Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-11
WATERVILLE.
MORE ROOM NEEDED.
Present Quarters of Telephone Com
pany Cran7ped.

General Manager f. A. Houston of
the n. f. Tel. & Tel. Co. was in the
city this week accompanied by sew
er;ll of his associates with Il view of
looking over the city with the idea of
obtaining IL lease of Il building or of
securing land Wheron one could be
built for the accommodation of their
proposed new facilities for handling
their business which is much cranp-
cd in it's present quarters.
The public is already well acQuaint-
ed with the enormous growth of the
telephone business Of this company
which is centered in Waterville
Farmers lines have constantly been
connected with the Watervillc central
Office un:il, at the present time nine
of the nearby farming communities
have been brought into touch with the
city. During the past year, this COM
qany has been laying underground
conduits through the principal streets
of the city until 2 40 miles of I'M
foreground wire have been laid, Sc
structivc force OF the winters storms.
The number of subscribers connected
with this office has reached TO 611 and.
50 great is the pressure OF the demands
maze upon the company'S employees
in this place that a complete change,
requiring a completely new equipment
ard location must soon be made befol c
the force at the office can meet any
more of the increasing demands upon
its capacity.
Where this new location may b.
made is l@rscly q matter OF specuia I
oil grI, r &c ,,rrn1nroI will
grounds for suspicion ti'ut the new
building about to be built south Of
lie S5aNings Gank building by Hon. ".
T. Haincs will be used for this pur-
pose. Those in authority are us I'M
willing 10 deny this report as to make
any affirmation thereof; but whether
ibis be true or no, il is no less certain
hat a different location will be chosen
within a few days whereby 4 COM
rletcly now outfit may be installed
Something new in tie way Of facts
which have been willingly given for
publication will br of interest beth to
the subscribers Of the company and
its employees. Commencing Oh some
day of this week. this work is to be
gin. The changes which are 10 be
made while they VIII neccssitatc
much Inconvenience to TIL" operators
at the central office. for various rea
sons. will make absolutely none to
the subscribers The reasons for max
ing the former statement are that. on
changing to the new switch board for
the sake OF doing away with the com
binations Of long ana short rings, what
IS known rs the dividing ring is to
L,
operator rings on one of the divisions
but half of the telephones connected
by that line will be rung; thus. on
many lines on which are 10 telephones.
but five of the bells will be effected.
This change in the numbers will be Of
necessity SO extensive as to effect
nearly one half of the entire number
OF calls. The operators. therefore, be
fore moving to the new plant will b.
required to pass about an hour of each
day for several weeks before they will
be able 10 adjust themselves 10 the
change in such way as to be able 10
answer the calls promptly.
What is known as the common bat
terry system which the Journal readers
have already heard mentioned is of
great significance as this will furnish
the potential from the one large bat
terry at the Office which is supplied by
individual sets Of batteries on each
telephone instrument. This will also
make it possible for all of the main
wires on each line to be laid under
ground and a corresponding thinning
out of the heavy network of wires
which are strung in intricate meshes
between and over every centrally 10
Gated building in the city.
The most surprising information rela-
tive to this subject was given in the
statement by the chief operator. AIr.
Bronson when he said that, although caoh
telephone on the service was 10 b. con
necteG with one switchboard to another
in a different part of the city, the change