Evening journal., 1907-04-15
D. & A. COMPA
new QUARTERS
No inconvenience When Ser
vice Of 5000 Telephones
Vas Transferred

HI AilAt time lnt loldAiNN lINnA WliAA /
5000 Telephones are operated was
changed without a break from the
building at Sixth and shpley streets
to the handsome hreproof addition add
joining.
Forty-nine operators, nearly an Of
whom were IN now black uniforms,
were on duty on Saturday morning on
the third floor OF the now building.
divided as follows: Tnhiy-four Tor
local business two for information. five
fer toll and long distance. five super
vlsors ono chief supervisor. one chief
operator and one for ,he telephone
Company's new private branch eX-
change. All local offices oe the com-
pany Including that of the dlsirict
manager are reached through the new
number-Wllmington $500. However, II
the chief operator is wanted it is Nee
essary only TO ask for "chicf operator"
How a Cut-ov is Made
The entire cut-over was made under
the. supervision of the Wire Chief w.
Rayner ana his. assistant v. l. c.
Hassl0arl. Although pr rapHations have
been going on for about two months
fhe aotual cut-over was almost insian-
naneous.
The necessary labor connected with
the removal cf the telephone exchange
is fully realized only by those who have
been trained. in bhe work or who afe
connected with the company and for
that reason "a description is here given
as matter OF public interest
In order 10 make the cutover with
out annoyance to Subscribers a CONF
plete switchboard IS Installed In the
new building capable OF accommodating
the growth in stations for several
years. All Of the lines are connected
to the underground plant by groups of
circuits called 'malt nla." These oi-
minutive cables are lead underneath
from the back OF the switchboard to
the steel racks IN the roomAhelOw called
frames" and from there down fire.
proof passages IN the walls through
the basement to condults in the street
From the present exchange at sixth
and Shipley streets over $500 lines. acc
commodating 5000 telephones, spread 70
all parts uf the city and vicinity Other
lines called trunks reach TO the near
by towns and to Philadelphia These
lines were formerly CARRIED 10y over
head or aerial construction to the va
rious sections Of the city and suburbs.
The present plant is almost entirely an
underground one and represents the
cuiminatlon OF thirty-one years of tele-
| phone engineering and stddy.
The wire chief with few assistants
took entire charge of the work on FRI
day night. Operators we're on duty al
beth swMchhoards To handle The regu-
lar business All lines We're first testel
from the new switchboard through this
distributing frames" direct TO thi
subscribers telephones and any diff
Guilty that appeared was at once remed-
/ led. A series of linen tags connected
Ito each other were then placed in the
| Signaling apparatus OF each separate
line at the new exchange so that when
notice was given these tags were all
removed at once. simultaneously apart
OF the apparatus at the old exchange
was arranged so that. every line might
be cut out of service when the new
ones were placed in service.
The Signalling apparatus is located
on what is called the intermediate dis
tributing frame'-a large steel frame,
above mentioned. I'm room immei-
lately under It. The weight of this
/ part of the exchange equipment IS 80
| great THAT concrete and steel consirue-
/ tion are an absolute necessity in pres
/ ent-day exchanges serving as they do,
several Thousand subscribers lines.
The new switchboard had previously
| been thoroughly tested direct to each
subscribers station by means OF @ volt
meter. am Instrument arranged TO show
whether any line is clear OF foreign
wires. grounded" or open
The volt meter test after the cut
over was completed Friday night and
the new switchboard was also come
plstely tested.
The cut-ove Was Successful
1t WAS stated 10y experienced tele-
phone men. who were present sen Fri
day evening. that considering the num-
Der of telephones. the Wilmington cut
over was the most successful one ever
made in the territory operated 10y tn.
| Bell Telephone Company Of Philad al-
phia and controlled companies. Great
| credit is due to an departments of the
company who had TO do with the trans
fer. Not a single piace cf trouble ape
peared when the l'ehteains transfer
was made. In spite of tie fact that
some Of the people felred that tm
service might De interrupted not a sin.
! gle "riecc" Of troub'e appeared. Th,
| public dii not know that the work wa.
to be done nor was any subscr ber in-
couvenienced, if one may Judge from
the complaints received The trae
department who handle such com.
plants state that none were receive,
and the plant department who remedy
the trouble" that devclops from da,
to day stated that the Saturday morn.
ing cases were less than normal.
The old switchboard Is now covoWs
with nreprocf cloth ana is absoluteh
out of service. It win be dismantle,
and SHIPPED to Philadelphia wher
parts of Il may be used m ether in
etallations. Thousands Of dollars hav
been expended in this removal tha
might not have been required were /
possible to interrupt the telephon'
service during the removal A secon'
complete switchtoard was installcl
while tho former one WAS stin in use
DISTRICT Managers office Removed
Tn addition to the removal OF the ope
citing roon,s the offices of an depart
monts viii also be changed to othc
rooms, providing much needed spac,
The District Manager now occupie
handsomely rehlted offices in the from
room at sixth and Shipcy streets. Th
office which he occupied temporari'
, will be refltsd for his private offic
| md also for the rsa nr hL. snL-cL-n-.