The sun., 1919-08-07

Hovance IN telephone rates yesteroey
nth an informal hearing. at which State
spetpr James A. Foley appeared as the
&nl{ opponent. Chairman Charles A.
mi Agreed with Senator Foley that the
company probably had not spent all It
nhcnid toward improving the service. but
laid that he had heard no objection to
bate Increases. s. C. Mead, representing
Die Merchants Association. said that
Rhile. there had been thousands OF COM
4lRiu}s against the service there was
&ouk Rgainst the rates.
II ". H Bethel. first vice-president Of
ne New York Telephone Company, adj
Knitted that the service was shorthanded
M81z probably would not reach the eff
,HEzkney desired until autumn. He
4pped the Government ban on wartime
1ohttfuction for much Of the difficulty.
8tating that the company should have
'115.00o.00o for additional construction
% handle the traffic offered. The force
3fsenpioyees is $500 In Manhattan and
The Bronx when II should be $500. he
said, and the daily telephone traffic Ii
.>ontinuing above normal. putting an UNI
usual strain on the service. The present
average IL 100000 calls a day.
II One OF Mr.. Bethelfs statements was
fsaoed IN answer to a series Of ques-
leiohR addressed by Mr. Mead for the
Merchants Association and dealt with the
Sompany's efforts to increase Its work
ing force and Efficiency. He insisted
that AL switchboard operators - were
passed through the training school
course before being assigned. but he ad-
mitted that the percentage of inexperi-
0z16ed operators was higher at present
Because of the vacation period. He esti-
mated that II required about nine months
- IN N
handle traffic with a reasonable degree
" efficiency.
Phone Recruiting Campaign.
The company has begun a recruiting
eampaign, sending agents to all young
~un5fn recommended by the existing
forSk.and others, and Is now hiring OPP
Orators at the rate Of 125 week. II
4his continues the maximum service will
probably be achieved within a short
NHGe Mr.. Bethel said that one Of the
ozief troubles of the company In holding
its experienced operators was the neces-
sity OF keeping up the service every day
in the year. Operators have to take
turns for the night shifts and Saturday
afternoon. Sunday and holiday work.
nmksmany resign for this reason. al
.f10ukh they may earn less In other en-
8lcVment.
81 Hexarding wages, Mr.. Bethel said
That The company was paying basic
NaGAfof $12 week to new employees
while In the school. This IL raised to
3l2.5o n week In month. At the end
n the FIRST year the basic wage is s14
Awsek and at the end of ave years SIS
This IL for day operators.
zeBveninE operators receive 81 week
more than day operators. and night OPP
orators receive 80 week more than day
dperators Of the corresponding length OF
s<fvice. Chief operators receive as high
~ t42 a week
: There are opportunities for operators
70 make extra money for holiday. Sun
day and Saturday afternoon shifts. and
anniversary payments are made to those
An the service two years or more. The
new operator is put on night shift hei
.nrst week aud earns $3.50.
Mr. Bethel says the average salary
for the new employee runs in excess o.
1900 q year. He believes that the wages
xrctn general satisfactory because few
That resign complain Of Inadequate pay
In his explanation of the failure Of tn
e6knpany to extend its service Mr.
HBettell quoted from War Department
communications restricting construction
work during the war. addressed to hin
.hx Brig Gen. George o. Squier, chic
signal officer Of the army. Except 70
this restriction. which compelled tn
cesnpany to enlarge It's plant only so ia
Z ~ military necessity required. the com
pany would have built a number of new
teiephone exchanges. he said. This de
otieRcy is now being remedied and plan
have been approved for three new cen
strNf-offices, three additional building
four additions to central offices and tn
4sn6tafiation of five new central offlc
~
syjtchboards are In process of manufac
t6fs Or installation.
Location Of New Central Omces.
The new central offices are to be IL
Gated at East 18TH street and Gran
View Place. The Bronx; 4101-11 -Four
tenth avenue. Brooklyn. ana 864-7
Liberty avenue. Brooklyn. New build
mss are to be put up at 227-242 Eas
sFhlrtieth street. Manhattan: 224-2s
East Thirty-frst street. Manhattan, an
Tratrnan avenue. between Zerega an
Nowiand avenues, The Bronx.
Aaditions are to be made to Bowlin
Green. Rhinelander. st. Nicholas an
are planned.
s...Gnsthe report submitted to Chairma
exxiiis Mr.. Bethel said =
I4t.Tf your honorable commission cannc
accept the statement that construction 1
Nartimes was seriously interfered will
sthtuEno purpose will be served in goin
further with this letter. II. however. 20
VIM accept It, adm believe you will
4 than the discussion turns to what Is bein
4 4acoomplished in the direction OF putin
4 I'm place the much needed additions
n l1iant.r Cat this point he gave a descril
h tion OF the construction heretofore mel
4 tioned-)
1.-The progress so far made with thei
N projects has brought considerable relic
md but for the fact thai the static
4 fairs have exceeded by far all previo,
4 sdrords and the rate of sailing continue
away above normal. the plant congestic
would not longer be sesious. Based {
j pra-war experience. the station gain Il
New York city for the year was plac,
at 10000, The actual net gain for Il
Rfifst six months was In excess OF 1900
The gross gain exceeded 81 900 mo
I telephones than there are In the cities
pHuffalo and Albany combined In Ne
! I'm city there are approximately 500
4 1000 Telephones connected with eight
seven central Offices originating 10000
K e'eS1Is n day.
I'd srhe daily traffic contrary to all pr
vfous experiences. has shown no dimin
sstion with the coming OF summer. IT
liexperienced operators. the strength
the force. are at this season taking the
1r<scations. and this Is having Its effe
lAsn the services. -'-
al RI
~ Two Recent Wage Increases.
80 'AThe situation with respect TO the o
sat L. NJ L.