The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-17
.COL. GENTRY TALKS .OF BELL RESUME HON Fifty-Fiye Experts Here From Other Cities MUCH MORE HOPEFUL
  President of Company Tells of Heavy Losses the Company Is
 Sustaining This
 Week
 
MUCH MORE HOPEFUL

Service has been completely resumed on the Bell system long distance phones, and President ". T. Gentry. who was here again yesterday, said the local ex- change would be resumed much earlier than was anticipated President Gentry, when the Sunday morning fire was rag ing, said that two weeks would be re- quired 10 get the building in shape and the service locally resumed. However, he believes now that service will be re- sumed within a few days.
 T do not like to eonfine myself to a definite number of days said President Gentry yesterday, but 1t is safe to say that the local exchange will be working well within d few days.
 We fortunately had a few sections of exchange boards in Atlanta and ordered others from Chicago, which are being rushed here by express. We received two carloads of equipment yesterday and will be in good shape pretty soon."
 The long distance service has been tenn porarily resumed at 1720 Second avenue in the building formerly occupied by the Bell company. That service is kept up in connection with the special messen- gers who are sent out in the city for those called over the long distance.
 The workmen yesterday almost com pleted the temporary roof over the dam aged telephone exchange, and all that men, money and engineering skill can do is being put forth to get the tele- phones back into working order.
 Drying Out the Building
 A force of men numbering 100 is busy drying out the plant so that electricians can install the switchboards and other equipment that Is being assembled.
 President Gentry. in discussing the sit uation yesterday, said that his company had in Birmingham from other cities no less than 55 experts, who are aiding to get conditions back to their normal shape He said the experts included traffic men, electricians, engineers, trouble testers and other skilled men who have been in the telephone service for many years. These men are only waiting for the building to be thoroughly dried before pitching in and putting the exchange into shape.
 While President Gentry and District Manager D. F. Turnbull are up to their heads in work and trouble both of them were yesterday very optimistic and cheer ful. President Gentry said that other than getting service resumed he was not considering anything. He will remain here several days before returning to Atlanta.
 Other Losses Sustained
 Aside from the damage to our build ing there will result loss of about s5o,- 0O0 which cannot be ensured and which is dead,' said President Gentry. "The actual loss may reach st50,o0o or $2O0,OoO and that is of course, insured. How ever, our company will lose no less than the first figure on special propositions. For instance, we have many experts here looking over this work In addition to our men who are to assist in resuming service there are many telephone men who are here to look at the resumption work in order that they may be prepared in their home towns for just such an occurrence. These men and our experts are all at heavy living expense in Birmingham which Is borne by the com pany. They are being educated. Then, bSdliii We dIe ipSiiS no lesS lIld0 SzUVV per day on revenue. which will be an actual loss. All these items go into the operation of d telephone business
 President Gentry. when asked pointedly as to the rumor that his company had taken up with officials of the Peoples company negotiations for sale or mer- ger of that company, said that everything that might have been pending when the fire broke out was put aside until serv- iaaa agt11d ha nod To uail fIot la was thinking only of one thing, and that was to restore to the local telephone sub scrlbers their Bell telephone service.