Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-07-05

pig iron frames on which the incoming
wires are separated and distributed and
nhallN sent to their proper places on the
switchboard. Here, too, are the arrange
ments for furnishing curront-the central
storage battery-whch is the common
supply for the whole exchange and gives
the new system of operation its name.
ana the machinery for charging it,
The other chief room is that given over
10 the uses of the operator as rest
room. 1t is comfortably furnished with
easy chairs, couch and reading table
and has clothing lockers of the most an
proved style. Regular recess intermis-
sions are allowed at the switchboard
and employees who chose may eat their
lunch in the exchange; it is for these
times off duty during working hours that
the rest room is provided
Some subscribers have necessarily had
their numbers changed as result Of the
introduction of divided ringing, and the
redistribution of outside lines. These al
terations have been recorded in n sunple-
ment to the directory which contains all
the new numbers. 1t has been suggested
however, that telephone users who keep
lists of numbers which they frequently
call should carefully correct these in ac-
cordance with the latest information. Ar
rangements nave been made for every
subscriber to get the call intended for
him whether the old or the new number
is given, but, at the same time, the SER
vice WILL of course be expedited If the
right number is called for in the first in
stance.
LOCAL TELEPHONE HISTORY.
The first appearance of the telephone in
Brattleboro was on the evening of Thrus-
day, Octobar Is, 1871 The incident was
recorded in the local columns of The
Phoenix in the following item:
"Brattleboro had its first experience
with the wonders of the Bell telephone
last Thursday evening when A. c. Har-
vey of St. Johnsbury was in town with
several instruments which he exhibited
| by attaching them to the wires of the
amateur telegraph company, one of the
instruments being placed in Chamberlain
hat store and the other in Trips jewelry
store Their operation was witnessed and
listened to by a large number of citizens.
Conversation between the places named
was easily carried on; tunes whistled
into the instrument at one end were read
! lily recognized al the other and the opera =
| ton of the curious invention was very
| satisfactory, although n defect in the con-
nection of the wire prevented it from
| working at its best"
The following paragraph of additional
| local telephone history is from The Php-
nix of June 6, 1890, published a the time
| of the sale of the Brattleboro exchange "a
! the New England company.
The first line to be put in operation in
! Brattleboro was between Cudworth &
| Childs's office the present insurance Of
| flee of Taylor e Son-and w H. Childs's
| house. +. w. Chlds, +. G. Frost and II
/ r. Lawrence were the pioneers in the tel
| ephone business in the state. and between
| 1873 and 1850 they placed instruments III
the houses of number of local resi-.
| dents and constructed line &c
| Wilmington. The exchange was
organized in 1881 by F. w. and w. II
Childs, who were among the first lcensee.
of the Bell telephone company. At thai
| time such an organization as an exchange
with a switchboard was not known. From
small beginnings the exchange ha!
grown until at the present time about 2O
| instruments are in use. with lines run
ming all over the county and connecting
with the exchanges of Bellows Falls anC
| Greenfield"
As showing the growth of the gen
eral telephone business of the company
1t has been stated recently in an officia
report of the American Telephone & Tel
egraph company that in 1889 this compan,
operated 757 exchanges with 1856 0O3 sta
tions, 6,75S employees and 1928 miles o
wire On the first Of January. 1907. ther,
were 4Ss9 exchanges, 90324 employees, .,
7272S9 stations and more than 5000, 90
miles of wire. The rate of growth. es
pecially in recent years, has been phe
nomenal amounting to 800 or 400 pc
cent.