The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-12
1924 TELEPHONE
SYSTEMS AND LINES
And There Are 2s,s27,1ss Miles of Wire
in the United States--Enough to
Girdle the Earth at the
Equator f,l53 Times.
Equator f,l5s Times.

|
According to the report about TO be
issued by the bureau Of the census
showing the results of the census of
telephones covering the year 1917, there
are 53,234 separate telephone systems
and lines. These lines and systems
operated 2S,s27 1888 miles of wire in the
| United States enough to girdle the
earth at the equator ,l53 times and
connected ll,7l6,520 telephones and 81, 4
l75 public exchanges. The messages
or talks sent over these wires aggre-
gated the stupendous total Of nearly
22,000,0 100000, or, to be exact, 2l,s45,-
722,335. Figured ON the estimated pop
ulation of the country in l9l7 this
gives 2ll messages per annum to every
man, woman and child.
The industry in 1917 gave employ
ment to 262,620 persons of whom III,
10, or over 90 per cent, were women
The sum paid out in salaries and wages
amounted to Sl75,670,449. These en-
ployes operated plants and equipment
valued at 81 ,492 329,0l5, which yielded
operating and operating revenues
OF s39l ,4o9,53l.
The report discusses the development
of the telephone industry, telephone
equipment and traffic; offers interesting
comparisons between the Bell and other
systems, and between the telephone
system as whole and the telegraph
system; and gives important financial
statistics Of the industry Detailed
figures are presented for 1917 by states
and geographic divisions and compare
tive statistics for earlier years. The
statistics for 1917 are believed to be
more accurate than for any previous
census, due to the uniform system of |
accounts provided for telephone COM
panies by che interstate commerce COM
which have been in use since |
Jan |, 1913.
The Bell telephone system controlled |
over four-ffths of the total wire mile |
age, employed over three-fourths of the /
employees of the industry, paid over
four-fifths of the total bill for salaries
and wages, and received nearly four
ifths of the total revenue.
Over three.fourths of all the tele-
phones in the United States bore the /
'Bell' sign, and two-thirds of all per
IONS who We're wanted on the wire"
we're wanted on Bell wire. The dom
mating part that the Bell system plays
n the industry may be further illus
rated by the fact that of all the other
ystems reported, 06.l per cent reported
lnnual incomes of less than $1,000.
Comparisons with previous censuses
'ring out in h striking way the remark
bile development Of the industry. Dur
ng the decade 1907 -l9l7 wire mileage I
100 per cent, the number of d
telephones l02.S per cent, the number j
I messages 90.5 per cent. for systems
aving incomes of 1900 or more. Ii
A comparison by geographic divisions II
rings out the fact that considerably Ii
lore than one-half OF the telephone /
ystems reporting annual incomes of I,
1000 or mere in 1917 were located in I
he middle west, while systems and .
mes reporting incomes OF less than 4
5 900 were found in the largest mum
ers in the western states of the cen !,
raj groups, Ia
The financial statistics Of the report I
how that while the revenue of the tele n
hone companies has more than doubled !,
uring the decade la0T.l9l7 the ex- .
enses have increased at an even more 1,
lpid rate. Much of the increase in !
expenses was due to increase in salaries \
nd wages paid. These had advanced !
'om AZ a per cent of the total expenses
1912, to SAP per cent in 1917. For
stems reporting annual incomes of
ore than 5000 in ,l9lT. the average
,tal revenue per telephone was S3s.4l,
'erage net income per telephone $6l3 q
I'd average surplus per telephone sl.46.
This report of the telephone industry
part OF the Census of Electrical In
istries" which was taken in 1918, GOV
ing the operations OF the fiscal year
~.
The first census of the telephone in. e'
lstry was taken in connection with %
e decennial census in 1880, only. two al
airs after the first public telephone
change was opened for business at q
nw Haven, Conn, on Jan. %, 1878. In N
90 a census Of telephones was again I'll
ken with the regular decennial cen. sr
), but fer 1902 and for every fifth
ar since a census of electrical indus. al
les, which inclAles telephones. has h,
en- taken. The development of the su
iustry, therefore, IS shown from its &
fancy. Sc