The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-03-21

- VI INV oSA0S IL CutiIS u iilii
mated, and that the record of the
automatic is hat it is there to do
business day and night, Sundays and
all the time. An expert is maintain
ed, he said, at the central office,
whose business it is to keep in touch
with the complete working of the
system and that he can readily place
the machine in repair should the
line be disconnected or the prone
fail to work properly. When the
phone is out of order it is at once in
Dictated in the central office, and it is
often but a moments work to make
the repair.
As to Cost of Operating.
Mayor Hitchcock interjected a
question at this point, and asked if
this city Of 1000 has 1900 phones
and by good fortune the population
should increase to $4,000 and use
5000 phones would the cost of ope-
ration increase with the central en-
ergy in operation. Mr.. Critchfield
stated that necessarily the cost would
increase, from the fact that addition
al help would be employed. Under
the same comparison with the auto
matte he stated that there would be
no increase of rates, for the reason
that all would be necessary would be
to attach another hundred units to
the system, which can be built up
lust like a sectional book case. AS
to the secrecy of the automatic, Mr..
Critchfield stated that there was no
possibility of a conversation being
overheard, for there was no one in
connection with the lines except the
expert at the central office, and with
1000 lines to look after that indi-
vidual would have little time or in
clination 10 make connection with a
Wire and listen to what was being
said. He said that it took an av-
erage of six seconds to secure a
number over the automatic, but
thai it was difficult to compute the
time in securing Il number by the
magnetic, this being due to the de-
lay OF the central girl answering a
call promptly, due TO the number of
calls that might already be in the
Office.
Fourteen Cities Endo,s Sc.
Mr.. Critchfield presented tele-
grams from fourteen cities where
the automitic is in use and read the
contents. The cities represented in
the list are Butte, Mont, Decatur,
Ill.,, Billings, Mont, South Bend,
Ind, Champaign, H., Battle Creek,
Mich, Newark, o., Pontiac, H.,
Richmond, Ind, Clinton, Iowa, Lam
sing, Mich, Van Vert, Ohio. These
kilograms We're sent by representa-
tive men and n every instance they
possible service. In the matter of
installation Mi. Critchfield stated
that It cost from 10 to IL per cent
more to install the automatic than
the central energy.
Attorney Thomas II, Null, of HUI
ron, representing the company, spoke
briefly of the relations over the
suits with the city, and that every
thing had been carried on in a pleas
ant manner He referred to the
ron. and how we'll satisfied the peo-
Pile We're with il over there.
S. e. Morris presented a letter
from r. e. Cone, of Huron, and
formerly of Mitchell, in which Mr..
Gone gave his cordial endorsement
to the automatic, and preferred it at
the increased COS rather than to
have to submit to the system in
vogue in Mitchell.
Mir. Ronald expressed his prefer
ence for the automatic and declared
he would much rather have the sys-
tenn even at increased cost ove any
other, although admitting it was
from a purely personal point OF
view. lie has had experience with
both system and knew the great
value of the automatic as a time saw
er, and that meant much to every
business man.
Alderman Michels stated that he
was in Sioux City recently on q tele-
: phone inspection trip and that he
call at - stores. He found that 2
: out of the % We're heartily in favor
of the automatic.
, A gentleman from Sioux City stat
5 ed that he has had the use of botf
: systems there and that recently the
: two companies had been conosolidat,
: ed. Later the subscribers are te
: vote on which shall be retained, an(
> from the information he said he haC
: obtained that the automatic would
| win QUO by 80 per cent.
7. j. Spangler gave a brief talk OF
the great necessity for an improved
system in the city, and referred t.
4 the original organization of TIN
e company. He believed that will
> the progressive spirit shown in TIN
E developing of Mitchell hal the cit,
: should have and is entitled to tn,
e best that there is in the market.
A. \. Truax gave his personal en-
: dorsement of the automatic system
V and from his knowledge of the ser
vice given, as he had experimental
a with it at other places, believed tina
t it was the best thing for Mitchell
Secretary Silsby, of the CONNER
= cial club, related some of his eXpel
fences with the local telephone es
:, change, and the benefits derive
from quick and rapid service. H
: felt that the time could not CON
= too QuiCk for the betterment of tn