Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-22
PHONE PLANTS
TO BE UNIFIED
IN 10 MONTHS
Company Head, in Indian
apOIis, Says All Plans Have
Been Completed.
S1,OOO,OOO COST ASSURED

Unifcation of the automatic and man
ual plants of the Indiana Bell Telephone
Company in this city is expected to be
completed next May, said Edgar S. Bloom
of Chicago, president Of the company,
who was In Indianapolis today.
All plans have been completed and ma
terials ordered.
The $1,000000 approximate cost Of the
change is assured. he said.
This money, he added, will be gotten
from the American Telegraph and Tele-
phone Company. he said.
He said that, following the unifcation,
the automatic and manual will be re-
tanned, but additions will be automatic.
Mr.. Bloom said that prior to the war
it had always been our policy to main
tain a 20 per cent to "a per cent mar
ginr or reserve Of spare plant, which was
necessary in order to take care Of tenn
porary fluctuations In traffic and to pro-
vide for the prompt installation of tele-
phones for new subscribers.
RESERVE PLANT
WAS REDUCED.
"As the result of restrictions placed on
our construction program during the war
our reserve plant has been greatly re-
duced and we are confronted with
shortage Of telephone facilities the state
ment said.
I'm certain sections Of Indianapolis we
are unable to meet the demands for ad
ditional service and in other sections we
anticipate a similar condition will prevail
In the near future unless we can get our
construction well in advance of the de-
mand for service.
During the first six months ofl020 we
put I'm 10,S3S telephones in Indianapolis,
aIv In, kar ha nj fnTa
phones in the cities Of Anderson and
Muncie combined.
This resulted In a net gain Of $500
telephones, or at the rate Of $500 tele
phones year. which compares with
net gain OF 3.760 telephones In 1919, and
4s0 telephones In 1918"
TOUCHES ON
INCREASED WAGES.
After referring TO the present situa-
tiOn throughout the country regarding
manufacture and transportation, Mr..
Bloc mtouches on the increased wages
of the employees OF the telephone COM
pany.
He said also that during the year end
ing June 30 the losses in the indianapolis
operating force was Ill per cent, which
made IL necessary to engage and train
the equivalent Of a complete new force
IN less than eleven months.
He closed his statement with:
1T will, Of course, be q matter Of
considerable time before these new op
orators will become fully efficient, how
ever. our seryice is improving as the re-
suit OF extraordinary efforts, and Will
continue 10 imporve during the next
thirty days, when We confidently expece
that Il will be on q basis satisfactory to
our patrons
Our task Is more than one Of expand
ms our facilities and working orRaniza
tion 20 care for the present heavy teie-
phone traiIic and to meet the unusual
demand for new service.
I'VE must also replace at the earliest
date the 20 to - per cent reserve facih-
ties that have been largely used up,
which reserve was the one big factor that
enabled our company In normal times
10 meet without delay demands for ad-
ditlonai service.
MUST SPEND
81. 600 900.
'If we are to do this and keep pace
wit hthe growth Of Indianapolis we mus,
spend in excess Of $s,00000 for new
plant and equipment up to the end or
1920.
"Of necessity a program Of this magni-
tude requires planning in advance; land
for FIVE new buildings must be pur-
chased. eight new buildings must he con
tracted for an derected ten switehboards
must be planned, manufactured and In
stalled for new Offices and additions 10
existing Offices conduit and cable sys-
TENS must bs enlarged and extended,
plans must pc prepared and work com
pleted covering additions TO and exten-
sions Of many other classes Of telephone
plant
THE successful execution Of this pro-
gram will depend upon:
(a) Whether or not we can show net
earnings sufficient IN amount TO enable
us to attract the money required, in
competition with other industries In the
open money market,
"(b) The ability of the mapufacturers
10 deliver the material and apparatus
required
"(c) The rate at which we can build
up our construction forces by securing
suitable skilled workers and training
others OF requisite ability"