The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1919-09-04
The Princeton Telephone Exchange.

The Princeton Telephone Exchange.
Princeton is today the headquarters
for all the telephone business of the
Northwestern Telephone Exchange |
company in Milaca, Mora, Elk River,
Brook Park and Ogilvie.
This big territory is known as an
Exchange Area" and is in charge of |
Harry Thorpe, area manager.
The Princeton area was created and |
Mr.. Thorpe placed in control Of it
shortly after the Northwestern Tele-
phone company purchased the proper
ty of the Tri-State company here.
With it's 461 town telephone sub
scribers and it's 720 farm-line users,
642 Of whom are furnished service |
over their own lines, the Importance
of Princeton as a telephone center was
early recognized by the Northwestern
company, Manager Thorpe said yes
terday.
Mr.. Thorpe said that ever since the
company has owned the local ex-
change it has been working to pro-
vide better service. The Princeton
switchboard has been overhauled re-
Gently and made to conform to STAN
dard equipment, and other improve
ments have been made.
"The telephone company is in the
business Of providing telephone SER
vice." said Mr.. Thorpe in discussing
local telephone affairs, "and it has
nothing to sell but service" He point
ed out that in order to furnish good
service it is necessary for it to sell
it at such rates as will provide enough
revenue to meet the cost of operation.
Unless the rates are high enough to
do this the telephone company could
not provide good service. 49,.
Mr.. Thorpe also stated that in max
ing rates for Princeton, as elsewhere,
it is necessary for each community to
pay it's way. This is the basis of tele-
phone rates for each town.
The telephone company would be
discriminating and it would be unfair
to make the rates in one town high
enough to provide the extra revenue
to cover the deficit in the cost of op-
GRAFTON in another town where the
rates were low. For this reason the
rates for each town are based on the
cost of providing service in that town.
Good telephone service, Mr. Thorpe
said, depended upon cooperation be-
tween the telephone users and the tele-
phone company. Calling by number
instead of by name, speaking clearly
and slowly when making a call, and
always looking up telephone numbers
in the directory were some of the ways
he said telephone users could cooper
ate. ~.
| About the biggest problem the tele-
phone company faces today in Prince
ton in providing good service is the
large number Of patrons connected
with each Of the farm lines. In one
case there are 80 farm telephones all
on the same line. Under such condi-
: tions it is impossible to furnish good
telephone service to these people be.
cause the lines are overloaded.
The telephone company has a sci.
fish interest in furnishing good service
for these farm lines, said Mr.. Thorpe
If farm line user cannot be reached
because the line is overloaded, or if il
is difficult to talk over these lines, thu
telephone company is blamed. If goot
service is provided everyone is mu
tually satisfied, and it means les!
work and less trouble for the tele
phone company. The only way goot
service can be furnished is to reduce
the number of telephone users OF
these overloaded lines.
: This can be done by some of tn,
people now on these lines building new
lines and by those who remain proper
ly maintaining the old lines. To d.
}. this the telephone company offers t.
n cooperate in every possible way an
S build lines from the. central office t
/ the city limits to meet any new line
n that may be constructed.
il Maintaining the telephone line:
too, is important in providing goo
n service, said Manager Thorpe. Loos
IL wires, broken insulators, poorly sol
/ dered connections and similar diff
l. culites in keeping the lines in good r.
e pair must always be given prompt al
g tention. If this is not done it is in
ID possible to furnish service satisfactor
IS to the users. Every telephone lin
should be inspected at regular inte1
walls and any repairs needed should /
made at once.
- Don't let your children suffer. /.