The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-01-16

The second public hearing on the Home
Telephone eompany's petition for permis-
sion 10 transact general telephone busi-
ness In this city was given in the common
council chamber in the city hall this az
ternoou. The floor OF the chamber and
the gallery was well nlled; and 1t is cyi-
dent that much interest is being taken in
the natter
Fx- Councilman John y. Keudrick'
chairman of the special committee con-
riGering the petition, opened the hearihE
about 2 o'clock ,and Charles f. sumner
OF Toledo gave a pr;ei history ot the ll-
dependent telephone movement through
out the country and was followed hF
Howard Henrickson president Of the Al
Nnny Home Telephone company VINO
spoke OF the advantage 10 be reaped
from telephone competition.
Roy H. Manson a representative of the
local Home Telephone company, de-
scribed I'm detail the system and appara-
tus used by the Home company ana IN
part said
.'The answer 10 the question. How Is
n possible for the Homo Telephone COM
pany 10 equip its system with the best
of apparatus and exist under small rem
tals?' clearly demonstrated by a casual
examination Of the equipment on eNhlbi-
tion and IN operation a the city hail
Take for example. the harmonic selec-
tive ringing party-line system. -Four par
tics arc placed on one metallic line cir
,rit without any third fire or earth con-
pectlon. one of these parties Is rung
without In any way disturbing tho other
three Unlike the most modern Bel
evstem OF party hne ringing. the removal
or a receiver from the hook during this
ringing does not cause a false signal on
another station connected 10 the same line
a. the harmonic telephones are all bridged
to the circuit
Incidentally this absen-e OF grounds
gives the, best possible conditions for
fpeech transmission and all possibilities
os accidental disturbances OF the service
due 10 a breakage Of this earth connection
are done away with. Thus the plumber
or gas filter cannot put the telephone out
OF ringing commission by changing the
mining to which the usual ground is made
This new selective ringing system IS
krown as the harmonic due 10 the prin-
Ciple used Four alternating currents are
produced in the central office OF 1000 2U'
5000 and 400 alterations. respectively
These freduencies being so arranged that
the operator can project any one OF the
same on the desired line. The party line
telephones have no complicated mechan-
isms, nothing more than is found In the
most simple sets. made for regular or
individual line service
The bell is somewhat different. how
ever, and Is constructed so as TO respond
only TO a predetermined frequency of al
fcrnating currents. BY responding Is
meant that the bell does not ring, Jingle
or tap its gong, and that no noise OF any
hort Is made In the telephone box. thereby
making this part OF the service absolutely
secret.
when the operator presses a Key, the
proper alternating current passes in null
1lple through all four party line instru-
ments bridged across a line. only the
one bell tuned to this current responds.
The system does not depend on the re-
sistance OF the bell nor OF the line circuit.
neither does the electrical condition pres