Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-10-07
PHONE COMPANY
IN new HOME
New Telephone Building Is
Occupied Saturday Night
for First Time
NUMBERS ARE CHANGED
Change Gives Aberdeen the
Most Modern Service in
Northwest

Without hampering the excellent
telephone service of the city to the
slightest degree and without incon-
veniencing a single patron, the Paci-
fic States Telephone company switch
ed over to it's new building Satur-
day night shortly after II o'clock. 1t
took just five minutes to cut the old
connections and connect them with
the new service. Sunday for the first
time the new service, with revised
numbers was used.
With the opening of the new build
ing yesterday, an epoch is marked in
the business affairs of the Pacific
Telephone & Telegraph company in
Southwestern Washington. 1t means
a broader. better and more. thorough
service for Aberdeen and likewise es-
tablishes the confidence placed in this
city by one of the largest il not the
largest corporations on the Pacific
coast.
Approximately $135,OO0 was spent
by the company in the purchase of the
property and the erection of the new
building. The building itself cost
about $4,000.
The history and progress Of the
company in Aberdeen is unusually in
teresting. From a small room above
the Evans drug store on Heron street
which was occupied by the company
just Is years ago, the progress Of the
concern has been SO rapid that three
When it was found that the room
<k@ 1ov
enough to take care Of the growing
business, the offices moved to a larger
room on Heron and F streets. In 1906
a third change was necessary, the
company moving to it's new home on
Wishkah street. 1t was believed at
that time the building would be large
enough to accumulate the company's
business in Aberdeen for period of
at least 20 years. Hardly two years
passed before it was found that anOth-
er change must be made. The result
OF this opinion by officers of the COM
pany resulted in the erection of the
imposing new building on Market
street, the present home OF the COM
pany in Aberdeen.
Saturday night between the hours
of II and IL o'clock the change was
made. 1t was accomplished in less
than two minutes. Beginning at tnat
moment, the new switch boards were
placed in service.
The new building is equipped with
a multiple switchboard which is To-
cate on the third floor. This beard
has a capacity for $500 subscribers.
The board is so arranged that each
Oner"tOr can reach every subscriber
at the same time on the line. AT
present Aberdeen has 1,94l subscrlb-
ers. The company employees eight OPP
orators on the Aberdeen board anu
three on the long distance board. AT
present there are 21 employees in the
new building.
On the second floor are the termi-
nal racks, together with the cross
connecting racks, motor generator
and a small room containing the stor-
age batteries. This story, like all the
others is finished in cherry color.
On the first floor directly fronting
Market street, it the commercial Of
flee of the company. Back of this
office divided by fire proof wall. is
the general rest room for the opera
tors. This room is provided with a
gas range and other accessories neces-
sary for preparing lunch. There is
also a 15-horse power gas engine ana
a small dynamo on the first floor.
This is an auxiliary plant to be used
in providing power in case of break
down of the local light and power
companys plant.
The company is stringing four 6OO
cables These cable are piaced uhnet-
ground and it is the inrentio tc
place all downtown cables under
ground and use what is known rs the
block system for distribution. One
600 cable extends down the alley be
tween Market ard Wishkah streets
to l. street feeding the territory west
of l. street. Another west OF street
south to take care of the bushes
district west of ! street. One 6co-
pair goes up the alley between Wish
kan and Market to F street. thence
extends north to take care OF North
Aberdeen and Terrace heights. Stlll
another cable goes to G street. thence
south taking care Of the business sec
tiCn eaSt of y street
With the installation of the new
cables. complete change is made IL
the numbering system. On party lines
sufIiXes will be used, the letters, }
M. w. r. being used used. At pres
ent subscriber in sending a cal
must say. for instance 3-4-2xX party
] or what ever the prefix is. The
profx "main" is omitted.
The transfer being made, more OF
less trouble was looked for, and those
in charge were well pleased whe1
cases of trouble were reported. sls
from the old building, and two from
the cut over.
After the cut over, a banquet wa;
served in the rest room OF the ne"
building, by management OF the savoy
hotel. Among the officials presen
from out of town were r. l.. McNai
ly, district commission supt.; ): r
Dunphy. district plant supt, OF seat
tie; Mr.. May. district trafac cniel ane
M Gill. district engineer. Of Tacoma