Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-03
rsona Journal Offers Record of Early Days of Telephone

telephone line running from the Treas
ury to the house of Col. Irish in
lie Droit Park. This line was looped
| into my Office and frequently used to
communicate with the people at Gar
fields house. Prof. Bell In the city
for the Winter.
December 29-Getting exchange Of
fee fitted up, running wires. etc. On
Christmas day fitted up the new police
telephone Office. corner Pennsylvania
avenue and Four-and-a-Half street,
and the next day moved their instru.
ments over there.
1879-No notes in journal since last
date. Started exchange about the LIST
Of January and making good Roadway.
Have four operators in the Office and
two in the Capitol Office. On the LIST
of January moved my Office into Dear
ing's building, 1413 G street.
March 23-Telephones extending
rapidly.
June Took charge of the A. d.
Telegraph Co. as superintendent.
July 4-Went to Chicago to attend
a convention of the American District
Telegraph Co.
July 1e-Western Union Telegraph
trying to make lively opposition to
telephone business.
October Invent to New York,
on the 10th and 18th and talked over
plans for putting a stop to the West
ern Union opposition in Washington.
October 2S-Went to Boston, where
] made supplementary contract with
the Bell Telephone Co.
November 20-Arranging to Or.
ganize company to run the exchange
and take the Western Union business.
Mr.. Hubbard in town.
III
Telephone Co. was organized.
Later statement by Mr.. MAYNARD
concerning the establishment Of the
telephone exchange in Washington:
The commencement OF a central of
flee system in Washington was in
December, 1873, when a 24-wire peg.
switch was put up in a first-fioor room
at 1923 G street northwest, and six
wires Connected to it. Several of the
wires were the two sides Of private
lines looped into the switch, and on
these wires there were at first no call
bells or other signaling apparatus.
On the other wires magnetic bells were
kept in circuit. One operator did
nearly all the switching, etc, while
the other was at the location deSig-
mated.
This arrangement was continued
until some time in January. 1879,
WHOM IAC PCA HIdIIGIlL central ONCE WAS
established on the fifth floor of the
Evans Building, 1920 New York ave- !
nue.. The peg switch was moved to
the new Office and used in connection
with some annunciators made by
Davis & Watts Of Baltimore. About !
the same time a Williams 2S-drop an
nunciator and a 2S-wire switchboard
were put in use. The williams sys-
tenn was added to from time to time
as the number Of wires increased, with J
various notifications as the necessi- !
ties OF the business required. &
For a short time a small number =
Of relays were used on some of the 4
wires. but this practice was soon :
abandoned. In March, 1879, the use
or the peg-switch was discontinued ]
and the Williams spring.jack and
crossbar switchboard. fitted with an
nuncfators. one for each line, was sub
stituted. This system, I understand,
Is still in use
/ retained active charge Of the ex- =
change until March, 1881.
tSigned) GEORGE C. MAYNARD.
Washington. d. c..
February Is. 1884.
i win seem strange to tAis genera !:
CONTINUED on Seventh Para