The Cairo bulletin., 1904-09-19
ARE LOOKING
FOR TROUBLE
Force OF Men Kept For That
Purpose
OFTEN HARD TO FIND
THOUGH or FREQUENT OCCUR.
RENEE IN THE TELEPHONE
BUSINESS - HOW TROU-
BLES ARE REMEDlED.

/ Yes. we are always looking fo
trouble" said Manager Brooks Of tn,
Central Union Telephone company
and strange as it may seem, ii 4
sometimes difficult to find It,"
Though ii would seem like sorr,
joke 70 gay trouble is hard 10 find, il
is no joke in the telephone business
In fact so important is the quick dis
covery and cure Of trouble that the
Central Union company has a regular
II organized department for the pur-
pose which. from the users stand
point, is probably the mos. important
department in the business, as a tei-
ephone in trouble" is worse than
n1ne at all.
The methods used in locating and
quickly adjusting trouble in the tele-
phone system testify alike 20 the
splendid organization of the company
and the progress of invention in eIec-
rrlcal devices,
Hello exchange, our telephone.
Main 2G43 is out OF order is the US.
nal way the tip Of trouble reaches the
central
Can you get the exchange?" is
the trouble clerks question,
I'VE can't get anything" Is usually
the response in tones expressive Of
no great satisfaction over the situa.
lion
With this clue the trouble depar
mentr begins work Perhaps in the
course Of an hour the subscriber
bell will ring
DO you hear me now?" viii come
the question in gentle tones from the
exchange
or course you do. and the girl
knows you do. but she has simply al.
opted this polite way Of informing
you tina your telephone Is ready for
talking again
In many cases your message that
the trouble is over does not reach
you over the wire. Frequently within
a half hour after The subscriber has
reported trouble an electrician with
carpet bag full OF tools walks IL. o
your Office and calmly begins think.
ering' with your telephone. This
means that tests made ~ the Central
office show the trouble 70 bc in tie
subscribers Instrument IN ne for
mer case the trouble was either in
the exchange or along the outside
lines
In the larger exchanges the "trou
bic men are assigned to districts.
with which they are thoroughly r.
miliar When a bit of trouble is re.
ported to the main office It is iotted
down by the special clerk who refers
her notes to the wire chief for . IA
Jngh investigation He, by means of
q voitmeter, determines where the
trouble lies end what its nature is and
reports it TO the district trouble man.
The yoltmeter makes it possible IN
der favorable couji ions 10 detcrmm
within a few feet just where a break.
'rossed wire or grounded wire Is To-
Gated. II Is this machine which has
ioived the problem of quick repair.
In modern telephone construction
he larger part OF the trunk lines run
trough lead cables In this form OF
construction 'rOuble on the outside
y-tem is reduced to minimum
When trouble does develop in a cable .
Inc. the method of discovering it is I
most complex and delicate.
The lead pipe contains from 30 to
90 pairs of wires, wrapped in paper
ape and twisted into a q compact
ord. Paper insulation is considered
be bCst for telephone wires. n Is
ecessary, however, that the cable be-
bsolutcly moisture proof. hole even
bee size Of pin point seriously IN
,ricrins with its proper working
When trouble develops in any par
ocular cable, il is located boy open.
is thc cable at the various repair
oNcs and letting"
To ascertain the exact spot where
be- trouble IS located very delicate
nd costly piece OF apparatus IS used.
MS consists Of a battery. salvano-
irtcr resistance box and bridge. The
leihJ1 consists first in finding a
ood wire through tho cable. OF. IL
bee. entire cable Is bad stringing an
rial line outside the cable. one /
ni Cd i1e g lod wire IS then connect
j to orc side of he test aud the lis
lni end - the defective wire The q
artery b. then connected up aud {
irrc1t d. sert through the wire. caus-
Is ihe galyan8mctsr noodle ip fucf Z