Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-08
PHONE EXCHANGE
rs WITHOUT NOISE
EACH EMPLoYE HAS ONE DUTY
10 PERFORM
Perfect Discipline Prevails and Girls
Are Not Allowed to Vary from
Formulated Words Dur
ing Work

Inc mysteries III tne WorhihS VI
metropolitan telephone exchange and the
trials and tribulations of the 'hello girl
are perhaps two things that the average
business man gives little thought or con-
sideration.
The two Los Angeles systems COM
in large eastern cities, as to number OF
phones in service, size of switchboards
and number of operators employed.
Many subscribers and users Of the tel
ephone in this city will perhaps be sur
prised to learn that the city of Los An
geles has more telephones per capita
than any other city in the United States.
When one visits either company and
is shown through the different depart
ments, from the basement. where tnou-
sands upon thousands of wires come into
the building, to the operating room,
where the connections are made, he, is
mystified with the seemingly hopeless
tangle.
However, a perfect system is MAIN
tanned in each department of both COM
panies.
Each empIoye, and there are hundreds
of them, is detailed to perform certain
duties
Perhaps the most interesting depart
ment is the operating ROOM
One who has never witnessed the busy
scene inside the telephone operating
room would suppose that in a room oc-
cupied by from 800 to 500 young women,
ali talking, seemingly at once, there
would be the utmost confusion. This is
NOT the case Perfect discipline is main
tanned. Visitors standing two feet from
an operator can hardly hear an au-
dible word.
No Buzzers
No bells or buzzers are heard. When
a subscriber removes the receiver from
its hook small light is flashed on the
switchboard through an aperture ABOUT
half the size of dime
THE operator inserts Her answering
oord IN hole underneath the light,
which is extinguished, and the girl says
..Number" While getting the suoscrip-
er,s call the operator is not IDLE, LOT tne
cord that is necessary TO compiete le
connection has been picked out ana is
inserted in hole in the PANEL cores
vending to the number the subscriber
,,isbes Should the line that 1t is de-
sired to connect with be busy, tne IN
slant the cord touches the hole pecuiar
clic, is transmitted to the operator
head phone and she says That nhe 10
I0,sv or '"They are talking now
Sbould the line be clear the cord is
inserted. t6e ringing key depressed and
the connection is made. When tne tel
enhones are again returned to the nook,
two lights are flashed on the board anu
the operator removes the cords from the
holes a,s
oi,,,ne is exacted from each operator.
orerators are allowed to use certain
,,brases only. No deviation from the au-
thorized phrases are permitted under any
circumstance.
No questions of any sort are allowed
to he answered by the operator, their
duties being especially 10 make cohhec-
tions.
Al onerator cannot give connection
80 subscriber without number being
s;,,a,, ~. answer a question without MAX
e., berself liable to censure from the
chief over her.
information departments are proViueu
10 answer any question.
TaIking over the board or taking 10
each other while on duty is apsoiu.eiy
.,,rohihited and if INDUCED in is sure
~ dataction. for the monitor located In
adioinine room has connection with
aaot nosition in the operating room and
80 sn,a d,,tv is to watch the operator $
work on the wire.
cross word or changed phrase from
+be operator Immediately brings upon ner
cens,ire from the monitor VINO heeps
a record of each admonition'
The impatient subscriber, who persist,
emily shakes his telephone hook, should oula
take time to yslr tnrs 'Tv Work as fast as pos
sihle side and shaking the hook does not
hurry matters.
The man that loses patience ana laav,., $50
far forgets himself as to, use unseemly
ianrnege 10 the operator should not for
ret @et that the daughters Of some Of the
hest families lin the city are employed
to answer his calls,
the Home company maintains for itsl
operators who are watched over care
fully by Chief operator Miss Battelle,
who is solicitious for their welfare in
every particular
Retiring rooms with couches, easy
chairs. and a library presided over by
matron are provided. a Iuiiy equlppeo
lsining room is also maintained. where
Vhe young women are privileged to go !