The Detroit times., 1914-02-25

Declares Installation Of Traffic
Dlstributor Would Relieve Con-
gestion and Prove Saving
to Company
EFFECTIVENESS OF
DEVICE PROVEN, HE SAYS
Concerns Lawyer Grills City's
Exert IN Effort to Belittle
--sa Suggestion

A8U418OOO Oy IuO AICul88u OSoSS
Telephone company OF m automatic
device between switchboards. 10 re-
llovo oporators during rush periods
and 70 shorten the time Of waiting for
attention - calls. was advocated by
Charles L. ZaAm. he city's telephone
|expert, before the state railroad com.
mtseiou In the telephone hearing In
the city hall Wednesday morning.
The installation Of this device on
the ~B" switchboard. through which
calls pass from one exchange 70 IN.
Other. would cost $4,000. according to
Mr. zahms hgures. and would affect
is saving q $4S.Se9.9G z year The
systam would cost. he estimates. an
animal saving q an additional si77.-
- put = ~ .Aevics % - whole sys-
49, neeA y saylng q e27o, 900 .
-: e: g. = .s 81 =. s:i Esss ssas
closely, tryhG - eet him 70 admit
that ~ pgoposed this remedy for poor
|aeTviOo - the result of only 30 days
|stndy: bpt NJ. zahm insisted that he
liz merely Applying to the Detroit sit
|uation 3 device which has been In use,
lin various forms, foy 10 years. -.
Nothing lookD good 20 Bell com.
|pguy unless Il has bean brought up on
u Bell BOTTLE" Mr.. Zahm said. after the
aeAxing. There 10 no Queation but
that the device would work In Detroit.
Il expect to be criticised and abused,
|but ] an certain Of my ground"
The commission adjourned to meet
|agAtn March 10. when the company's
- promised.
Commissioners Heman, Glasgow
|aud Cunnjngham were oil present. A
loosen aldermen were on hand. For
|the company. there were General Man.
|axor Won Schlegeii, Attorney Butxsl,
|wjlllam ]. Hagenah, the eompany's
|chlof expert, and Supt. Welch, Of the
commercial department.
Corporation Counsel lawson Ques-
toned Mr.. Zehm.
II DO not believe that 1t n possible
for the company to better its ser.
vice With the equipment now In use"
said Mr.. Zahm "Devices called traf.
Inc distributors, on A and b boards,
would cause . loesenine Of complaints
|becouso they would cause . lessening
|0f poak loads, st busy times Of the
day. and . distribution Of calls TO idle
|eDoCnaoes." 49," !" ------.-.-s------4
what IL the character Of the COM
|pIalntsf"
BELLS ring and there 10 no one on
the line. Wrong numbers are called:
don't answer ID reported. A large
proportion Of the don't answers'
voald b eliminated by the trafac dis
what = ! tranlc distributor?"
SIt q an automatic machine which
takeS the calls and distributes them
10 "a idls operator: II win throw
the calls On 3 board that y not busy"
Are you sure that It II practicable
and wofkabls!'
"yes. slr. 1t ID in use IN = large
nlajosity Of the automatic exchengso.
and waS IN nee IN tnis city, on 500 or
1000 ljnes, n the Home Telephone
COS plant. have = list OF 6s AZ
cha1ges which uss tramc dntS1bu-
II. zaAm then told what he esti-
mates it would cost to install tramc
distributors In Detroit.
II tranc distributors were installed
ron a % b boards. Mr.. zahm hg'
uroo, the cost would be $4,000. There
wouid b saving Of Is per cent n
wages % B operatorS, or S61.6O0 =
scer. interest and depreciation would
Amount 70 47,e01.04. and the annual
.aving would BE- @43,ssss6. II the
devics were Installed throughout the
systom. the reduction In operators
would cause q saving Of $5Ss,660 =
yoar. interest and depreciation
would amount 70 ee1.466.00, and the
net sattas would be si77.oss.l2 q
.jiavs you Installed the device In
any ylantss'' asked Mr.. Lawson.
s'Yoo, Bif.
s~fhSfe 3 no question of it, feasibiI
/ ;tv "a ro1jobilltyf" .
si4 = satirsIy reliable; its results
~ rEoitivo."
Is 1Hses sny way Of improving the
psfviee ythsr than = the way inds
4 tsSr ts,lsvs shsrs can be any
suheoSH6l6l 0S1s0t without . surgical
- - ~ ~ klnd. I believe TN
60ool0Dssa - paos nagAsp
\ rASinGxk yELrAlE sss::s ;zs.;'.s 'ss4