmers can
get these with their own labor. They
should be placed two and half or three
feet in the ground, about go yards apart
and along a road, or across fields, any
way to get to the central the easiest
and quickest way. Good telephones cost
about So Add this to the cost of line
per mile and you have an estimate OF
what 1t will cost to establish the service.
| In this county, instead of forming neigh
! borhood companies, some farmer in a
/ neighbOrhood buys a switchboard con-
meets it with the town and then allows
! his neighbors to build lines to it and
| gives them connection at $1.00 per month
/ for each line. So if three farmers go
in together and build line they get the
! service at 80 1-3 cents each per month
The owner of the board furnishes the
operator to give connection and any
bright child can attend to a neighbor-
hood exchange.
You can do no better than to urge
upon farmers the Importance of establish
ing the rural telephone system. The
/ telephone is an invention that is destined
to revolutionze things in favor of farm
life, rendering it less isolated and plac-
ing it in touch with the busy world. II
saves time and money, affords social
pleasure and protection for the family
1t protects them from a delayed visit
from the doctor in cases of emergency
and 1T protects, or will to an extent pro-
tect them from criminals. No sane man
will commit heinous crime in a section
or county where there is a network OF
wires all over the country, making il
almost impossible to escape without be.
| ing apprehended."