The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-26
OVER THE TELEPHONE.

w,~HISGroN. Nov Is A special repor,
recently issued by IN. Bureau % th. Cen
su- shows that ia lSs! nearly is.UOo. 0o1
miles Of telephone wires were used IN III.
transmission of more than II OSO. O'-O gsi
messages or talks The report IL issued
IA conformity with a law providing for
h" collection of tat isl les concerning tele-
phones a. quInquennial periods There
may be some good reason for the delay
hut three wears seems long time for
he compilation and publicai ION OF thus
report The later extension az telephon.
systems makes he returns Ut 1877 'rife
aniIquated but there il interesting mat .
Ter IN the comparison of condi ions IN lsO,
ami ia laO5
In" regular census OF 1850 shows the
Us" al that tim. III 81 va miles of tel'.-
phon" wire. and in 1880 there were 2iO. AZ
miles These figures are probably APP
proNimat. rather than absolutely aCCu-
rate. Improvement IN mechanism and
the demonstrated usefulness ut the now
familiar and Indispensable inst rum-nt
resulted in an increase in wire mileage
u 1880. i5l in 1902 In the five year period
1872 10 1907 Their. was an addition of
commitment inst ruments used - re-
ported az 5i.3io in issJ. c33 B7s IN issO.
ISL 90, IA 1872 and 6.lls.j5s IN lSU;. The
amount canno' be given with any assur
anCe OF its accuracy. but II IN probable
that the hIll Of tn. American people 70"
the us. OF heir telephones his year will
exceed s20O. OO0. U1D. Exclusive of he lnde-
pendent farmer or rural lines. he income
of m. operating companies IN 1897 - re-
ported as siss 2i5 cO5.
az the reported 8Iis.57s stations or
telephones IN 1901. 8s5.5i2 were in
New York State. Illinois stood second
with 55s. SIS, Ohio third with tsj. 1893.
Pennsylvania fourth with 40. tO3. and
Iowa fifth with 49, SIS. The increased
employment OF tn. telephone service il
fairly shown by the reported number of
messages or talks IN New York State.
given a. 3sn, nOO 90 in IgO? and a. LOTT.
10000 IN 1907 The report from the
eleven States and Territories Of the
Western division. from Colorado To the
~aG.- from 3sl 100 OOO in 1872 to o4s.
U1 ga IN 1897 A. New York has 8sS. 5I2 .
Instruments IN use and thar group OF
"
h. M.-t"rner- do more trlephoning than /
io IA" New Workers. Tn. average num-
per Of stations or telephones IN the United .
states increased from - for every ISL Of /
population IN 1872 to IS for every 40
u 1876 In tn. relation 81 the number
Il Telephones to the total 81 population
h" Stat. 81 Washington WAS the leader
n 1877, with lar instruments for every
uI III people. Tn. sam" STATE appears
A. IN. most liberal User of III inst rurn-Rt-.
Sith 328 messages per capita. th" averag'.
or New York stat. being l2s messages.
,ni for IN" entire country 1873 messages
Nebraska cam" second with -? messages
Ger capita California third with "a. ONO
uurth with 23S. and South Carolina At IN"
,ottom Of IA" lt-r With a.
W., even this showing does not cover
he entire field ri t-iaphonlC us-. Thou
andS IL stems are. stalled IN hotels.
partmen' HOUSES clubs. factories. com
l.rcIal establishments Offices and even
u many dwelling houses for tIs- within
hos. various properties There ar. pri-
ate lines from house To hoIls.. from
Nc. To factory Or warehouse. and there
r" many rural lines from which no re-
lrns are btainab- The police r.I.-
hon. box.-s ar. now "A familiar siGhr IN
lnost every CI'N MANY railways are
r,"rarri hy rel-phon. orders instead II
s. telegraph Another census will he
lk.n IN 1912 II may h- doubt ed whrt her
h. extension Of systems from 1907 - 1872 ,
III equal that from 1877 TO 1877. but here. ,
III inquest Ionahlv h. "a great Increase.
art icularly IN N" WIZ" mileage. 10y reason
{ the Incr"as. IN long distance facilities
hlrty-fve wears ago the Telephone. was
-nerallv regarded a. highly interest p
ng scientific toy To-day II - little short g.,
( a commercial and household necessity :
I"asured IN the number OF messages or I
ais ~ ~. considerably NOR. than
Dubbed from 1872 10 Iep7