The Detroit times., 1909-12-13
PHONE BUSINESS
CROWS RAPIDLY
Michigan Co. Explains It Was I'm
able To Keep Pace With Expan-
sion, Hence Improved Service.

In an investigation OF the telephone
service of Detroit the aldermen COM
posing the public utilities and ordin-
ance committees OF the common coun-
Gil were invited by the Michigan State
Telephone Co. to inspect the plant of
the latter Saturday afternoon. This
invitation was given by General Man
ager b. w. Trafford. of the company,
the purpose being to show the repre-
sentatives of the city just what the
company has been. up against on ac-
count OF extraordinary conditions aris-
ing In this city.
Detroit now has more telephones
leaving the Home sytem out OF con-
sideration entirely and considering
only the Bell instruments-~in proper
tion 10 it's size than any other large
city in the United States, except San
Francisco. The increase IN phone
usage has come here, more suddenly
than in other cities. coincident with
the rapid growth OF the city. so that
II has taxed the ability of the tele-
phone company to keep up with It.
II Is admitted that telephone SER
vice has been bad Now, the tele
phone company contends II is good
again, In fact better than In any other
large city
During 1909, the Michigan States
Telephone Co has spent $650,OOO In
improvements and extensions In its
buildings and switchboards alone.
During 1910 II Is expected that $780,
900 will be spent in the same way.
Previous to 1908. the greatest in
crease in telephones In Detroit in any
year was approximately 5000 instru-
ments. Last year 5000 was the net
gain For 1909, the record of net in
crease will total 10000 instruments.
the month of November setting a new
30-day record with 1,340 new telephone
connections being made.
There are now more than 1900
Belt telephones In Detroit And ii Is
notable. further, that Detroit people
use their phones oftener than tn citi-
zens OF other cities. The average for
the whole system Is about 10 calls per
day for each phone. In New York the
average is only about five calls per
day. That is one element that helped
to cause the slump in service.
1t was naturally figured that the in
crease in phones. coming mostly in
the outer portions Of the city, would
result In a lower average of calls per
day. the residences naturally having
fewer calls than business places But
1t has not worked out this way. II
was during the period when this great
increase of business was running
ahead OF the efforts OF the manage
ment TO provide more switchboard ia
cilities that the service fell away The
beginning of this period was almost
coincident with the opening of the
baseball season. Both telephone com
panies gave baseball returns Toward
the close of the season this service
nearly swamped the exchanges and
during tn worlds series II fairly over
whelmed the service at some periods.
In consequence. this baseball service
will b given up. in all probability, by
the Michigan State Co. next year.
AS an evidence. OF tn edesperate Of.
forts made TO accommodate the de-
mands of the subscribers and the in
crease OF the service. the aldermen
were shown that extensions we're
made In sven of the nine local ex-
changes, and an entirely new ex-
change. the Walnut, was built The
trunk facilities. that is, the number OF
lines connecting the exchanges. were
lOuiiu iuuucludNc anu nave DPen
greatly increased at big expense in
money.
This process Of enlargement is by
no means complete: an order has Just
been placed for additional switchboard
apparatus TO the amount of $40, 900
which will be installed as soon as pos
sible. And this is but the beginning of
the 1910 program of expansion. II is
the belief Of the Michigan State Tele-
phone Co. management that Detroit
will soon he the greatest telephone
using city In IN country for It's size.
Wages OF telephone operators have
been increased during the year while
the wages Of linemn and other EN-.
ployes were incrasd DC. 1. the in
crease all along the line being about
10 per cent.
There are IL aldermen, third of
the council membership, la the Joint
committee which is investigating teIe.
phone matters Aid Albert A. Allan
Is chairman. The visit to the Michigan