Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-01-31
FINE TALKING
Hattiesburg's Telephone System
Inspected and Its Merits Noted.

broader, and yet narrower field of en-
ergy to employ the mind. No doubt.
great minds existed and were exer-
eised even though some preach the
theory of evolution TO even apply to
mental development, but in that day
and time and even up to one hundred
years ago, industry and the efforts of
genius were rewarded frequently
with torture. Suppressions reigned
supreme and though often stimulated
TO deeds of marvel, the popular senti-
ment frequently curbed the intel
lectual desire. For this reason much
that would have startled the world
had it appeared may be said to have
lain dormant in the minds of many
great men without having been con-
yerted into practical advantage.
As time advanced, however, the
| Divine inclination TO aid ones fell
bowman assumed the ascendency and
inventions became more frequent.
Morse introduced telegraphy, Fulton
! invented the steamboat, Franklin dis
covered electricity, Bell invented the
| telephone and other great men did
acts Of equal renown. Thus, one by
one the desire for greatness and fame
became a contagion and through this
agency, the public is due its latter
day conveniences.
The first attempt at conveying the
voice vibrations through media was
made By the use of two cans connected
by means of a waxed string Mr.
Bell took this experiment up and
produced crude telephone. Others
followed in the steps Of Bell and i'm
proved on his inventions until today
the public has ut its command an
instrument that transmits the voice
not only perfectly but for distance
unknown or unimagined in its first
stages of development.
One by one, just as inventors be-
came numerous, so did telephone sys-
tens and exchanges. The northern
cities We're among the first and most
numerous to adopt the use of the
phone. Today no place is considered
worthy of note if it bears any age
and does not support telephone sys-
tenn. All places are connected by this
marvellous invention and the voice
Of one may be transmitted in natural
tones throughout the country's entire
length.
Hattiesburg, though small, will
soon enjoy the convenience of this
latter-day constructive genius. A
reporter called this afternoon at the
telephone exchange to learn of ru-
mOred improvements and additions
now going on in and out Of the city
looking toward more complete sys-
tenn. Manager Castanera affirmed the
rumor and said that not only the re-
cent new construction works that had
been going on here in town would be
continued but that line was being
built from Hattiesburg to Gulfport
that was to be equipped with Bell in
struments and given connections with
all of the outside world. This line
he said, would be completed in the
course of a few days.
The Peoples Company was organ
lied here three years ago with less
than hundred subscribers At that
time it was under private control.
Shortly afterward it was divided into
stock company and its shares sold TO
business men, all residents of Hatties-
burg. 1t is incorporated at an author
lied capital of $50, 600 At present
the plant has reached by steady
growth and improvements, vlaue OF
S12, 600 and is entirely out Of debt
with the exception of current ex-
penses. 1t is now divided into So
shares and has Is stockholders.
The regular force employed by the
company is six persons: three ladies
and three men. While the new work
is going on there is a much larger
number at work and will continue in
the service for quite a while.
The line work in the city is about
as good as is put up anywhere. The
poles range from 65 feet to 80 feet ex-
cept in the surburbs. All wires en-
tering the Office do so through cable
heads on the poles near the office and
are connected with the switch board
after passing through fuse block,
which affords protection against
lightning to both operator and SUBJ
scribers. The swicth board is of the
Stromberg Carson make and needs no
further comments as its name denotes
its merits.
Besides the Gulfport line, there Is
a line up the Pearl and Leaf Rivers
railroad under control of the com
pany, and connections will soon be
had with all points up the North
eastern as far as Ellisville.
Manager Castanera stated that the
company was in the best Of financial
condition and proposed to give the
public the best of service.
The Peoples Company is a corpors-
tion that Hattiesburg should justly
feel proud of, starting as it did from
the ground floor, SO to speak, and hav-
ing reached its high standing. IL is
under the efficient management Of