Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-12


his term Of office. in which he and
Mr.. Thompson, as we'll as Mr.. Fos-
ter, had not agreed. Yet, he ex-
planned, the matters had been set
tied in such a diplomatic manner.
that they were still friends. With
this illustration. he pointed out that
diplomacy was a big factor in the
telephone business. Patience Is also
another strong requisite. With a
characteristic story, Mr.. Cleaves
stressed his point. And the work.
ings of the concern are SO clearly
reflected in the character Of the con-
Germs head.
To illustrate: A few years ago,
If a lame woman, with two crutches
and twins tried to get onto trolley
car, she would have to do it witho 1t
the aid of the motorman. Was this
marked rudeness upon the part of
the motorman? Not necessarily. 1t
was a rule Of the company which
had been laid down by that COM
pany's head. Today, the motornan
will help those who need help. onto
the car. That is because the head
dividual and has different views.
What constitutes good citizenship
was a vital point touched upon by
Mr.. Cleaves in his closing remarks.
Taking the telephone folks from
their own fields of labor, he brought
them into the broader. but never
theless, just as essential fields of
good citizenship. He put special
emphasis upon the importance Of
using the franchise.
The history of the Maine Tele-
phone association was outlined by
President Thompson. About %
years ago, almost at once. people in
all parts Of the State wanted tele-
phones. The New England Tele-
phone & Telegraph Co. hoped to
supply the extra service but were
unable to do so and thus the in
dependent companies were created.
Some of the lines had from few
thousand down to single subscribe
en- Since that time, efforts have
been made 10 bring the smaller com-
panies together.
Accomplishments of the Maine
Telephone Association are marked
by the starting of successful efforts
in abolishing the tax on calls. The
Maine association started the move
ment to have the tax repealed. Mr..
Thompson outlined the progress of
the work.
The future work of the Association
is to get every one of the 12J or more
small telephone companies into the
Association. President Thompson
stated that drive should be put on
to increase the membership. He also
suggested that group meetings of
operators and other telephone work
crs. would be of advantage. Then
when the annual meeting was held,
the members would be able to bring
more to the sessions.
Miss Julia Searles of Bangor, chief
operator, outlined the benefits to be
derived from traffic conferences.
Following her illuminating paper, a
general discussion was held and d
number of interesting points were
brought out.
Mrs. S. A. Haynes of Harmony. one
of the veteran telephone operators of
the state, was present and was calld
upon to speak few words. In her
she said, Il have a lot Of
trouble in the work, but l don't
mind" President Thompson de-
clared Mrs. Haynes struck the key
note Of optimistic service.
Plant Conference
The afternoon session was divided
into sectional conferences. The plant
was in charg Of A. w.
Nose, Aroostook Tel. ID Tel. Co.
was the subject dealt up
on by Fred A. Scribner, plant depart
ment, Lewiston and p. o. Howard,
Maine Tel. b Tel. Co.
Other subjects at the Thursday
afternoon plant conference were:-
Economy in Plant Construction and
Maintenance, Eugene York, Lewis
ton, Greene ID Monmouth Tel. Co.;
Alfred Winslow. Standish Tel Co.;
r. c. Maxwell, China Tel. Co.;
Exhibition of Telephone Material
and Equipment, Messrs. Howard,
Roberts and Thibeault, Maine Tel. ID
Tel. Co.; Suggestions for Advertis-
ing, George r. Armstrong, Connect
ing Company Department; Trans
mission, p. j. Bell, Plant Depart
ment, Bangor. Maine: Elmer II.
Waning, Nash Tel. Co.;
Traffic Conference
The traffic conference was in
charge of Miss Julia Searles. Sub
jects taken up were:-HandlinE of
Traffic by station to- station method.
Mrs. B. p. Greene, Maine Tel. 10 Tel.
Co, Unity Tel. Co.. West Penobscot
Tel. Co.: Responsibility of Toll OPP
orators, Miss Kate Brown, chief OPP
orator, Waterville: Uncompleted
Traits and Lost Calls. Miss Alice
Gardner. Eastern Tel. & Tel. Co.:
Report Charges and Accurate Timing
of Toll Tickets. Miss Bessie Watson.
Aroostook Tel. & Tel. Co. Katahdin
Farmers Tel. Co.: Handling of Toll
Traffic with Connecting Company
Offices, Mrs. Annie Jacobs, Maine Tel.
& Tel. Co., Miss Mary B. Shepard,
Saco River Tel. & Tel. Co.: Handling
of Traffic on station-to-st station Meth
cd from Toll Center Points, Mr.. A. ].
Hanlon, Supervisor of Toll Traffic:
Cooperation between Operators and
the Public. Mrs. p. w. York, Levant
Tel. Co., Hartland & st. Adams Tel.
Co.; The Connecting Company Op-
orator and Her Duties, Mrs. E. w.
Nash. Nash Tel. Co., Miss Ann Eli
OF. Chief Operator, Moosehead Tel.
& Tel. Co.; Routine to be followed in
Handling Traffic from Connecting
Company Offices on 2-number basis.