The Washington herald., 1912-04-08
BY DONALD c. THOMPSON,

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than at the present time. The Nashville
Main Exchange. which is located on the
corner Of Church street and Third ave-
niue north, In which building the head
quarters Of the company are located. has
a floor space OF some SaA square feet.
and is. at the present time. fully equipped
with telephone switchboards to accommo-
date 10000 lines and capacity TO meet the
rapid growth Of Nashville in population
to accommodate 24,70 lines. At the pres
ent time there are 1O.5l5 telephones work
ing in the Nashville switchboards, show
ing the eXtensiveness of this cOmpany's S
local system. All the wires in the CEN
tral portion Of the city are underground,
which will have n tendency to obviate a
great many difficulties encountered with
he atmospheric conditions when the
wires were strung on poles. All OF the
poles of the Telephone Company have
been removed. In the Nashville ex-
changes there are about 200 operators
employed TO handle the business. which
involves about 10000 calls per day, some
thing worth considering. Toll messages
over the long g-distance wires. which con-
meet with every important city and town
In the United States. and, IL necessary,
Canada, have approximately about loo
calls day. OF course. during seasons Of
the year when business activities demand
these calls average great many more.
Nashville is the headquarters OF the
Cumberland Telephone Company. whose
territory embraces the southern counties
OF Indiana and Illinois. the entire States
of Kentucky, Tennessee. Mississippi. and
Louisiana, which Is considered one OF
the most fertile regions in the United
States, and the States in which ii does
business are being rapidly developed for
all kinds of agricultural purposes. In the
growing business regions this company
is keeping up with the demand for tele-
phone services. The prospects for great
growth is assured for the company at the
present time. The Cumberland company.
in connection with the American Tele-
phone Company. cohnects its patrons
over Iong-distance lines in any direction
that may be necessary. In order 10 prop
erly maintain its service and TO cOndct
its business affairs in a most economical
manner the company established large
manufacturing plant
The idea OF a telephone exchange run
ming its own manufacturing plant Will
doubtless be a new one to a great many
people. II is not often that either the
demand or the opportunity exists, even
well-eqUipped repair shop being beyond
the scope of many operating companies.
But in a very large system emergencies
are bound 10 arise and sudden demands
be made that require the quick produc-
tion OF finished materials. As an exam
pie Of what one company at least has
done in this direction. few facts about
the Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph
Company's big shops at Nashville, Tenn,
will be Of interest Several years ago
these shops were established, but there
are few people now who know what is
going on inside of ;he great building that
covers practically two blocks or ground
In this monster plant the company is
now manufacturing many OF the articles
IL uses in telephone construction, such
as telephone booths. the wooden boxes
that accompany each instrument. coils,
bells. and numerous other articles too
varied to mention. One OF the most COM
plete machine shops in the South is
maintained there. and expert workmen
are turning out finished products for all
Of the jJ exchanges and the many miles
of long-distance lines. The supply de-
pots in Louisville. Memphis, New Orleans.
and other points arc supplied from the
great repository, and there is plenty of
necessity for such an institution is a part
of the stock of the big establishment.
When the Cumberland Telephone and
Telegraph Company was organized, June
). lS2. the company was formed by the
of several small plants
operating exchanges in Evansville. Ind:
Henderson. KY: Nashville. Memphis,
Tenn, and a few other points.
None Of these exchanges then had
Faur lNnn N.I, s,,I
use. the total in twelve exchanges in I.
1894 being less than G.O0O. The Company's |
headquarters was established in Nash
vile. and for several years II drifted !
along. making moder progress. In 1890 !
a period of aggressive development came
when James Z. Caldwell was elected I
president and general manager, and Le-
land Hume was elected assistant general !
At tina: time the company |
only had twelve exchanges no long-dis-
lance lines, and only 1850 telephones in .
use. Naturally the company had little
use for general shops. but George T.
Hodge. the electrician. constituted him
self the chief engineer and maintained a
little room in a small building.
With the election OF Mr.. Caldwell as
the head of the company came the era
Df expansion. Each year new towns
we're entered. In 1896. long-distance COM
was pretty well established
from Nashville TO the Ohio River II
vas about 1895 when the first line reach
ID the Ohio River from Nashville. and
Was connected there with the long-dis-
snce lines east. One afternoon in Nash
vile, when celebrating the connection,
4. W. Buttorff. head Of the Phillips &
Suttorn Manufacturing Company. was
lsked to talk to New York. Calling up
/ firm with which he did business, Mr..
3uttorff exchanged greetings and placed
IN important order for goods with his
New York frlend-the first order for
FOODS ever placed by a Nashville firm
'ver the long-distance telephone. In 1892
Ilso, the manager gave George T. Hodge
permission to establish shops for the
company, which were established in one
Il the rooms upstairs in the present gen.
raj Office building. Besides Mr.. Hodge,
John G. Treholm was employed in the
lew shops.
The aggressive era had come, and by
his time was commanding attention.
Town after town was entered, exchanges
established, country lines built. until |
n 1895 the company had fifty,three ex-
hanges and a number of tod lines in
peration. That year the company added {
iississippi and Louisiana to its terri I
ory. and took over the system in New
,rleans. The following year it entered
.ouisiana by purchase. and at the be- !
inning OF the new century had lS7 ex- ]
hanges in operation. with 90. 755 tele- [
homes in use. But even as late as 1900 I
he company was by no means a big
oncern, measured by latter-day enter !
rises. In that year the company's cap- I
al stock was only ss.017.7OO having been 1
lcreased under President Caldwelrs ad- !
Illustration from n.ss5, 700. All increases I