Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-04


WikLiAM }. eEAUcHAiNE
Energetic Manager Of Local Western
Union Telegraph ONCE
From a little Office with limited
telegraph facilities and but one tele-'
graph line, to an up-to-date Western
Union Office, with FIVE telegraph
wires, and three telephone connec-
tions, is the record of the Augusta
office OF the Western Union since
William j. Beauchaine took the man
agership several years ago. This has
been accomplished gradually and the
change has hardly been noticeable to
patrons of the office, until they stop
to picture the equipment and service
| OF few years ago and then compare
| 1t with that of today, when the great
difference is at once apparent.
1t has been Mr.. Beauchaines am
bition to make this Office a leader
among cities of the size OF Augusta
| and there is no doubt that he has
done so. Today two operators, three
clerks and three messengers are en-
ployed and the business Is constantly
increasing.
Recently several pieces of upto-
the-minute Office furniture have been
installed in the Office, greatly i'm
proving both the appearance Of the
place and the efficiency of the force.
| Behind the. counter where patrons of
| the system transact their business.
is the desk of the manager and cash.
| Ter, situated so that either one may
, be interviewed easily.
Just back Of these desks, is the
latest pattern in delivery desks. so
that the delivery clerk may have all
necessary forms at the ends of his
! fingers. Here all out going. messages
are handled.
But the real equipment in which
every member of the force takes
pride, are the two tables, the one for
the telegraph operators and the other
! for the telephone clerks. These two
tables are placed back to back, with
just sufficient room between them to
prevent vibration on the telephone
table from the telegraph instruments.
| The telegraph table is of oak. about
/ ten feet long and probably two and
a half feet deep. The five telegraph
wires which come into the Augusta
office all come to this table and by a
system Of "jacks" it is possible for
an operator to work any wire from
any one Of the three keys. At each
key. a place is provided for a type
writer. so that three operators may
| work as many wires at one time.
Another feature which is seldom
| found in a city of this size is a Du-
pick. BY the use of this machine,
any office similarly equipped may
send and receive message from
Augusta at the same time. one opera
tor at each place receiving n mes
sage and one at each place sending
| -. 4.
the one pair of wires at a time in
stead of two as Is usually the case.
| The telephone table Is also of oak
and is about the same size as the
telegraph table. This table is divid-
ed into three compartment with
! glass, so that much of the noise in
oident to telephoning cannot be heard
by anyone using another phone. Four
| telephone lines come into this table.
and through system of switches, a
clerk at any booth may converse on
any line and when occasion demands
| the manager can cut in on any line
without leaving his desk.
This table is provided with q series
OF lights at each booth, by which 1t
IL possible to tell at glance which
line is calling. These lights are sim
liar to those found on telephone
!
detailed to handle nothing but phone
calls. no other warning of a telephone
call is needed. When n phone clerk
is not at the table however a buzzer
! Is switched on so that warning OF a
call is received at once and it is
! easy to see which line is calling
Each telephone clerk is provided witt,
n head set and mouthpiece which is
detachable from the table by simply
pulling a plug. Three typewriters
are provided at this table also, so
that quick service is assured.
Another thing which saves much
time for both the public and the
force at the office are the filing cab
inets where messages are kept
When a message is telephoned in, n
copy of that message is at once filed
In piegonhole bearing the name of
the city to which it was sent. Thus
Ii man desires to know when his
message went forward he has but to
call and reference to the copies will
disclose the required information.
On the other hand. where a message
coming from another city is teln-
phoned to the addressed from the
office, 1t Is stamped to show when
telerhoned by whom and who re-
ceived the message and the COPY is
filed alphabetically. 1t person re-
ceiving a message should desire to
refer to 1t. by calling the office, it
may easily be found as these copies
are kept in that pigeonhole for a
I month before being stored away.
At the rear of the Office is a fine
bench where the messengers stay
when not busy.
Everything that has been installed
In the Augusta office has been to in
crease the efficiency of the force and
there is no doubt that this has been
done.
Another indication Of the growth
of the Augusta Office since Mr.. Beau
chaine took the position of manager
IS the number OF Western Union
clocks now in the city. When he
first undertook his duties as manager
there were but ~ Today there are
90. Including the one at the Hartford
Fire Station which blows the whistle
at 1880 and o'clock.
The Augusta office Is surely an I'M
and coming institution and constant.
~ new records are being made. Mr.,
Beauchaine Is anlbitionus to make II
the leading small city Cff1ce in the
/ New England states.