The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-07
People Inclined to Criticise
Since Consolidation.
Is the Bell Doing Its Best for
TOpekans Who Talkg
REPORTER VISITS EXCHANGE
Plenty of Evidence of Effort to
Give Fast, Fine Service.
Prizes for Merit, Rigid Inspec-
ton, Experts on job.

Do we get good telephone service?
That is the question Since the Bell
bought the Independent Telephone COM
pany in Topeka and consolidated the
two companies into one, there has beer
a tendency to criticise the service. Eco
pie have been quick to declare, we
get poor service now; there is no com
petition'' This declaration may %
true. and again it may not be. Surely
it is not fair to condemn the consoh-
dated telephone company on general
principles.
: The State Journal uses phone ser
vice to as great extent as any con-
ern in town The service was poor
after the switchboards were conso--~
ted, grew better, and is now fairly gooo
not perfect and not bad When the
complaint about the phone service went
in to the utilities commission, the state
journal sent reporter to the Bell eA
change to try to find out about the ell
forts to gain good service; the reporter
did not pretend to know the technical
details of the conduct OF the plant but
did succeed in finding plain and positive
evidence in every one of dozen de-
partments of a desire and competitive
effort to give good and prompt service
every employee. big and little, takes
great pride in fine, fast service
. The school where the girls are train
ed the energetic inspectors, the time
keeper, the monthly prizes for good
work and the Wideawake trouble oe-
xartment are assureties that the man
ayers are considering the welfare OF
their patrons.
Topeka has the largest, as we'll as
the best regulated office in the state
stated ]. NJ. Dinsmore, of the CONNER
cial department in the Kansas Guy
office. people would be stunned II
they realized the mighty efforts we are
making to supply them with service
which thev call bad. Street cars, trains,
boats, deliveries are forgiven if they
are late; no help for it; telephones are
supposed to be exceptions to the rules
And a telephone mechanism IS eXcep
tionally delicate. Doctors are among
the most frequent knockers. Got to
have quick service in my trade; II
means life or DEATH is what they say.
Look here, DOCTOR told enc of them
human mechanism is the most eX-
ouisite thing in the world; but it gets
out of order; if it didn't you fellows
would starVe. When the telphone gets
out of order. you kick; and 1t s no
fair Mr.. Doctor squinted thought1ully
and soon departed. Then there are the
nrocers. You can't wait on ten Gus
omers at a time,s- we -o'9 him. why
90 YOU expect us tor If patrons would
use a little thought said Mr. Dlns
more, in conclusion, our position would
be better understood. -
Come up to the top first ana we II
show you our plant said District
Manager E b KeIlam to the state
journal reporter, few people are aole
to start at the top, but that's the way
we manage our visitors
$50 Pretty GirIs-COunt En-
The traffic department on the third
floor is the busiest pl~"" = the pullo
ing H E. Gwillim is the manager
150 girls are on the payroll, two IN
sDectors keep constantly busy. time
lzeener with a stop-watch examines the
speed of the operators from corner
and a school of dozen girls STUDY
telephone methods DeIore attempting
active service.
1T looks like a complicated affair
admitted the managing inspector, A
b. Green; he indicated the coils OF
wire. the innumerable buttons, and the
flashes of diminutive electric bulbs
but it's pretty simple, after all Peo-
ple speak of it as a nerve-racking bus
mess. but the girls are used in relays
and have plenty of rest.
round electric button which lights
when the line is in use Indicates 70
the inspector which operator to watch
A couple of competent women are con
stantly on the alert. Mrs. Alice Baird
is the chief operator.
The girls sit in a huge semi circle;
they handle their circuits as a skilled
hv among the wires. A tiny electric
bulb shows which party calls, and
system of numbering allows each op-
orator to reach every line
In the back of the room are the toll
operators; the system is practically the
same as for local calls. but the more
experienced clerks are employed in this
department.
In quiet corner sits the inspector of
cali service with a stop watch and A
chart; she ascertains the exact time in
which a call is made; they may register
anywhere from 80 seconds to five min
utes. She chooses her lines haphazard,
then hands in her daily report. At the
end of a month the eight operators
having made the quickest and most ac-
curate showing are awarded first and
second prizes; two more so to the most
able inspectors.
Everything in the traffic department.
goes like clock-work: no confusion. no
hurry. Each person has a special duty
to perform and does it in the quietest
way possible.
A Telephone School.
Miss Bernice Myers is in charge of !
the telephone school, which is perhaps !