The San Francisco call., 1906-09-17
TEN MILLIONS FOR
PHONE COMPANY
BETTERMENTS.
Vast Sum to Be Expended
in improvements in the
Pacific Coast Service
THIRD OF AMOUNT
FOR THIS CITY
Change to Be Made in the
Management and Wires to
Be Put Beneath Surface


F. A Pickernall, assistant to Presi-
dent Fish Of the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company Of Boston. the
Bell system. stated yesterday that a
complete reorganization of the Pacific
States Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany would take place in the near fu-
ture, thereby confirming the recent
announcement in The Call. He left last
night for the East in the private car Of
Pacific Coast Manager James Of the
Western Union Telegraph Company. ac-
companied by E. c. Bradley. who re-
singed the presidency OF the Postal Tel
egraph Company recently to take a po-
sition with the Bell system. (which owns
the majority stock OF the Pacific States
Telephone and Telegraph Company.
Pickernall refused to talk for publi-
cation before he left San Francisco last
night but his car had scarce steamed
out OF sight before II became known
that he had gathered small group Of
his friends about him in the lobby of
the ST Francis Hotel yesterday after
noon and had conhded TO them in Sc
crecy the determination of President
Fish TO reorganize the Pacific States
company.
SCOTT WILL REMAIN.
According to Pickernau. Henry T.
Scott viii be retained as president He
admitted that new man would I'll the
shoes Of Vice President and General
Manager Louis Glass. who is now on
his vacation. Glass successor. said
Pickernau. would be an fastener OF
wide practical experience. who is to
come 70 san Francisco and give his en-
tire attention 10 the service on the Pa
cifc Coast. The appointment OF this
manager viii be announced immedi
ately after the return of President Fish
from Europe, where he has been sum
mering with his family.
Fish viii direct the affairs of the Pa
cifc States Telephone and Telegraph
Company from Boston. just as Harri
man directs the Southern Pacific from
New York, and the Eastern man who
z
san Francisco and attend TO the details
OF the entire coast service. President
Fish viii accompany the new manager
10 the coast 70 make a personal inspec-
ton.
The Bell Company will spend $4,000,
900 during the next year in making its
telegraph and telephone system on the
Pacific Coast the equal of the best SER
vice in the world This was another
secret which Pickernall told his friends.
The entire Western division. from
Butte, Montana. TO FL Paso. Texas, will
be overhauled. Improvements in the
city and country service will be made
along the whole system. This york
will be rushed to an early completion.
CHANGES FOR SAN FRANCISCO.
san Francisco will receive the big
gest share Of this appropriation Of the
Bell company. about ss.O0o.Ooo. All Of
the wires viii be placed underground.
Experiments will be made until the
best system Of central" is obtained
The most modern systems of private
exchanges Will be installed. Public
onlces viii be opened. An improved
lonz-dIstance service will be put into
operation
When we are through with San
Francisco" said PickernaIl to his
friends at the St. Francis Hotel yester-
day afternoon, she will have tele-
phone service that viii be on a par
with that operated in Boston. PhiadeI-
phia or New York. Our Improvements
viii extend to every department OF
the coast system san Francisco viii
no longer complain that her service is
not the best"
Announcement was also made Of the
resignation Of A J. stice, who was as
sistant to General Manager Louis
Glass. This position is TO be abolished.
G. P. Robinson has been appointed to
III the newly created position Of gen
eral superintendent E. ]. thinner. for
merly auditor Of the company. has been
made assistant to President Henry T.
Scott. II is probable that other changes
IN the stan Of the Pacific States Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company will
take place after the new general man
ager has been appointed in the East
Pickernalrs tour of inspection is FIN
ished He has visited the principal dis
tricts in the Pacific States system and
VIII make a report on what he has seen
TO President Fish in Boston. He will
not come TO California again for some
time. Bradley. however, expects TO re-
turn to san Francisco in few months.