The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-11-14
AEWEQU!|PMENT
TOAD SERVICE
Telephone Company Will Mater.
tally increase Capacity Of
Local Plant

Extensive improvements to the local
facilities for handling Caldwell tele-
phone business will be installed i'm
mediately, according to Manager
Glenn Beatty of the Caldwell branch
of the Mountain States Telephone
company. For some time facilities
for handling business have been to-
tally inadequate and the rapidly in
creasing demands made upon the sys-
tenn have lowered the efficiency of the
service considerably. In some sec
tons of the city at present, according
to Manager Beatty, it Is impossible to
provide telephones to new subscribers
because of the limited equipment.
Provisions will be made through
the installation Of new equipment,
which has been promised to arrive
about Nov. rs, to handle between one
and two hundred new subscribers.
Two new sections of switchboard will
be installed at that time, according to
information which Mr.. Beatty has re-
ceivcd. One of these will be devoted
to local business and the other to toll
business. That will make it necessary
to employ two additional "centrals''
and is expected to improve the local
service appreciably.
In addition to, this equipment, con-
siderable money will be expended for
extensions and new cable for rural
lines. This branch of the local bust
ness has been congested even to a
:greater degree than has that of the
city of Caldwell About 50 families
have been on the waiting list for
phones for some time and no facilities
have been at hand to provide for them.
Help Long Distance Service.
Next summer, additional equipment
has been promised which will make
the local office one of the best equip
ped in this section. This equipment
includes the installation of devices to
increase the carrying capacity of long
distance lines and which will insure
prompt service on what ever calls
may be desired from the local office
AS an example Of the increased eff
cheney to be brought about by the in
stallation Of this equipment, Mr..
Beatty cites, the toll line to Pocatello
and all points east which at present,
with single wire, can carry only one
message at time. With the INSTALL
alton of the new equipment, this same
line will be enabled to, handle six calls
simultaneously i and will practically
enable users of that line to obtain
their parties without the inconven-
fence of waiting their turn at any
time. @
AT present, 10 girls are employed
on the switchboards. After the in
stallation of the new boards, this num-
Der will be increased two each shift
which, if business warrants, will mean
that the number may be increased to
Is during the "a hours.
While recognizing that criticism
of the present telephone service is
just, Mr.. Beatty explains that little
else can be expected under present
conditions with the inability to retain
experienced girls. Better days are
coming, he believes.
That the time is past for the tele-
phone companies to solicit business
in this section, is the assertion of Mr.
Beatty. Demands made upon the sys-
tenn are SO large and insistent that the
problem is providing for those rather
than going after new and more bust
ness.