The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1905-05-23
PLANS OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN
BELL TELEPHONE.
A LINE INTO MILES CITY
Local Office to be Supplied With Com.
mon Battery Switchboard-New
Superintendent.

Among those who spent Sunday in
Billings were David s. Murray, gen.
eral manager of the Rocky Mountain
Bell Telephone company, and Harry
L. Burdick, who succeeds A. G. Mil
Ter as superintendent of the Montana
division. The officials came to Bill
lings for the purpose of inquiring into
the progress of the new Bell building
and to see what is needed here in the
way of service equipments.
1t had been thought that the build
ing would be ready for occupancy
by June 1, but various delays have
occurred and it is not improbable that
the change from the old to the new
quarters will be delayed until along
toward the middle of July. While
this is matter that is regretted by
Mr.. Murray and Mr.. Burdick, the gen.
eral manager is authority for the
statement that when the building is
finished and equipped the Bell COM
pany will be in a position to give Bid
lings firstclass telephone service,
and which will be in every way equal
to the service furnished in the larg-
est cities of the country.
Notable Improvement.
"a notable improvement here" said
Mr.. Murray yesterday, will be the
installation of common battery
switchboard. This board has been
ordered and it will be on the ground
as soon as the building is ready to
receive it. BY the use of the common
battery switchboard, as the people OF
Billings doubtless know, it will be pos
slple to establish connection with the
central Office by merely lifting the
receiver from the hook. The bell
cranks now in use will be done away
with entirely, but the change means
more than the bare statement i'm
plies.
ITO make this change it will be nec-
essary for us to take out every one
OF our present instruments and SUD-
stitute new ones for them. The cost
OF the undertaking will amount to a
considerable sum of money. In plain
figures, it means that aside from the
cost of the new building, the sum
total of the Bell company's investment
| in Billings will be about doubled.
We feel sure, however, for our expert
ence here in the past is a guide to us,
that the people of Billings will mani
fest their appreciation of our faith
in the citys future by an increase
of their already liberal patronage.
9 Line to Miles City.
"Of interest to the people of Biz
lings will be the announcement OF
the Bell company's determination to
build toll line into Miles City early
next spring. The date for the COM
mencement of this work has been con-
uJngent on the throwing open to public
entry and settlement the rich lands
of the Crow reservation. These lands,
am told, will be allotted to home
steaders some time next spring and
we hope to have telephones waiting
for them when they come"
The new superintendent, Mr.. Bur-
dick, succeeds A. G. Miller, who is
we'll known in Billings. Mr.. Miller has
| been assigned to the superintendency
of the new North Idaho division by
the company, position for which by
reason of his intimate knowledge OF
the country, he is particularly adapt
ed. A great deal of rebuilding of ex-
listing toll lines and extension of toll
lines as well as the installation or
new equipment in the more important
exchanges, is contemplated in norUn-
ern Idaho.
Mr.. Burdick comes to Montana from
Chicago, where his headquarters In
the service of the American Tele-
phone and Telegraph company have
been for some years. He has made
frequent visits to Montana and begins
his new duties with the friendliest OF
feelings for the state and for it's peo-
pie. Mr.. Burdick is satisfied that
} Billings has a splendid future and he
J is determined that the Bell telephone
! company will at least keep up with
| the city's progress.