The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-26
methods ot Handling Southern
Product Better Systems
tIzed Each Year.
TELEPHONE IS IMPORTANT
Buyers and Sellers Adopt Modern
Methods of Transacting Business n
Marketing tho Product cf Our South
srn Plantations.

WASHINGTON oct. 2S.--Washing.
tonians returning from the south report
that the cotton crop never IN their
knowledge has seemed likely 70 b.
moved 90 easiiy a. this year. The crop
Ii u large one, according to all estimates.
Getting II out oi the fields v The center
of sale and expectation and thence 70
the mills 10 very big undertaking. At
the same time each year sees the hand
ling Of the south's great staple more
systematically arranged thaneyer before.
Present day facilities for long distance
talking have great deal to 10 with the
easy running Of the machinery BY which
Americas kingly crop y handled.
Throughout the season the telephone y
in constant employment by cotton men
not only In the centers Of population
but In ill tho smaller places md On the
most distant plantations. A great pcrs
lion Of the entire cotton crop u bought
and sold over the long distance. In
many exchanges the local bell company
has TO employ three Or four times 40
many long distance operators az local
operators during the rush Of the bust.
mess The buyers 90 out IN every diree-
tion from the commercial headquarters
and they have regular custom q cal
ling up the home Office once, twice 81
several times during the day 70 inform
them of deals consumated and TO get
the latest Information.
The strain at this time upon the tele-
phone companies operating In southern
territories II something almost beyond
comprehension. but it IL general test.
mony that they bear up well under Il.
They try to meet the situation BY being
well prepared. In d notice TO employees
Of the Southwestern Telephone Com
pany this year the need Of preparedness
to meet the exigencies is graphically
yrought out.
"The cotton season y now upon us.
II brings added responsibilities and
troubles; IT means strenuous time dur.
ing the balance Of the year for everyone
connected with the company from the
general manager down to the messenger
hoy, Is calls for tho best energies oi
eyery employee; II means hard work;
1t demands patience; II taxes our facili-
ties to the utmost; 1t overcrowds our
toll lines; II increases the business we
have to care for at the exchanges by
from SO to 80 per cent; II means that
hundreds Of cotton buyers throw upon
our lines at about o'clock in the morn
/ ing several thousand messages that they
demand BIO handled just al fast as they
can call them. These cotton men are
very much displeased il single message
Ii delayed; they are prone to become
nervous md complain, they are not to
be blamed for this--the necessities Of
their business are such that, from their
standpoint, they must have quick re-
suits and there be no delay. No EN-.
ployee Of this company should ever be-
come impatient or irritable If they
make unreasonable demands upon us
from our standpoint. We cannot and
do not guarantee that there will not be
some delay in handling long distance
messages at this time Of the year, We
cannot provide the facilities that would
mean practically no delay IN handling
business at this time Of the year that
ID from So to 50 per cent beavier than
during Che remainder Of The year. II
I'VE attempt to provide such facilities
this would mean an Improbable invest
+ ment. The company has freely spent
liz money to provide for the business
IL iust the extent that y can possibly
receive reasonable returns It cannot go
further. In spite Of occasional delays
Or some poor service, nevertheless our