The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-01-20
CUssED AND DISCUSSED


Poor Central got all that was COM
ing to her in the forum discussion of
the Telephone service at the C. of c.
luncheon Tuesday noon. "Our Tele-
phone Service" was discussed from
three angles, the viewpoint of the
farmer, the viewpoint of the business
man and the viewpoint of the Tele-
phone Co.
Mr. Carl Howard, representing the
farmers, said in substance: "The
opinion l am expressing is based upon
the answers to a questionairre which
l sent out to twelve or fourteen of
our leading farmers living on the
various phone routes, as well as on
complaints that have come to me
from time to time in mingling with
them. It seems as though the common
consent and belief of all is that the
trouble lies with the Central. The
usual complaint is that they cannot
get central or are unable to get dis
connected when through with their
conversation. The opinion has been
expressed by many farmers that they
think the fault lies not so much with
the operator as with the antiquated
system in use. All answers said that
Mr.. Addison kept the lines in good
repair-that as soon as one got out
of fix man was promptly sent on.
to repair it. The recommendation of
the farmers, said Mr.. Howard, is that
the Chamber of Commerce take the
matter up with the Telephone Co. and
endeavor to get more up-to-date
equipment.
Mr.. Bert Reed said in part: "In
our store we have two telephones,
one to call Central with and the other
to call central to disocnnect the first.
I am frank to say that abou 1870 of
our business comes through the tele-
phone and l want to give Mr.. and
Mrs. Addison credit for the manage
ment they give and I don't believe
really that everything rests upon
their shoulders. I believe, with Mr..
Howard, that the equipment they
have to work with is played out and
we need to petition the United Tele-
phone Co. to improve the system. l
fully believe the management will
take care of it if they have proper
facilities to work with. Mr.. Reed
went on to cite numerous instances
of annoying incidents familiar to all
telephone users, chief among them
being ringing in the ears, unable to
get disconnected, slowness of central
to answer, cross talk, cutting off in
the middle of taking an order, leav-
ing the grocer absolutely ignorant of
the origination of the order and of
course unable to fill it, which fire.
quently results in the loss of a Gus
toner as the central girl seldom
knows who was talking.
Mr.. E. C. Flood said that he had on
several occasions made test of the
length of time it took to get discon-
neced and that on one occasion it
took him fifteen minutes to get loose
and very frequently they were as
much as five minutes. On another
| occasion, when he purposely kept
count, he got his same party seven
different times before Central
answered him. He said this was not
the exception, but that it was the
rule. Day after day they met with
the same annoyance until sometimes
he felt like smashing the thing to
pieces and throwing it out of the
window. He stated that on several
occasions he had tried repeatedly to
get a certain party and had finally
walked over to the Office only to FIND
them sitting there and that they had
been there all the time and the phone
had not rung. Mr.. Flood compliment
ed the long distance service, however
saying that they had excellent service
on the long distance lines and that
the local operators had been especial
" dihgent about getting their calls
through and very careful In repeat
ing. when necessary, to make SURE
that they conveyed the exact mean
ing intended.
Nh. ]: s. Bird also eomplimenteC
the Long Distance service but saie
that what had been said about the
local Service was true with then
raised to about the nth degree
especially IN being unable to get dis
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