The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1939-02-24
BUSINESS
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S1ontinued from rage
handled l,205,o00,0oo local tele-
phone connections, an increase Of
100000 or &c per cent over tie
previous year. There was falling
off in long distance calls, 20.Sn0,0a0
originating on the company's tele-
phones. This was less by l,3s0,oa0
calls, ot CD per cent, than u 1895.
MIR. Eide pointed out thai lie laet
customers telephone was cut Of
order on al average, only once iii
every 26 months, was evidence that
the eompany's plant IS in excellent
operating condition. When unavod-
able service interruptions occurred,
they were cleared promptly, he said
98 per cent within 4 few hours
and on the same day on which they
occurred.
In meeting the requirements Of
the customers III installing new SER
vice on reallanging existing service,
includng moves and discontlnaances,
it was necessary in 1888 To connect
l9o,55l telephones and disconnect
l78,973, a total of 375,521 opera
tions. During the year, 9S.4 per
cent Of the orders were handled on
the day and at the time requested
by the customer.
With the year showing d further
reduction IN cut-otfs, connections to
wong numbers, and in other service
irregularities, 99.2 per cent oil the
l,2o5, 100000 were handled without
errors, according to Mr.. Eide.
THE average speed of long dis
tance calls again as improved from
a low average Of so seconds III 1857
TO 81 seconds in 1885, said Mr..
Eide.
During the year. 93 pei cent OF
all long distance calls were compiet-
ed to alstant cities IN the same man-
ner as local calls, with the calling
customer holding the line.
"A telephone service that is
satisfactory to the user, in addition
~ psIng rapid, adequate and depeld-
able, must be guided by a manage
ment and furnished by employees
who are motivated by desire to
meet with personal interest the re-
auirements Of customer. Atten-
ton to refinements of service de-
velops IN employees an increased de-
sine to do their work well and gives
character to the company. The re-
suit Of the emphasis that all depart
ments have given during the year to
this personalizing feature Of the
company's service has created favor
able comment
Expenditures for requirements and
extensions of and betterments to
plant and other general improve
ments and arrangements amount
ed to $l4,000,o6I in 1898. Plant
valued at $t1,026,683 was retired
from service, resulting in a net m
crease III plant Investment OF $2,,
973,378.
Mr.. Eide said that at the end Of
the year the investment Of The Ohio
Bell Telephone Company III tele-
phone plant at cost was nearly
$185,o00, 900. 1t had 1854 em-
ployees, with 1888 payroll expendi-
ture Of $17,314,767.
While telephone operating reve-
nues We're experiencing decrease,
operating expenses, excluding taxes,
were undergoing an increase in
1888, according to the report. Reve-
nues amounted to Sal, 1,669,72I, a
decrease Of s250,4f9 compared to
1887. according to the report made
by Mr.. Eide at meeting Of the
board of directors. Operating ex-
penses of $26,665,119 represented
an increase Of $238,427 over the
preceding year.
The year 1893 brought an official
end TO the Ohio Bell rate case. In
an order dated April &c, 1898, the
Ohio Public Utilities Commission
required the company to make re-
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