Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-14

| switchboard became alive the knell Of the
| old one was rung at the same instant.
Operators were kept at the old board until
| the last instant while another force was
| waiting, all ready for work. at the new
| board.
Double Track" System.
The operating room occupies the entire
second floor Of the building and contains
two rows Of switchboard sections, twelve
of which known as subscribers sec
tions. at which handled all the calls
made by Lincoln subscribers. The re-
naming eight known as incoming
trunk sections. handling calls made by
subscribers at other exchanges for those
connected in the Lincoln exchange. The
system might be described double
track. each exchange having many out
going trunk lines to carry its subscribers
messages to other exchanges, and many in
coming ones to receive messages from
other exchanges These lines, which are
distinct from subscribers wires. aggregate
many hundreds Of miles. The Lincoln ex-
change has 40 incoming and 400 outgoing
trunk lines.
Seven thousand incandescent lamps and
oSoO spring jacks. or switches. are on
lamp and controlling relay Is connected
by several wires. all connections being SOL
dered for greater security. There are more
than 100000 soldered connections in the
exchange.
Each operator is provided with an ind-
vidual telephone set. consisting of breast
plate transmitter and head receiver. con-
nected to the switchboard by cord and
plug. There are fOrty-nine operators posi-
tons at the switchboard. and the number
of operators to be Ultimately employed will
be 125.
On the third floor the entire space is
given up to quarters for the operators, in
Guiding a spacious room equipped with
sanitary metal lockers. a large dining
room. where tea, coffee, etc, are provided
by the company; a sitting room. with cur
rent reading matter; an infrmary. lava
tory. etc. all In charge Of an experienced
matron, Similar arrangements are pro-
vided for the operators at all of the Wash
ington company's exchanges.
Distributing Frames
On the first floor Of the building are the
power plant. main and intermediate dis
tributing frames relay and coil racks. wire
chiefs desk and other auxiliary apparatus.
The storage battery. which furnishes the
whole power for operating all the tele
phones and signals. is capable of rum
ming the exchange for two days, and may
be charged either by a twenty-eight horse
power motor generator, obtaining current
from the electric light company, or by
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. gas engine. in the base
mcnt. where are situated also the heating
appliances. coal supply and mems lavatory.
Occupying the front Of the first floor will
At the rear of the first floor IS the plant
department. for use of the force employed
to install telephones in the district of the
exchange.
OF much interest on the first floor were the
main ard intermediate distributing frames,
like m.ddlemen between subscribers and
central Owing to constant changes
among telephone users a flexible link be-
tween the subscribers lines and the switch
board wires Is absolutely necessary. This
function Is performed by the distributing
frame or rack. The underground cable wires
are all brought to fixed terminals on one
side of this frame. and wires lead from the
switchboard to similar terminals the
other. To connect any subscribers line to
any switchboard wire it Is necessary only
to run a pair of wires through the frame
and connect the ends to the proper terminal
on either side. thus fixing the position on
the switchboard. This frame has capacity
of y .oUO lines
Equalizing Operators Work
To equalize the work of the different
operators the intermediate distributing
frame. operated on the same general prin-
cipies is used. Since the use Of the serv-
ice varies widely among subscribers, it Is
often necessary to rearrange the groups
of subscribers lines. to prevent certain posi-
tons from being overloaded. This Is done
by making cross-connections on the inter-
mediate board. changing the positions Of
the lines in the switchboard without dis
turning us WHlus.
The cost of the new building was S75 COO
the outlay for equipment far exceeding
that sum.
Another epoch in the growth of the tele-
phone service of Washington Is marked
by the opening Of the Lincoln exchange
1t in November, 1878. almost thirty
years ago, that the service opened in
Washington with forty-eight subscribers.
the exchange being on the south side of
New York avenue between 18th and 18th
streets. The first public message was sent
from the Capitol by reporter of The Even
ing Star. George c. Maynard. now of the
and Bernard L. Nevius jr.. the first op-
orator. The early growth was slow, there
being but 5000 subscribers in 1900. twenty
two years after the service was established.
Today there are $4,000. half Of which have
been installed since January /, 1904.