Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-12-25

W Al GalIaher. assn, - ).
Of the Public S2-yice Connli ,onz o.
!, west Virginia. as reported the
commission the results Of bis obsefga-
tions of the JefersGn County Iete-
phone system, which he officially y.
spected few weeks ago. His
| port is a very interesting one in Il
facts and figures il presents. and the
comments he makes. He was sent
here. it will be recalled, TO secure data
for the commission which Il may use
in its consideration of the application
of the telephone company for the priv
ilege of increasing its rates.
The company has approximately l35
miles of p%A line construction in JET
ferson county Its principal Office is
in Charles Town, with H. c. Getzen-
danner in charge as general manager
and treasurer. The calls are handled
through three exchanges, in Charles
Town, Shepherdstown and Harper's
Ferry, the number Of subscribers at
these exchanges being 500, 265 and 76
respectively. Two of the exchanges
are in substantial brick buildings and
the third in frame building. Line
construction at all the exchanges is
very good, wires being brought into
them through cables and sufficient
lightning protection maintained.
The switchboard at the Charles
Town exchange was found to be in
very good condition, but those at Shep-
herdstown and Harper's Ferry are
very bad and of a now obsolete type
and should be replaced. All of the
lines of the company were found to be
in excellent condition. In some places,
however, the lines are exposed to the
dangers of hazardous high-tension
construction of the Northern Virginia
Power Company, and it is recommend
ed that the power company be re-
quired to remedy these conditions.
As to the quality of service render,
ed, it can be said that the local ser
vice in all three of the towns is good.
This opinion was arrived at after in
terviews were held with prominent
business and professional men who
were subscribers and also by the
writer himself having made number
Of test calls throughout all the ex-
changes. In making practically all
these test calls il was noted that the
operators answered within FIVE to six
seconds and the lines were perfectly
,clear-there being no foreign noises
due to induction, grounds, crossed
wires, etc.
1t was found, however, that the ser
vice on the country lines was by no
means as good as it should be, due to
the following causes:
Too many stations on the various
party lines. Failure OF operators to
exercise sufficient care in executing
the various rings when there are a
large number of combinations Of long
and short rings used on one party line
Failure of subscribers on the party
lines TO keep the receivers of their in
struments hung up.
Tendency of some OF the subscribers
on party lines to do ves-dropping and
TO converse with neighbors on the
same line unnecessarily long.
Mr.. Gallaher recommends that the |
three-position switch board now used
at Charles Town be removed and that |
two sections of it be installed at Shep- |
herdstown and the other at Harper's
Ferry A new switch board should be |
purchased for the Charles Town ex-
change.
That additional circuits be construc-
ed, so that the number of subscribers
on all party lines, as far as practical
Bile, be reduced to eight or less; how |
ever, never more than ten on any line
That the trees on the country lines |
be trimmed and kept so at all times
so as to provide ample clearance.
1t is believed that if the company
complies with the above the class of |
service rendered will be as good as
can be expected, provided the operat-
ing room is properly managed; and
this can only be accomplished with
the cooperation of the subscribers.
A number of the complaints made |
by the subscribers were of the dis |
courtesy on the part of the telephone
management and the operation. How
ever, on the other hand the manager
and the operators claim that the sub
scribers have been equally discourte-
ous This practice of discourtesy or
either side is heartily dsapproved of
since unconsciously on the part of the |
operators perhaps it is sure to create |
Partially in maintaining good service
to all subscribers.
The subscribers will be able to |
greatly improve the service by, making
all calls as recommended by the tele- |
phone company in the general direc-
tons headed "Good Service