The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-12
PUSHING TIE BELL
 TELEPHONE WORK
Important Improvements Are
 Planned for EnSIey.
SUITABLE SITE LEASED
Work on New Birmingham Exchange Will Be Started Soon-Vice Presi- dent Gentry Here-He Talks
 of Recent Criticism.

 grap company will make important im- provements at Ensley and work will be- gln immediately. A contract was closed yesterday for long time lease for lot and the erection of handsome two-story building. A multiple switch board with capacity of 800 stations will be installed, and the service improved in every possible manner.
 It is announced that work upon the new building will be completed in about nye months. The equipment will be modern In every way and the building will be an architectural ornament to Ensley
 ". T. Gentry vice president and gen ereal manager of the Southern Bell Tele- phone and Telegraph company, is in Bir- mlngham on one of his regular inspection trips and while here will visit all the ad- jaeent towns This afternoon he will be present with Superintendent Woodruff at the meeting of the council committee on electric lights and telephones.
 Alderman John c. Forney who intro duced the telephone resolution in the city council last week, has been invited to appear before the lights and telephones committed This meeting will be held in
 
 the city hall at 3 o'clock.
 Vice President Gentry Talks.
 When seen by 8 reporter yesterday MT. Gentry talked interestingly of the tele- phone situation in Birmingham and out lined the plans now in progress for the extension and improvement of the service here Mir Gentry and Superintendent Woodruff were in conference during the morning with Wheelock, Joy & Wheelock, the architects who have charge of the plans for the new Birmingham exchange. It is announced that bids will be asked from contractors in the course of the next ten days and the building will be com pleted in about six months from the time work is actually started. The new ex- change, together with other improvements now in progress, will give Birmingham, it Is said, a telephone service equal to that of any other city in the country.
 Mir. Gentry said: "rhe recent criticism of the Bell service has been brought about by a series of unfortunate inci- dents which could not be forseen or con- trolled. Coming as they did, during the very busiest season of the year they
  and complaints to consequently result.
 "The Bell Telephone company" con tinued MT. Gentry, has realized the fact that Birmingham is rapidly growing city and that development in the tele- phone system would be necessary to keep pace with the growth of the city. With this end in view we outlined plans last summer which are now well under way, and which, when completed will keep us ahead of the demands of our patrons. It Is our desire to anticipate growth rather than to wait for it and cause installation to be delayed
 Unexpected Rush.
 Just at the time the holiday rush was upon us. and our business was heaviest the principal exchange of the Peoples Telephone company was destroyed by fire, and an additional and entirely un- expected burden was thrown upon us. During December the calls averaged more than 100000 per day and large per centage were caused by non-subscribers representing absolutely free service.
 We made strenuous and successful eff forts to meet the increased demands. The operating force was lnCTedSeu Dy thirty operators and fourteen experienced operators were immediately brought here from other cities. Operators were sent here from our Atlanta training school as rapidly as they became efficient and the engineering department was called upon for five to supervise the operating room. But for the unfortunate condition that arose just at this time we would have been amply able to care for the ordinary increase in the business during the holiday season.
 Cable Trunk Lines.
 "Right now thirty miles of cable trunk lines, aerial and underground, are in course of construction and will be com pleted by April 1. This work was be- gun in midsummer before any complaints were heard. The plans for the handsome new five-story building were outlined be- fore the trouble From this statement of facts it is evident that the company was not neglecting it's patrons in Birming- ham. The service here Is good now and will continue to be up to the highest standard. We have overcome many of the difficulties.
 'The improvements we are making will add considerably to the material growth of Birmingham. But one naturally ex- poets this city to grow and expand Bir- mingham is moving rapidly forward and one secs evidences of -nis on all sides. The city is aiming at a high goal and is going about it in the right way It's fu. ture is so bright that no one can ac. curately forecast it..