The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-12-21
HOW TELEPHONES
WILL BH WORKED
To Transact Business Between
Chicago and New Orleans.
ILLINOIS Central VIII Continue TO Use
the Telegraph Al Al Present.
1T HAS 1000 MILES OF LINE

some time ago Inc sun contained
an item about the use of telephones
by the Illinois Central in the conduct
ing of its system, but the following
data given out by an official Of that
road viii doubtless throw greatdeal
of light on the use of telephones in
connection with the operation of a
big railroad system:
The Illinois Central has about
2,00o miles OF metallic long distance
telephone circuit on the telegraph
poles along its road between Omaha
and Chicago. Chicago and New Or
leans tvla Memphis. Tenn. Grenada.
and Jackson. Mss Sioux City and
Fort Dodge, Carbondale and St. Louis
and Grenada and Water Valley,
Miss. Copper wire weighing 16G
pounds to the mile was used in build
ing these circuits. and while It gives
good service In zones Of from $50 to
100 miles. the copper>is too small to
provide talking service for greater
distance than 400 miles. The rail-
road company is itself replacing this
small wire between Chicago and Full
ton, KY, with copper weighing 435
pounds to the mile. and 1t has con-
tracted with the Cumberland Tele-
phone and Telegraph company for an
exclusive metallic circuit consisting
OF copper. 435 pounds to the mile.
from Fulton. KY. to New Orleans,
via Memphis. vicksburg and Baton
Rouge, the line following the Yazoo
and Mississippi road south of Mem
phis. The railroad company also Sc
cures for it's own service a metallic
circuit OF the Cumberland Telephone
and Telegraph company Of copper
weighing 100 pounds 70 the mile be-
tween Fulton. KY, and Louisville,
~.
"All af these circuits are to be
worked together exclusively for the
railroad company, thus providing m
terchangeable talking facilities be-
tween the cities of Chicago, st. Louis,
Louisville. Memphis. Jackson, Miss.
Vicksburg. Miss. and New Orleans.
"a considerable part OF the exist
Ing telephone wires owned by the
road Is used for telegraph service, in
addition 20 the telephone service, by
the composite system; but 1t is not
the intention to SO use The new large
wire circuits. This combined service
Is possible, but II is attained by intro
ducing into the line certain features
that are Objectionable and which are
liable. az times. to interfere slightly
with the telephone circuit for very
long distance service.
"The use of single ordinary tele-
graph wires for telephone communi-
cation in addition to the telegraph
service has had considerable trial on
the Illinois Central, and in some
cases II has proved very satisfactory.
Such service is limited to distances
of 1875 miles for successful work, but
hitherto the cost of the apparatus
has been such that as general rule
It Is more economical to provide sep
arate wires. Some improvement in
the composltlng apparatus may be
made so that the composite scheme
on single grounded lines can be work
ed satisfactorily and economically,
and we expect to make a trial OF
some late improvements which may
bring about the desired results.
1.-THE Illinois Central has for a
year and half used large number
of telephones between block signal
cabins with highly satisfactory re-
suits. About 700 miles of the COM
panys most important single track
| lines are now worked by the block
system. between the stations OF
which the communication is done by
telephone.
81 need not tell you that the tele-
. phone answers important require
ments of modern railroading; and u
has not been the experience OF the
Illinois Central that the telephone
service has diminished the amount OF
telegraph business 1t is not expect
ed that il will do so. The telephone
is an added facility that is found
very useful, and the expenditures for
II are deemed wise"