The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-09
WORK OF TROUBLE SHOOTERS.
REPAIRERS OF DAMAGES TO TEL
EPHONE LINES.
How They Are Assigned to Duty-Their Kits
Putting Up Wires in Flood Times
--CrOssing . Mountain Pass-DanEers
OF the Occupation-Narrow Escapes.
BROOKLYN ADVERTISEMENT.


The trouble shooter Is q man whose
occupation Is to go about seeking trouble,
not in a spirit Of mischief or levity. but In
order to remedy it. He is the physician IN
ordinary to that great commercial institu-
ton the telephone and his work is that
Of diagnosis and cure. The 1000 900 miles
Of wire and the 2,OCO. 900 or more sutscrip-
ton telephones of the Bell telephone sys-
tent in the United States, writes Winthrop
Packard in the Technical World. are kept in
healthy working order through his con-
slant vigilance and intimate knowledge Of
"details and requirements. From Canada to
Mexico, in communities where English.
French or Spanish is the native tongue,
he is known as the trouble shooter"
He has an occupation at once romantic
and hazardous. this telephone doctor. He
may be routed ont from red in the middle
Of a stormy night and, getting ready with
the speed OF a fireman. 60 striking off into
the darkness with his pack on his hack: or
he may lie seen, in the freshet season,
climbing out on crazy, shivering bridge,
over a raging torrent, stringng his wires
end deity making repairs. oSlivious ap-
parently to the turmoil around him; or the
woodmen, snugly housed in a wild place on
a windy mountain trail. may wonder as
he struggles past in the face OF binding
snowstorm, to find and repair some break
In the wires between here and there: or
one may watch him working vigorously on
top Of a lofty pole. with the rough wind
whistling around him and the temperature
lelow zero; or. in his fragile little "bo'sun's
chair" he may Re seen dragging himself
lahoriously along overhead telephone ca
leg; or, again. he may he summoned by
an angry householder to repair an instru-
ment when the housewife has thoughtlessly
stuck hairpin across the nding posts,
putting the transmitter out Of business. It
Is little wonder. considering the manifold
duties Of the trouble shooter" that in the
supply department of the telephone sys-
tenn snowshoes are kept in stock.
The life Of the trouble shooter" offers
such variety Of experiences out OF the
ordinary that for many men it exercises a
fascination in spite Of it's hardships and
attendant dangers. and the average .trou-
lie shooter shows a disposition to keep
at the work as long as he is physically
atle to do so.
Near the switchboard in a central tele-
phone Office is another department which
the subscriber never sees. Here the wire
ohiet reigns supreme. and here the chief
inspector sits, large map OF his district
close at hand, amidst innumerabe bat
teries and long racks of wires and various
complicated paraphernala, receiving the
reports of the trouble shooters" all day
long, and writing out the stories" they
telephone In, as their reports are called.
Indeed, the wire chief Is like the city edi-
tor OF daily newspaper. The trouble
shooters are his reporters, and he IL In
constant communication with the members
OF his staff. who are spread out on assign
ments over broad area Of territory.
Trouble" Is word Of frequent ooou r
renee in telephony. because OF the delicaoy
OF the Instruments employed and because
the wide distribution of the lines, through
or under city streets, over roofs, in houses,
across bare fields, through forests and over.
preclpitous mountainsides. lays them open
to muitifarious chances Of injury. Storm
or food may snap the poles or wires, or
wash them away; the laborer's spade may
preak the connection, or a clumsy house.
hold carpenter may drive nail through a
telephone wire Breaks and mishaps are
reported to the wire chief by the operator,
and ~ short time he has trouble shooter"
on on the way to the scene Of the trouble.
Thus, when Central calls you up regularly
every morning. and to your eruh Hello"
responds pleasantly with Good morninpl
Testing. Thank you! she is not simply try
ing to annoy you, but Is seeking to dis
cover there Is any work for the trouble
shooter
The trouble shooter" carries with him
2 Kit almost equal to that Of a soldier in
heavy, marching order. Strapped over his
shoulder he bears a set Of Instruments
which enable him to talk with his Office
when he reaches a place where wires are
broken. He carries q small coil Of wire and
another OF rope; glass insulators, and a
taii Of come alongs,' two small vises at
ttaehed by pulley rope tackle, used for
hauling the ends Of broken wire together.
fastened in his broad leather belt are a
SIpply OF copper tubes used in splicing
wires, pliers, and a clamp used in twisting
ana en- cutting wires; q hatohet, a screw,
u1Vee. and short pieces Of copper wire.