The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-19
THEY HAVE A FINE PLANT
T" iehita Telephone COmpany's Il
change Is at work.

1A5 hichita Telephone company nO.
mas something over 4o8 phones in work
ing order and new ones are going in at
the rate Of afty per day. The workrnen
were delayed some on account OF the
wet weather Of few weeks ago and
they we're unable 70 work in the cables.
as these must be kept perfectly dry. Yes
terday afternoon q reporter for the Eagle
called at the plant on North Market street
and vas shown through the building ard
the different parts were described to him.
n the basement Of the building the
cables come in. every phone that enters
the building being through the under
ground cables. There are eight Of these
cables and each one has as wires. and
cable OF fifty wires making total Of
l.65a lines
on the first floor is big rack. called
the cross connecting rack. and it IS here
that the wires from the phones are con-
nccted with the wires Of the switch
board and whore the protectors from
lightning and power currents are located
The big cables are brought into this rack
and the wires separated and each one
soldered 20 A part OF q block which is
connected with the wires TO the switch
board. On each block there are 80 con-
nections and there are sixty blocks. On
the other side OF this rack are the light
ming arresters. II a charge should come
into the building over cable il would
have to jump across a thin paper par
6tion between carbon sticks and would
then be connected with q small induc-
ton coil which burns cut and thus throws
the current Of without allowing it 10 go
into the switchboard
To the right Of the cross connecting
rack is the relay rack As it is well
known there is no turning Of crank
70 get central. but all that IS necessary
is 10 take the receiver of the hook and
central answers. This relay rack is what
gives central the signal It is made Of
little aluminium tubes each with drop.
As soon as the receiver is taken of the
hook a current forms which makes the
connection with the little globe on the
switchboard and thus lights IL. Each
cHe Of these relays and there is one TO
each phone. costs 81.
Everything regarding the power OF the
dynsmos is in duplicate. Big storage bat
teries stand in one little room and these
are charged from the motor dynamos
at % amperes. These dynamos are con
nected with the street car power cur
rent and also the electric light com
panys power current. and there are two
OF the motors. which make it almost i'm
possible 70 have a breakdown in the
plant that is serious enough 10 put the
concern cut q business. The storage
batteries furnish a direct current, which
lights the little lamp on the switchboard
and is also used during conversation
There are two smaller motor dynamos.
which furnish an alternating current for
the ringing Of the bells.
The connecting OF the wires in the ca
bIes and switchboard is made entirely By
colors. No two wires in each cable OF
fifty are alike. and it is in this way that
The wire is followed out Take phone
No &c as an instance. Al the connection
on the switchboard slate colored wires
come from the plug with that number.
These colored wires run down TO the hrst
hocr where they connect with the relay
rack Here again the skate wires are
connected with the proper relay box In
the cross connecting rack the slate wires
are again still followed and they are con
uected with slate wires in the cables.
AMI when the cable is opened the slate
wire is connected with the phone that
bears that number. IN the switchboard
there is a condenser for each phone.
which makes a smooth current and there
is no buzzing noise
The second floor OF the building is de-
voted 70 the operating rooms ard the
women's rooms Each Of the operators
has a locker and room 70 themselves.
The operating room is furnished in oak
and lighted By gas and electricity.
Below each number of the switchboard
is a little white globe. which, when
call IS made. IS lighted and this nod-
hes central that someone wants TO talk
When she puts IN the plug Tor that NUM-
her the white light goes out bat red
light beside the little switch IS turned
on. When she finds what number IS
wanted she makes the connection and all
the lights 90 out. when the person IS
through with the conversation and hangs
ND the receiver thu little red light Is
turned on again and this notifies central
% break or the connections.
The whole system IS very complicated
20 one not conversaht with electricity.
esnecsally regarding Tire telephone bat
20 the experienced man in the Office IT
Is very simple There are hundreds q
little pieces witch must be PIT together
just so or the Whole concern = put 02t
- business. ard this Jones & Winters.
who arc building the plant have avoided
and the Wichita Telephone company
has the finest telephone system IN r.