The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-24

provisions made for their comfort and
convenience threaten TO elevate the
boys soon TO the royalty class. they
are TO have matron. whose duly ~
will be TO look after their ~ard-
robes. a boy to keep their SHOES
shined and taiiors to patch and press
them Sounds like a Joke. doesn't
II, but it's a real fact
The matron liz provided with
cornmodious room. furnished for the
duties to which she is assigned. and
two taiIors VIII look after the In
cidental rerairs ami condition Of the
messenger boys of Richmond and the
district, while the boys time VIII be
devoted to keeping their shoes polish
ed. And that Is not all. A wardrobe
room. bath and toilet adjoining, with
steel lockers for their everyday clothes
are provided for these princes OF the
next generation. ~
In the basement. also. there are
rooms for the storage OF stationery
for the district. while the heavy stun.
wires. batteries. etc, are stored IN
big warehouse on Cary street
Tie Local STAN.
At the hea, and front OF the local
end Of the organization In which
Richmond folks are especially inter
ested Is Manager W. G.. Sale, and
under his direction are F. W. Minor.
general supervisor: Cashier A. G..
| Stevenson. who has charge OF the dis
| trict money transfer department. two
l.. Hudson. day chief and George NJ.
| Station, day chief, and Chief Hook
keeper Charles Lifsey. with seven
| assistants, to say nothing of sundry
clerks, stenographers and the forty
messenger boys. There are sixteen
clerks In all. not including the book
keepers. 10 look after the business
of the local Office alone.
Operating Room a Sky Parior..
Way up at the top OF the sky
scrsper-the thirteenth floors To-
Gated the operating room. which ex-
perts pronounce the best lighted.
best ventilated and best equipped
| telegraph operating room In the
| country. Here Ia a veritabie bee
hive Of industry--the pulsating heart
OF the system for the three States.
| SO to speak.
The pitch of the ceiling is eigh-
| teen feet. with great windows on all
!, four sides and the entire floor In
the ideal light, ventilation and the
| amount Of space devoted to this part
Of the system.
How Current Is Made.
Eleven dynamos are required TO
| furnish the electric current for
| the myriad sen of repeaters and
| complicated instruments. Through
| this Office run wires from New York
to New Orleans, and all Southern
cities, and two OF them run direct
from New York TO Havana. Cuba.
station In the South. and the great.
| two hundredw.re switchboard. BY
which all this intricate and delicate
| mechanism 10 controlled. Is of the
| very latest type. There are one hum
! dredl and stxty-five individual operat-
4 ing tables, each equipped with type
| writer. blank holders. copy hooks.
and the most modern adjustable ex-
tension resononators known. In fact
every convenience for the quick dis
patch OF business IL at the orera-
tors instant commands Electric but
toms from the operatoA to the SWITCH
board man give the manipulation the
signals for cutting In and the opera
i tor il not forced TO leave his seat.
One room Is cut of from the noise
| OF the operating room. and this u
devoted to the telephone end OF the
4 system, where four typewriteis ST.
night and day copying long distance
telephone messages for delivery In
Richmond or to be relayed.
4 The OfIicial Clock.
In the center Of the room ts the
clock which Axes the time for Rich
mond and the whole South. AZ the
| noon hour strikes at Washington.
this timepiece automatically repeats
4 the strokes, and over two hundred
wires fash the time In the same man
ner to all the southern stations.
Every instrument. every piece o.
thu equipment In the big operating
! room q new and OF the most modern
type. and the biz room with its com
4 plicated electrical machinery and tins
| big pneumatic tube system hoids
fascinating interest even for the lay
man.
The Operatin9 Force.
I In charge Of the operating depart
ment il Chief Operator w, N. Revele!
/ and n. n. Cramer 10 night chief. Re
peater Chief C. w. White, with eigh
4 assistants, locks after the complicated
\ repeater system and g. X. Brownsnl
4 relieves him at night. while Wiz
Chief r. b. Maher. with his four ~
sistants, work the switchboard. Tn
operating room u divided into tw,
idivisions--the trunk and way circuits
which, being Interpreted means locs
/ and through lfnea The trunk linc
=