Pueblo chieftain., 1921-06-01

Washington. n. C, May CAN In
teresting development in telephone
| history is that the automatic phone is
now being used in rural districts,
| The automatic telephone, which
makes every caller his own central. Is
far from new in the cities. where II u
being used extensively. In fact. II Is
4 far from new anywhere. considering
that IL was invented In n crude form
three years after Bell produced his
sition for tho benefit OF the farmer
and long distance commuter. the auto
matte is just coming into popularity.
To tho city man tho automatic sys-
| to means chiefly that he Is responsi-
\ Bile for his own mistakes and cannot
| he wants 45ss To the farmer, how
ever. the automatic means more than
this as a matter Of progress.
Tho most important advantage is n
e<-hour service By the manual sSs-
tenn, the farmer has been unable to
ge; service after eight or nine o'clock
| in the evening. because central closed
tho switchboard In the dining room
| then. and went out on the 'front.' Tortf'
to rest. Tho automatic system ~
handled for rural districts from tie
nearest city exchange. SO that the
farmer has city service at any hour.
The telephone is becoming even moro
| important to the farmer than TO tho
business man as a means OF transact
ing business and keeping up social
connections. The party line that IS
the subject of so much joking is a
very real and serious factor In eoun-
try intercourse. II is perhaps. the
surcst rapid system OF disseminating
news 30 far discovered.
The party line is now called into use
in spreading news OF market report
When the weather forecast and tho
government crop reports arc sent out
by radio every day. the news vs. In
some communities received by n wire
/ less operator who telephones II Mt once
to long line Of listening farmers
The messages go out at certain times
every day-stock market reports AT
one hour. grain and potato news At an
other. and a general summary in tho
afternoon-so the farmers know exact.
~ when 10 expect them
The Popular Party Lise
| As a social factor the party line has
well night provcrbial functions to per
form Every member of n party line
knows that the telephone is a town
meeting place and in carrying on a
conversation chooses his words ac-
IcordinEly. Listening in is regarded as
quite in tho rules of the game in most
places. So popular is the system tha,
| in some Instances when party lines
were cut from 10 phones to 20 the sub
scrihers protested ana some mad their
phones removed.
| There are now about 2,00o.00o auto
matte telephones in the United States.
| Philadelphia cut over 1900 phones ono
day recently. The state OF Ohio Is
lover one-third automatic. telephoni-
lcally speaking. As switchboards wcar
out they are being replaced generally
| by the newer system Whenever condi-
tions permit. Tho transition is ncccr-
sarily worked In this way because n
large switchboard exchange Is OK
pensive. costing several hundred thou
sand dollars. II lasts from six to fif-
teen years. depending on the amount
Of use II receives.
We arc told that the automatic sys-
tenn gradually extended does no. throw
he telephone girls out of employment
as was predicted by some. The rcCi-
ment of girls needed to make connec-
tons by the manual system Is not
| wanted for that purpose with an auto
matte switchboard. II is true. But
there Is still much central Office work
especially repairs. Despite the fact
that girls are not generally so adept
at understanding electrical apparatus
as boys are. the telephone compa mics
find that the girls are more satisfsct-
ory in making delicate adjustments
Tho girl repaircr has patience and
| fneness of touch which is more nee
crepe silk. satin. crepe de chine. cre-
tonne. Ssunel and flannellette arc suit
able for this style.