IMPROVING THE SYSTEM

Bell Telephone Company to Inaugurate Central Energy

New Office Ready for Occupancy-More Underground Wires to be Laid.

[Welland Telegraph, 27 February 1912]

After Wednesday morning there will be no ringing of the telephone bell when you call central. The necessary lifting of the receiver from the hook to the ear is all that will be required to get a response, or the purpose of calling your number.

Manager Douglass, whose zealous efforts have resulted in securing for Welland the modern central energy system, may now enjoy the fruition of his labors. On Wednesday the changes from the old office on North Main Street to the new one on Division Street, and from the old ring system to the new central energy system will be made. It had been intended to make this change on Saturday, but several unlooked for difficulties made it impossible.

The central energy system is a vast improvement over the one formerly in use. It is not only handier for the subscriber, but it is easier for the central girls to operate. It makes a quicker answer to a call possible and makes it unnecessary for central to cut in on the line to to find out if you secured your party or whether you have finished your conversation.

The switchboards are multiple and duplicated four times. In this manner each operator can reach any number without duplication or without the assistance of another operator.

A call is recorded by the flashing of a small light and when the party called answers, another small electric light is lighted. These burn automatically until the phone is out of use, when both lights extinguish themselves.

The Bell Telephone Company have decided to insist upon numbers only being given when asking for calls. The name of the party desired will not do. “We want to give a good fast service and to do so we must insist that numbers be given,” said Manager Douglass on Friday.

The switchboard in the new office is larger and more readily accessible than the former switchboard. There will be four separate long distance positions. Party lines are designated by opals and the wall rings are the same as in the former system.

The new office is a model. It is located in part of the Burgar block on Division Street. The entrance is into a large general room containing a number of booths for long distance or local calls. Opening off of this is the manager’s private office, and in the next room the switchboards are located. In the rear of this is the room where the wires come in and are divided. In the basement is the storage battery system capable of developing 220 volts. There are 24 volts on the wires when in service. Power is secured from the Welland Electrical Company, and there is a storage system capable of carrying enough electricity for twenty-four hours. The electrical system is a very complete and perfect one.

There are in all ten central operators, a chief operator and a supervisor.

The Bell Telephone Company, who last year took the initiative and began burying its wires, intends this year to further carry on this system of underground laying. At the present time Welland has a larger proportion of its telephone wires underground than any other town in Canada.