The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-04-29
WHAT CENTRAL BE-
|[|EvES Of PATRONS
SHE KNOWS THEM ALL AND
HAS THEM SIZED UP-EIGHT
GIRLS HERE In LOCAL TELE-
PHONE OFFICE.

Approximately 100 telephones are
connected with the telephone ex-
change of Wenatchee.
1t is estimated that an average of
5000 calls are made over these
phones every day.
These calls are received by the S
telephone girls who work in the ex-
change here They must make the
proper connections, and see that the
parties are able to hold their CONVEX
sation over the wires.
This person whom you cali central
is therefore person of great respon-
sibility. The business of city of
5000 people is dependent npon her.
Not only the business and social
life of Wenatchee, but to certain
extent the whole Wenatchee valley
depends upon the work of the tele-
phone operators here. Is is surpris-
ing to learn the amount of business
that is done over the long distance
telephones which center in Wenat
Chez
In handling these 5000 calls, some
of the operators attend as high as
800 Calls an hour This, however, is
considered a very good record.
The Busy Hours.
The time when most calls come
into the exchange offices is between
9 and 10 in the morning and Z and
at night These are the busy times
for central.
After the busy hour in the evening
the calls gradually diminish. During
the night shift the force of girls at
central is greatly reduced. After mid
night there are but few calls coming
in except in case of a fire. In cases of
fire or a disaster of some kind the
few operators in the central office are
completely swamped with calls for in
formation.
When you call up central a small
light shows on the board before her
She connects with your line, asks the
number you desire, and Immediately
plugs out that number for you; two
lights are now burning on the board
before her. AS soon as your party
answers both the lights go out AMI
central knows that you are talking
to your party. When you hang up
the lights appear again and she
knows that You have finished your
conversation.
Central does not hear what you say
over the wires. Even if she were al
lowed to listen to your conversation
she would not have time to do so.
The nature of her work is such that
she would be unable to do it.
More than that, the company does
not permit listening over the wires.
Under the new system, which is now
installed in the central station here
the chief operator is able to connect
up with each operator and find out
exactly what she is saying to each
patron who calls up.
Central Must Not Talk.
The central who answers your
phone is not allowed to enter into a
with you. She is limited
to certain vocabulary which she is
obliged to use exclusively. Have you
ever heard her say, 'You have the
wrong number, please refer to your
That's what she is sup
posed to say to every one who hap
pens to make mistake in asking for
a number She has a set phrase pro-
vided for her by a set of rules for
every exigency.
When case comes up to which her
system Of set phrase will not apply
she will turn you over to the chief
operator, to the complaint operator
or to information" If she is found
entering into conversation further
than is provided by her set vocabul-
airy she is called to task.
Although central is not allowed to
talk back" she has her notions of
the folks on the other end of the
line. One of the Wenatchee centrals
expressed the following opinion about
her work and her attitude toward the
people on the other end of the lines:
Central's Story.
I'VE do not sit here at the ex-
change and read dime novels, as a |
great many people suppose. Why, |
there are a dozen calls |
come into one board at the same time. |
People seem to understand very
little about our work here. They |
think that if they do not get their |
number as soon as they take down |