The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-27

I SpeeCneS ana mutual CONGRATULATIONS
on the successful event.
HiIarity After the Strain.
In the tense, strained faces of the
hours a day for the past weeks to get
the cut-over accomplished on time,
there was relaxation and real hilarity.
They have been working under
strain, and success which had crowned
their work brought with it its own re-
action. They were weary men, and
anxious, till after the clicking which
meant that subscribers in Topeka were
dialing their numbers - and getting
them-told them that they had done
good job, and then they relaxed
The scene at the old, cantankerous
switchboard which has given Topeka
telephone service for many years past.
was full of pathCS as the last shift of
girl operators left their seats with the
realization that they would answer no
more calls and plug in no more con-
nections on the old board. Some of
the girls wept-altho they are going
into other positions in other depart
ments of the company's offices. or
are going to exchanges in other cities.
Old Board Out OF Date.
The trouble shooters have cursed
the Topeka exchange switchboard as
the biggest nuisance on the system.
1t was never standard. 1t was built
by an independent company and taken
over by the Bell company. More men
have been needed to keep 1T in order
than were needed on any other switch
board in the system of similar size.
But there were nurmurs of regret
from the trouble shooters themselves
as the board was darkened when
thirty men, armed with huge steel
shears severed the $4,000 wires lead
ing into it.
And there were tears in the eyes of
more than one girl as she left the
dead" board, the clatter of its fall
ing drops, the flicker of its signal
lamps, the murmur of the voices from
its head sets. things of the past. The
old board will be junked Immediately
A Real Test Today.
i'"The new system will get its test
today and Wednesday of next week, "
Carl Ulffers. general manager for the
Southwestern Bell, said when the cut
over was complete. Monday is always
a peak day, and Wednesday is the day
before a holiday-Tha nksgiying. There
will be grocery orders and dinner in
vitations galore.
ing manager for the Western Electric
company at Hawthorne, N, Y.,s who is
credited by local officials with being
the man who kept the equipment
to know more about automatic switch
ing machinery than any other man in
the United States. watched the per-
formance.
'TOpeka mas the very pest nldcnlne
switching system that there is in the
world at the present time" he de-
clared. 'Tt is the best there is in the
United States, and all the automatic
switching machinery in Europe has
been sent over there from this coun-
try. There is no reason why the sys-
tenn you have now, should not con-
tinue to give perfect service for ten
or fifteen years at least"
Among the officials of the South
QOlI rNaIa nd hA
Western Electric Co. present who were
responsible for the successful INSTALL
alton of the new system were: H. R.
Moore, general manufacturing man.
ager Western Electric Co, Haw-
thorne, N. Y; E. w. Hoicy. traffic
supervisor. st. Louis; H. r. Hoffman,
Western Electric Co, st. Louis; E. A.
Fay, Southwestern Bell, ST. Louis; c.
E. Chandler, Southwestern Bell, st.
Louis; George G. Evans, Southwest
err, Bell ST Louis