The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-18
SECRET TELEPHONE NUMBERS.
People Seek Protection From lntru-
sion by Wire.
New York SUM-

ayes. they call me Sapphira," cheer
fully admitted the operator of the tele-
phone switchboard in a large business
house. It's because I'm such an ac-
compfshed liar. you know.
But. then, that is one of the things
I'm paid for; so 1t really isn't my fault
and I don't let it worry me. Perhaps
The most frequent lie I have TO tell l.
when / am asked about dozen times
day if the president has a private
telephone Galore not III the regular
telephone directory. you know
"Of course he has; he'd be in the in
sane Asylum If he hadn't: but h
doesn't want everybody to know it
The telephone was getting such nut
sance TO business men that n lot OF
them have had 10 DO this.
Nov, when mans private tele
phone rings he knows it really is q ped
sonal call, as only a few people have
his number. Il is a direct call from
central and does not come over the
regular office switchboard at all.
Every operator Of a private switch
board, and, Of course. every central
is charged with keeping these private
telephone numbers strictly confiden
tlal. People try lots of different ways
to worm this information out OF Us
but they don't succeed"
1T saves my time wonderfully-thjs
having a private call" said a LAWYER
Il really think this plan saved me from
a nervous breakdown last year.
MY private secretary has charge o.
the telephone supposed by the unin ii
ated 20 be the only one by which ! car
be reached personally. Nine times out
of ten the question can be settled with
out referring TO me. Occasionally, of
course. 1 have TO speak TO the person
myself.
But there was time q few years
ago when / could not dictate so much
as a note to my stenographer without
being interrupted half dozen times
That exasperating little ti1g-a-ling has
been the death knelI to many a finely
phrased letter. AS for important doc
uments when debating anything that
required serious thought I was obhge
10 have an entirely separate room
where / was as absolutely out az
thought in my home uptown.
while. of course, I did not pretend
to speak to every person who called
for me on the telephone still ! was
called very often. 1t is very different
now. Only q dozen or So persons know
my private call, and sometimes my
telephone does not ring more than once
or twice a day.
The telephone is mighty good ser
want, but with ones name in the public
/ telephone directory it soon becomes q
/ hard master
/ Yes. our house number Is private,
said woman who has many social du-
/ ties, and we guard it as We do tbs
family jewels. Only our own direct
circle OF friends are able to reach Us
, by telephone.
LAS some ono said to me the Other
day, quite the height OF modern init
macy Is reached in the interchange o.
private telephone numbers. And II II
true.
you would be surprised to know thu
lengths sone people will SO to diseove
! the number or private wire. Why
would YOU believe K. our stable Is Otter
called up. and whoever happens 10 an
| swer IS asked Tor our house number
Yes. our telephone Il now just what
originally was and just what 1t shoah
be--a convenience and not nuisance