The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-30
PIONEERS HOLD REUNION
OF Telephone FAMILY
Continued From First Pngc.)


played by the mon before him. lie said:
The undertaking which confronted
the telephone pioneers when Mr.. Vail
became manager in 1878 was enormous.
What they undertook to do was to
transform the immense undevcloped
potcntaiities of tho telephone into -
heretofore unknown. concrete. COM
mercially practical public service.
They had the fundamental idca-thcy.
but no one else, clearly forcsaw it's
possibilities--but that was practically
all they had There was no tele-
phonc art, and only the mercst begin
ming in apparatus: and because they
were in u radically new field. they were
without the assistance of either ex-
pcriencc or tradition"
NO CONFLICT BETWEEN
TELEPHONE AND PUBLIC INTEREST
Mr. Guernsey stated that there had
been and is no conflict between the
telephone interests and the public In
tercsts.
The problem presented to the tcle-
phone pioneers was the development
OF the art and of the business, and
it was this that the public interest
required. Certainly this problem could
not have been solved promptly. and
probably ii is no eNagEeration to say
that it could not have been solved at
all. without an efficient central organ
ization. Every aspect of the situation
required this organization. 1t was
necessary in order to ascertain what
was required in the way OF appara-
tus ana equipment, To develop this
along tho lines OF economical and eff
ncient service. to develop proper uni
form operating methods. and to pro-
vide for an adequate supply OF standard
instruments and apparatus at reason
able prices. The public knew nothing
about this invention or its possibilities.
so that il was also necessary to organ
izc and direct along broad lines n
general campaign throughout the
country which would promptly and
vigorously impress upon tho public the
advantages To be derived from the use
of the telephone.
SYSTEM MEASURED ny
SERVICE AND EFFICIENCY
Summarizing his remarks, Mr.. Guern-
sey said;
The Bell organization Is not an arti-
fetal organization. II is the normal,
natural result of the conditions sur
rounding the invention and develop
ment of the Observation-Disclosures. If
the public Is to have the best and most
comprehensive service ut the minimum
expense.
This organization has afforded the
associated companies service and aSsis-
lance which have hccn of vital influence
III developing and building up the telc-
phone service In the United States
The results attained through this
organization have demonstrated that IL
ii essentially and fundamentally right.
The inevitable result of the consistent
application for over thirty years OF
theories of organization that were out
of accord with sound economics or the
public Interests. would have been com
riete failure; the result could not have
boen Il telephone system showing the
highest development and giving to the
public the cheapest, best, most efficient,
ana comprehensive telephone service In
the world.
NO substitute for the single system
and central control, which are the
dominating characteristics of the Bell
organization, could have attained, ut
the same cost, or ut any cost, results
OF equal benefit to the public. whether
measured by tho character Of the SER
vice. it's cost, its efficiency, or it's uni
versatility"
USI: OF TELEPHONES
IN DIspATCUING TRAINS
Two other interesting papers were
read by Angus S. Hbbard, who told
OF the adoption of the famous trade
mark, the Blue Bell" and james Ed
ward McCuiloh. general commercial
manager OF the New York Telephone
Company. who told OF the first applica-
ton OF the telephone TO the operating
and dispatching Of trains. The meet
ing then adjourned. and individual
sightseeing trips to the various points
oil interest were taken under the super
vision of the local committee
The annual banquet was held last
night In the Jefferson Hotel. 1t was
one OF the most elaborate affairs ever
held here. and plates for more than
AGO guests were laid. Following tho
rcpast, short addresses were made by
Il
wood acted rs POSTMASTER.
This morning the visitors will leave
at $40 o'clock on the steamer Smith
field for Old Point Comfort \ stop
VII be made at jamestown and ,hc
rarity will reach Old Point Comfort i'm
time for supper at The Chamberlin
Hotel. The night boat will be taken to
Washington, where points OF interest
will be visited.
HoAT TRIP WILL ri:
ENJOYABLE EVENT
The local committce has arranged 10
make the boat trip Il plcasurablc one
There Will be an orchestra on board
and Il negro quartet and banjo pickcrs
VIII lend Il picturesque touch to the en-
tertainmcnt. Meals and refreshments
will be served on thS boat The mem
hers of the local committee, who will
mako the trip, are:
Mr.. and Mrs. j. w. Crews AR. and
Mrs L. l.. Wright, Mr. and Mrs w. a.
Condit. MIR. and Mrs c. II. Weber \.
> Tanner. George IL. Black. j. u. Ortiz,
I. c. Walden, James Augustine. L. a.
Cutchlns, y. Graham. r.. Il. Philips. w
; G.. Dublin. G. G. Harris, III. c. Grown.
y. ii. Fitzpatrick. y. l.. McCauphcy and
H. w. Hall. The local pioneers are
Mcssrs. Crews ana Wright. and Mcs.rs.
Wythe White, G.. w. Lawson and f.. II.
sullivan. Mr.. Sullivan will be accom-
panied by his wife ana Miss Sullivan.
The officers Of the association were
reelected, as follows: Thco \. V,iI
president; Thomas -. Lock wood Angus
,. tiihbard. Thomas u. Doolittlc, George
y. Mcfarland, icc-presaents: Henry
w. Pope, secretary. and George D.
Milne treasurer The executive cont
rlttce is made up of Charles q. Dubois.
Edgar r. Sherwood, James Robb
charles T. Scrihncr and james r.
Moran.