The Springfield herald., 1912-03-15
The 1e,epbone In Emeroencies.

at is a peculiar fact" said prom
inent representative of The Mountain
States Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany the other day. that while the
telephone enters so largely into the
commercial and social life of the peo-
pie. Its real value is rarely recognized
until some emergency arises. But once
having played its part in an emer-
gency the little instrument is imme-
diately given high place in the re-
gard Of the people interested.
LET me give you some illustra-
tions." continued the speaker. "One
morning a travelling salesman left his
home in the Middle West for trip on
the road. Several hours afterward his
wife discovered to her horror, that he
had taken a bottle Of poison from
cabinet by mistake, leaving behind his
bottle Of medicine. of similar size and
shape. She was unable to say where
her husband might be found, not
knowing even the state he was in, but
asked the telephone company to find
him at all costs. The telephone oper-
ator called his employer, got list of
twenty towns in which he might be To-
Gated, and began calling these one aft
er another, asking for the salesman.
In short time he was run down, and
talked directly to his wife, saying that
he had discovered the error and had
written to have his medicine sent on.
It had not occurred to him that his
wife would be alarmed.
"a wife left home to visit friends in
a town fifteen miles away. After she
had gone. some guests came unexpect-
edly. Her husband telephoned to a
town midway between their home and
the house his wife was bound for.
stating that she would change cars
there and giving her description. A
telephone messenger waited at the
junction point, intercepted the woman,
brought her to the nearest telephone,
and started her back home.
"A physician was called in the night
to the home Of a patient twenty miles
away. After he had departed. news
came that visit was unnecessary, as
the patient was better. The doctors
wife csked the toll operator at the
telephone exchange to intercept her
husband, giving the direction in which
he had gone. Within fifteen minutes
he was found and turned back home,
saving long, useless journey.
"A serious. emergency arose in
country home several miles from the
off on an automobile trip, and his
wife, with her sister, had gone to visit
friend. The latter's name was not
known. nor anything except that she
lived in a certain indefinite locality. It
was most important to find one or
both parties Immediately. The tele-
phone operators went to work on the
clues. Railroad stations along the line
most likely to be taken by the two wo-
men were called up, and the agents
given their description. Presently
station agent was found who had seen
them get off the last train and take a
carriage. Livery stables in that town
were then called and within ten min.
utes the women were found and con-
nected by telephone. simultaneously,
hotels along the route taken by the
father in his automobile were called.
Finally 1t was learned that he had just
left certain town. taking the road
leading to a neighboring place. The
telephone exchange at the latter point
was notified, messenger stationed In
the road, and the father stopped when
he came along. Both parties were To-
Gated in less than two hours.
"In a case of serious Illness at night
q trained nurse was wanted at a
country home. Arrangements had been
made for the services of nurse near
by, but she could not be found. In
this dilemma the telephone located an.
other nurse in a neighboring town and
send her to the subscribers home in a
little more than an hour. These Incl
dents are typical.
"These people have learned that the
telephone is far more than a conven.
ience for ordering groceries. To them
its value cannot be weighed on a
money basis. They have found 1t to
ba In