The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-18
TELEPHONE GIRLS BUSY.
Local Companies Driven to Utmost to
Respond to Calls.

hGSpOhO 10 SSlAS.
The telephone companies were
among the first to learn of the break
in the gas main and the probabilities
of low pressure or no pressure during
the day and began immediate prepara-
tions to take care of their business
when the rush of Inquiries commenced.
When an accident of this kind occurs
the telephone companies are the first
to hear Of it and the central office is
one of the busiest places in the world
until the patrons are informed as to
the accident and the possibilities of
the immediate future.
Owing to the past experiences of the
gas users in Topeka this winter the
slightest dimfnution in the supply of
gas is sufficient reason for excitement
and the telephone like the newspaper
offices, is considered legitima te
source of information. When the gas
pressure became low, between 10 and
IL O'Clock Sunday, business picked up
for the telephone companies as it did
for the coal dealers an hour or so later.
AS soon as the officials of the COM
panies realized that the pressure was
to be entirely shut off they proceeded
to get as many of their operators con
duty" as possible. BY ten o'clock or
a few moments later the information
ators at central worked under the Sc
verest strain. At best the position of
a telephone operator is not a sinecure
but all day Sunday the girls who hold
y
strain.
Few of them were permitted, or de-
sired. to return to their homes for din
ner or supper and were supplied with
lunches which they ate in the office,
''on the company" For an hour before
noon the calls for central were so
numerous that girls were stationed be-
hind the regular operators to assist in
the work and at that to one asking for
a number it seemed like an age before
q
the operators were compelled, or from
choice maintained the sweet even tenor
of their way though the peeved patrons
of the lines raved and swore.
A telephone central Office is an in
teresting place at any time, but par
ticularly so when anything unusual
happens and Sunday was no ex-
ception to the rule. When anything
phone central feels ii almost in
stantly. The thousands of little cleo
trio lights in front of the operators
commence to light and in spite of the
continue lighted for a few seconds.
When they are lighted is the per-
fod when the one with the receiver
pressed against the ear loses temper
and frets and perhaps swears at the
laziness, neglectfulness or cussedness
of the operator and vows that
that particular operator should
be-weII. fired More often
not the little window remains
open but a small part of a
minute for it is the pride and duty of
the girl who sits on a high stool di-
rectly in front of it to see that it is
kept closed.
When the little windows began to
light up Sunday morning the operators
realized that today will be my busy
day and they were not mistaken in
their surmise. From early morning
until late at night there was a con-
stant call on central for information
about the gas situation and the con-
dition has been the same all day to-
day.
At first every subscriber was in
dread for fear that something had
gone wrong with the pipes in or about
their homes and that a gas explosion
was eminent Nothing like that how
ever, for there was not enough gas in
the mains at noon to ignite from a
match let alone to explode. The first
thought which occurred to the aver
age patron OF the gas and telephone
company was to call central and find
out about matters.
Imagine if you can several thou
sand persons asking another at the
same time the same question and you
have only a faint idea to what was
going on at the central offices of the
telephone companies today and Sun
day. The peeved ones vented their
spite on the central who frankly told
them of the situation and would have
'sassed," or "cussed' as their sex per-
mitted
All of the supply operators were
moned as soon as the telephone
companies realized that a failure of
the gas supply was imminent. Some
OF them were not out of bed, more
were not dressed and a few were at
church but all of them were reached