The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1943-01-01

Year Completed
by Bell System

The Michigan Bell Telephone Com
pany met the 1912 challenges Of an
other world war and the telephone It
self proved q major weapon in the
nations march toward victory.
Ut was q precedent Shattering year
OF tremendous demands Tor telephone
service posed by Michigan's wartime
economy, in the face Of restrictions
necessary for the prosecution Of the
war For the first time in history, the
general public was urged tOcurtail its
use Of the telephone I'm order to ex-
pedite the movement Of war calls.
War calls got thrOugh-pr0mptly-
and the Michigan Bell organization
was cited by Mai. Gen. Dawson Ohm
stead. chief signal officer for the U, 5.
Army signal corps, for rising 10 the
new and greater needs OF the nation
with spirit over aud above your line
OF duty"
Total calls handled by the company
leaped to nearly 1900, 100000, includ-
ing 28,14O.OOO long distance messages,
the latter showing a gain of 100000
over the previous year.
Uespite restrictions on new in
stallatiOns, the total company tele-
phones in service passed the million
mark for the first time and the gain
of 100000 was the second highest on
record. surpassed only by the record
break king increase in 1911.
In 1911, the rising tide of war
brought service demands that ate into
plant margins at such an alarming
rate that the company carried out a
record $32,SOO,OOO expansion program.
The pinch of material shortages
frightened in 1912, but with war ser
vice needs increasing, the company
was called upon to expend another
$50, OOOOOO for construction.
With the manufacture of handSet
telephones virtually stopped by the
war, the company fortunately could
turn to reserve of upright inStru
mentS held for just such an emergen-
cy. More that 10000 'uprights" were
returned to use to provide service for
those who otherwise would have gone
without it,
The Bell System in Michigan con-
tributed more than 100 tons of metal
Il month TO the nations scrap pile.
through salvaging retired equipment.
in addition to 40 tons of other criti-
cal materials monthly. Nearly 81 300
pounds of paper We're saved in the
printing of DetrOit's new telephone
directory.
The telephone went on guard
against enemy planes on the home
front. the company cooperating with
nearly 200 communities in setting up
air raid control centers. COmmunica
lions problems arising from wartime
protection plans were discussed with
= 900 industrial plants, institutions.
and governmental agencies. The com
pany supplemented its service to the
military personnel at war posts with
operator-attended public telephones
and other cOnvPnienceS.
In year when ore shipments Oh
the Great Lakes broke all records, the
company inaugurated ship-tO- shore
telephone service over the waterways
connecting upper Lake Erie and lower
Lake Huron.
A savings Of about $135,OOO a year
was effected for $4,000 customers in
SO exchanges Of the company. The re-
ductiOn followed negotiations with
the Michigan Public Service Commits
sion which resulted in setting mp uni
form maximum local rates in ex-
changes of comparable size with less
than 10000 main telephones each.
Nearly 1900 employees joined the
cOlOrs during the year and two gold
stars appeared on the Michigan Bell
service flag. Special training was Civ
l. h. ~ - - ,01
corps recruits at the request Of the
Army. The treaSury's minute man flag
was awarded employees, more than On
per cent of whom were buying bonds
at the rate Of 50, 235. 900 a year.