Evening star., 1921-11-16
DISTRICT IS SWEPT
WAVE Of WORDS
Telephone Calls Show Aver
age Daily Increase of 50,-
600 Over Last Year.

WV 0VCI Iool IC0is
People are talking more in Wash
ington these days than ever before
in the history of the city-or, at least.
since records have been kept of the
talks"
One cant count all the converse
tions that take place in Washinton, of
course. but there are records showing
the number of telephone calls. and
these point which way the wind
blows. They not only show an in
capital, but they indicate that reviv-
ing business and optimism have quite
a bit to do with it. =.
This time last year an average Of
100000 telephone calls were being
made in Washington every day. In
the last few weeks, the number has
been at least $4,000 a day. Begin
ming early last week there was a
tremendous increase that still con-
tinues.
$4,000 Calls November 10.
This rise reached its peak on Thurs
day, the day before Armistice day.
On that day 4lS,000 telephone calls
were made, which is the largest num-
Der in the history of the telephone
company. Not even in the war days.
when the company was taxed to the
utmost to keep pace with the rush
of calls. was that number exceeded.
The nearest approach to it then was
412,000.
The Washington conference. the In
fiux. Of visitors for Armistice day and
more favorable business conditions
are the cause of the remarkable in
crease, in the opinion of w. a. Con-
dit, traffic superintendent of the Ches-
81
pany in Washington. There also
seems to be tendency to use the
telephone generally in social affairs
he has noticed.
There has been q distinct ascension
for several months. until early this
month the avarage number of calls
a day was Is. per cent higher than
last year. Eight per cent Of this in
Grease can be accounted for by the
fact that there are now $4,000 tele-
phone In Washington, compared with
Sc, 900 a year ago. The other s per cent
como from the fact that year age
there were 3.5 calls day to each
telephone, and early this month the
average was 3.s. Last Thursday 1t was
about As.
Flood Of Calls Continues.
On Friday, Of course, 1t fell of be.
cause the business houses and gov.
ernment departments We're closed But
Saturday-half holiday, with former
average of $4,000 calis-the number
it was just shy of the 100000 mark
showing no tendency to recede
Mr.. Condit declares that the jumr
was taken care of most satisfactorily
by the operators. and that to the pub
lie there apparently was no Interrupt
tion to service. There are about 1900
operators in Washington and the girls
have responded to the greater task
though the company does not expec,
them to continue the additional work
permanently. 1t Is now taking on more
girls for training and will continue to
do so until there is a force large
enough to care permanently for any
emergency.
"There isn't a section that hasn't
shown a big jump in telephone calls
said MIR. Condit. "It is little Bit
greater in Main than in any of the
other exchanges. because that is the
business district, and apparently the
phoning than ever. However, there has
been considerable increase in North
Columbia and the other residential
sections. We take that to indicate thai
social affairs also figure in it."
The increase in long-distance calls
has not been as great as the local
About $500 long-distance calls origi-
nate in Washington every day, which
Is just about the average expected
by the company. Last Thursday
however, the number was $500, due
in all probability, to the great mum.
ber of visitors who called their homes
Hotels Have Abnormal Total
The hotels, being crowded, are do.
ing an abnormal telephone business
Foreign conference delegates, who
find Americas telephone system quite
different from their own, are said tC
be making many calls. and are enjoy.
ing the experience.
In the business exchanges mos,
of the calls are made in the daytime
There Is a sudden jump about
From then on there is a slight.
lower. though steady, business, drop
| ping suddenly around o'clock. II
the residence sections the calls gt
up about $3.50 o.eIock in the morninf
and fall off again about 10. To thu
telephone people that indicates tha
the housewife has finished her SHOP
ping" After S O'Clock. and unit
about $3.50, the wires are kept bus,
with many social calls.
Though there are no certain meani
of determining whether the presen
business wilt continue, Mr. Condit ha,
made preparations, to school enough
operators to take. care of it. 1t take,
about six months to train an opera
tor properly, and in Washington, dur
ing and since the war, there has beer
an abnormal exodus Of workers MAX
ing 1t difficult to maintain q thor
oughly experienced force of opera
tors. -
IADhN pP0MIcEc