The Huttig news., 1915-04-24

ice that is it's ambition the Bell must
 build hundred lines, so that Little
 Rock may be connected with all towns.
 big and little, in the state. Switch
 board equipment and copper wire run into money like building battleship. For instance, single section of a
 switchboard costs as much as a hand
 some cottage or bungalow. The com pany has thrown out the old equip
 ment and placed rev eoaipsacnt in
 new exchange buildings in the past
 two or three years in Hot Springs.
 Fayetteville. Rogers. Little Rock, Con
 way a~d Arkadelrnfa and several otn. er smaller cities and towns.
 The copper wire circuit alone from Little Rock to Texarkana costs over s50,000.
 Every time the telephone company builds new toll line that means that dozen or so towns are brought in closer and quicker communication with the business centers of the Mis- sissippi valley. and that means a de cided advantage for these towns, an impetus toward growth and develop ment. That toll line alone may cost $10,o00, without considering the thou sands for equipment and switch boards at the various exchanges or the rentals for buildings CT the pay rolls of scores of employees along the line. Any little old toll line of 70 or 100 miles through small towns anu sparsely settled country means just the investment noted above, and the returns may not start for five years but the company knows that this line runs through timber lands that will be cleared some day; it knows that the soil is rich here in the bottoms and that fruitful orchards will some day flourish on the hillsides and that miners will dig rich ore from the mountains and that these towns will become small cities.
 The telephone is a builder and therefore must keep on building. No stop, no rest, no time to wait to col lect on the investment It must in- vest more to keep up with develop ment that it was far ahead of in the beginning
 When the Bell company builds an exchange nowadays it provides not only for present business demands, but also for an increase in the future It erects not only building sufficient to care for it's business, but also pro yides rooms for the recreation of it's perators-restrooms they are called and every exchange in the state of any size has these rooms for it's girl
 employees, They're not necessary for business, but the Bell figures they are worth while if they add to the con venienee and eontentment of the army of girls who have introduced to fame the voice with the smile."
 The companys exchanges over the state are models of architectural beauty and the employees are encour- aged to make them attractive. The yards are flower gardens and the windows and niches are decorated and made homelike.
 Bell officials and employees are urged at all times to work with local and civic bodies for the good of the community in all things. The other day the Ad Mems Club of Little Rock called on Curtis Stout, district man. ager of the Bell company, to make talk before that body on the com pany's advertising methods. MT. Stout and his company entered the plan heart and soul The advertising for the event was unique and attrac- tive and stirred up lot of interest. The attendance was fine MT. Stout's olutions were passed afterward by the club most favorable to the Bell com pany and it's cooperation. Mir. Stout. in the course of his address, with the aid of lantern and electrician. illus trated the work, development and methods of the telephone company from many and interesting view points. The pictures showed more plainly than words could tell the ex- pense of construction and replace ment that the company is put to all the time
 Another view of the Bell company not generally known or talked much about is it's pension and benefit plan for retired, injured or sick employees. The employees do not contribute one cent to the support of this plan, but conduct the affairs of this pension plan and administer it's benefits as a part of their company duties. It has proved success from thes beginning and is now fixed company policy.
 While the Bell company lines cover Arkansas with network. yet it has no monopoly on the states telephone business. There are 125 other com panies in the state. Beside the Bell i investment of nearly six millions in the state, it's announcement of the flu ture investment of four millions in five years, its annual pay roll of $600,000 and it's development of the state by bringing communities togeth- CT and expediting business. it pays into the state treasury over $S0.000 ir taxes every year. In fact, the Bell company of Arkansas is doing many big things for it's employees that are not generally known to tie public; i' s. b,,i1d