The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1946-09-26
Demand For Telephones
Highest In South

South, as related to the per cent
now in service, is about twice that
of any other region Of the country,
President Hal S. Dumas, of South
ern Bell Telephone Company, an
nounced today.
In a statement reviewing South
ern Bell operations during the first
IL months of peace, Mr.. Dumas re-
vealed that new Company records
have been set during 1916 both in
volume of local and long distance
calls handled and in telephones
added.
Long distance calls made over
Southern Bell telephones during a
recent month totaled 9,486, 900 or
about liz greater than in 1915. and
1897 greater than in 1910
Local calls made in Southern Bell
territory are averaging about &c.
$50, 900 daily, 39% greater than the
daily volume in 1910.
Since August 81, 1915, Southern
Bell has added nearly 100000 tele-
phones, and in July of this year
broke all Company records by in
creasing the telephones in service
by more than $4,000. The average
monthly gain in Southern Bell tele-
phone, according to MI. Dumas, now
is more than four times the average
for 1945 and for the prewar period
of 1896 1899.
In Durant, the volume of local
and long distance calls has also in
creased substantially. Long distance
calls originating here during July
totaled 1874, or 2O9% over July,
l945, and 84% over July, 1910.
In Durant, local calls average
about 5,784 daily at present, a17.6
per cent increase over the daily
total in the comparable period of
le45, and PILL per cent above the
total for this period in 1910.
AT present, Durant has 451 tele-
phones, an increase of 1917 per cent
over the number in service 10 years
ago. Since Pearl Harbor, approx
imately 1876 telephones have been
added to those in service here, de-
spite continuing material shortages.
About AZ persons are waiting for
service in Durant.
To-day there are more than 2,060.-
600 Southern Bell telephones, ap-
proximately 100000 more than we
had on September l, 1940," Mr.. Du-
mas said. We expect to gain more
than $4,000 telephones this year,
an all-time record.
More than $4,000 Southern Bell
men and women, 1850 more than
nj the end of the war, and nearly
twice as many as there were in 1910,
are working 10 achieve our main OBJ
iectives: to provide telephondE for
those waiting, on the farm and in
the city; and to expand u long
distance facilities.
More equipment, more people,
more OF everything is being added
IS fast as possible TO furnish more
and better telephone service. Ap-
proximately $500. 900, 900 in expend-
lures for additional telephone facili-
ties will be required during the next
; or 0 years IN the nine states serv-
ed by Southern Bell. The Company
viii spend about $64.000.00 to n
large IT'S facilities this year and the
rate Of expenditure will accelerate
rs materials become available in
increasing quantities. This represents
BY Tor the biggest expansion pro-
gram IN the Company's history.
Financing this program viii re-
CURE that large sums Of new MONEY
be brought into the business. This
is complicated by the fact that ire
mendous increases IN demand for
service have been accompanied by
great increases IN the costs Of all
The elements that 60 into the pro
vision Of telephone service. with the
result that the Company's earnings
are the lowest In ever 20 years
New money for telephone eN-
panSlon must come as u has m the
past, from the savings Of many thou
saids 81 thrifty people Unless tele-
phone earnings are sufficient to give
them confidence In the safety Of
their investment ana a feeling 81
assurance Of . reasonable return on
that investment new funds for fur.
Their expansion viii not be- forth
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