The sun., 1919-10-15
A COMEDY OF THE WIRE.
Doing Business with the Railroad
Administration By Telephone.


Doing Business with the Railroad
Administration by Telephone.
To THE EDITOR or THE suN-S~. At
2:2o p. NJ, finding could not use a
ticket and seat to Easthampton, L. a..
on the 12:57 train that day, endeavored
to call up the CONSOLIDATED Ticket Ohice
on Forty-second street, where the
tickets were purchased, in order to re-
lease the space on the train. BY doing
SO / hoped 1t would make It possible to
secure a refund OF my money by writ
Ing to the Pullman superintendent at
Chicago. The rule nowadays is that
unless Pullman ticket is turned in
within three hours before train time It
must be sent to Chicago for redemption.
My experience was as follows:
12:20-Took up receiver of telephone
and after 9 suitable wait on the part of
the operator gave her the number
Bryant 67oo."
12:23-Bryant 67oo answered-an un-
usually quick connection these days.
please connect me with the Forty
second street ticket ofice'
Who do you wish to speak tor tver-
batim).
II wish to cancel a reservation on the
:57 p. NJ. train to Easthampton. L. l."
"All right Hold the wire.'
A walt OF f1ve minutes.
12:2s-Voice OF Central-"WaitingT'
"Yes, I have Bryant e7oo on here,
please don't cut me off,"
"The party must have disconnected
I'll ring them again"
Pause.
Again Centrals voice: The line is
busy"
Bang (the receiver on rhe hook).
Knowing It TO be a large switchboard
I tried again in a few seconds Bryant
67oo."
Wait OF three minutes and again
Bryant 800 answers.
please connect me, with the Forty
second street ticket office so that I may
cancel reservation on the IL .57 p. M.
train to Easthampton, L. H."
Long Island7 All right Hold the
wire"
Wait of almost Ave minutes.
Voice of Central: Number, pleaser'
'T had Bryant 6700 on here"
"I'll ring them again." Pause. Lime
10 busy"
Bangi treceiver on hook--a little
harder).
I started again: bryant s7oo."
Interval
Line is busy"
Bang (receiver on hook).
Still another effort: Bryant s7oo."
Pause.
Lime ie busy"
Bangi (receiver on hook).
My patience was beginning to fade,
but was determined to get what I
wanted. and so again: bryant $780,"
Interval
Line e busy"
Bangi
My patience was gone but my stub
born disposition held out. and once again
l repeated: Bryant 6700."
And this time / received an answer
IN two minutes-all records for fast
connections going to smash.
Won't you please connect me with
the Forty-second street ticket Office so
that I may cancel a reservation on the
1857 Long Island train to-dayr'
Long Island7 Yes, SIR"
Hello |" Can entirely new voice).
Whats the next train to ~
First voice: Whats the matter, are
there two parties on here7"
My voice: IT want the Long Island"
Long Island is busy-hold the wire"
Wait of FIVE minutes more, punctu-
ated by the voice Of this operator, who
was very polite. saying: Long Island
still busy" and later. I'm ringing Long
Island and, Haven't they answered
YETI"
But at last heard new voice an
nounoe: Long Islandw
With a sigh of relief 1 repeated my
story; II wish to cancel reservation
on the IL 57 P. NJ. train to Easthamp-
ton to-day"
You dor Every scornfully)-'well.
It's too late to do It here You might
catch them at Chelsea 1000"
I couldn't help a parting shot: mot
If they take the same length Of time to
answerI"
And bang!
Having gone thus far was determined
to see the thing through to the end,
though 1t was now almost 12 80 o'clock.
Chelsea 1000"
In about two minutes L heard a voice
Pennsylvania"
Long Island Pullman ticket Office,
please"
A void.
Then again heard the voice: PENN
sylvania"
I'm still waiting for the Long Island
Pullman ticket Office"
A pause.
Another voice: Long Island,"
You can release seat -, car -.
on the IL :57 train to Easthampton."
IT can not That diagram is In the
hands Of the conductor at the train
Bang III. IT.
New YORK, October II.