The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-19
HUMOROUS AND OTHER
TALES BY OPERATORS
Some treasured Stories.

After all is said and done there are
worse occupations than that OF the
telephone girl. She finds time occa-
sionally, in the wee hours Of the night
or just after breakfast in the morn
inS, to hear some strange things pass
ing over the wires while she IS testing
the lines. Here are some of the odd
stories which have happened recently
and which are treasured by al the
Operators.
\ subscriber called for the chief
operator and then left the phone i'm
mediately, leaving the receiver hang
ing. The chief answered; could get no
reply. Central then rang on the bell
trying to attract the woman subscrib-
er's attention. After ringing five or
seven minutes tho woman returned
and said. when asked by central as to
where she had been: I thought I
would finish drying my dishes while /
was waiting on the chief"
Number, pIease?"
Toll
Ions distance?''
No; just To Bountiful''
subscriber-Please give me Plumber
the Midgley2
OperatOr-Who?
Observation-Disclosures the Midglev.
OPERATOR don't think you have the
right name
Subscriber-o, I got it wrong: it's
6gley, the plumber.
\ woman called up central and asked
for Sandy
Woman want Mr.. - at Sandy.
Murray Operator-DOn't know any
body by that name
OperatOr-Lady. are Won SIRE that is
the right name-
WOman-WeIl. / guess I OUGHT TO
know whether il is OF not. It's my bus-
bands name.
Subscriber-Cenral. what is M
- number Maybe they have moved
they were going to. because the bouse
is SO damp and there are So MANY
children. Try that number, anyhow.
man once called for his residence.
out the operator was unable to get
an answer He became angry and said
ne knew she had not rung once. for his
VIE was in the same room az the
phone and could hear the first rims.
Tie insisted upon her ringing again.
winch was done, and finally a womsin
answered When asked why she had
not replied to the cali, she said she had
been IN another part of the house and
mad not heard the bell. Did the man
apoloSlze. Never And, OF course
central was to blame
one great difficulty is cxDerieu.e,l r.,
dealing with persons who are hard of
nearing Here is = sample:
Observation-Disclosures, please?
Subscriber-Hullo. hullo. hulIo,
Observation-Disclosures. please?
Subscrlber-Hullc. hull0. hullo, Why
doesn't central answer me?
Operator-(Very loudly 49, Number
please?
Subscriber clearing operators voice,
Where have You been? Asleep?
BY this time supervisor is back of
the operator and says: Please. lower
your voice; You are talking too loud"
One day a woman rushed to her teie-
phone and said:
Central give me my husband and
central not knowing tho husbands
NUMBER said:
The subscriber was in such a hurry
she had given no phone number and
IN reply 60 the question said:
You innpudent thing. bow many
.ac you think I've got?''
a subscriber called for a Mr.. II
Tho operator referred him to the chief
operator Tor the number. When She
answered, he said:
You might do. but want some one
with a male voice. 1 want some one
to take me home. l am drunk"
Another man called for 26c. The
operator was not quite sure OF the
number. SO she said; DO you want 263.
the Manitou?"
NO: 1 don't want man or two. T
have enough loafers around here now.
came the reply.
A woman called the chief operator to
ask II the 10:20 train was on time
When informed that it was two hours
A 49, \