The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-07-15
WITH THE HELLO GIRLS"
They Are Called Operators by
Their Employers.
THERE IS LITTLE LEVlTY
The Great Switchboard is Like a.
Vast Network Of Nerves over the
Human Body-Sensitive and Alive.
Queer Questions They are Asked.

Human Body-Sensitive and Alive.
Queer Questions They are Asked.
Since girls have been the connect
ing link between lines in the tele-
phone business, they have been the
subject of much levity, and in many
instances Of uncanny jokes. anecdotes,
and wlticisms, until the world at
large has conceived the idea that "The
Hello Girl" Is entitled to little, IL
any, consideration, and that she uses
over the telephone language when
would be coarse even on the Bowery'
To set aside this impression ono
has but to visit one Of the exchanges
In this or any other city.
The telephone operators are, per-
haps, the most distinctive class OF
breadwinners in the whole category
of wage-earning girls. But to get at
the very uniqueness of the profess
sion of the telephone operator 1t Is
essential TO journey as 1t we're,
through one or more OF the telephone
company's huge Offices. where, in
stead of being at once brought into
touch with the Hello Girl of the
world-but who is accorded the more
dignifed title of operator" by her
employers-one is usually first shown
number of great lead-covered cab
les, made up of insulated wires which
enter the building from the companys
underground system. These cables.
each containing hundreds OF pairs OF
wires, spread out, and each pair
passes through the wonderfully intri-
cate apparatus where the testing is
done, and finally pass to the operat-
ing room, where they terminate In q
huge horseshoe-shaped switchboard
And there, like the men behind the
guns. are found the telephone girls,
working like beavers. No time ior
any levity. No time for the ~
which is accredited to them by thH
unthoughtful. The great switchboard
is like a vast network of nerves over
the human body-sensitive and alive.
This switchboard has all the lines
multiplied throughout, each line num-
Der appearing on the face OF tn
board every six feet in order to enable
an ope, ator to reach every subscriber
without leaving her position.
The apparatus brought into play is
a jack from which connection is made
with the subscriber; a small electric
lamp, which lights when the subscrib-
era subscriber is the person who has
telephone in his or her Office or
house-lifts tho receiver from the
hook; a pair of cords. with accom-
panying lamps, to place We s",r@"ib-
ers together, and ringing keys to in
troduce the current on the subscrib-
ers line to ring the telephone bell
A position" in telephone parlance
Is the place occupied by an operator.
Each operator is in charge of posi-
ton, and has her own individual
transmitter and receiver. The posi-
tions are divided into groups-and are
under the immediate charge of
supervisor who Is held responsible
for the service in her section, or di-
vision. by the chief operator.
TO take care OF requests for all
kinds OF information separate
switchboard is provided, and is pre-
sided over by from five to ten attend
nuts in each exchange. This is known
as information" There all things
pertaining to direct communications
OF subscriber1 are referred. Ana
among these questions are found
many which are pertinent, and foreign
as well, to the telephone company's
business.
A long list OF some Of these ques-
tions was given the writer. Here are
some of them.
What is the nearest way to get
TO lexington without paying two car
fares? ] am in Georgetown; also at
what corners will / transfer? How
many minutes apart are the Ecking-
ton cars at G Street?"
What IL the 18th of February"
How can an operator tell when
line Is busy?"
"Is there skating at the .parks?"
"Tell me a few places and give me
the phone numbers of them also, that
sell foreign souvenirs"
when is the new city hall to be
occupied?"
What car can I take to go to Ia
koma Park, and how long will 1t take
to get there?'
What are the hours of worship at
the cathedral?"
What is the postmaster's name at
Baltimore?"
"Why is the city halls flag at half.
mast?'
Why do | receive information ev-