quarters, and of particular interest are his statements regarding the results of such experiments as far as telephones are concerned.

In London the charges are graduated according to the radius over which the call must go. In Paris, where the government owns the plant, the service is said to be absolutely inadequate. There are more than 100 different instruments in use, since every subscriber must purchase his own instrument. The Paris Figaro characterizes the whole concern as "pitiable and intolerable." Subscribers and all patrons and would-be patrons complain that to almost every call for a number central replies "Pas libre"-American, "Busy." And this does not mean that the line is busy, but that central is too busy to answer!

In Berlin, according to Mr. Burgess, the service is ponderously slow, and the girls break in on an average of nine times to every call. In Switzerland, the cradle of municipal ownership, the exchanges are open only from seven a. m. to nine p. m., and calls at other hours cost ten cents extra.

Again, Mr. Burgess's report shows that while in some cases charges for municipal telephone service appear lower than in America -without considering, of course, the contrast in the service yet wages paid employees are so very much lower than in America that on the face of it it appears that a Yankee gets a better bargain. In London, for example, where the highest flat rate is $81.60 per year, the following wages are paid: Operators, beginners (a week), 84 cents; first year, $1.92; second year, $3.14; fifth year, $4.36. Wiremen, $6.72. Super

visors, $6.00 to $8.16.

In other places the following scale is effective:

Glasgow Operators, beginners (a week), $1.21; first year, $1.93; second

year, $3.40; fifth year, $4.37. Wiremen, $7.80. Supervisors, $4.37.

Sweden-Engineers (monthly), $33.75 to $40.50; women clerks, $18.90 to $20.25; managers, $33.75.. Operators (weekly), $3.40; linemen, $4.86 to $5.67.

Berlin-Operators (daily), first year, 60 cents; second year, 72 cents; ninth year, $360 annually, and $129.60 expenses. Six hours work a day. Linemen and installers, $72 to $96 a month.

en

Switzerland (Annually.) Chief gineers, $1061.50; managers, $926.40; operators, $231.60 to $405.30. Linemen (daily), 77 cents to $1.25; polemen, 97 cents to $1.35.

Mr. Burgess says the impudence of the continental operators is insufferable, they being protected by civil service.

The city of Glasgow, where the city government has tried its hand at running tramcars and in managing nearly every other public service utility, retired from the telephone business a year ago, having found it too expensive a luxury. The Glasgow Herald said editorially at the time:

"The town council of Glasgow yesterday wisely resolved to retire from the telephone business. It is six years since the funds of the citizens and the security of the rates were pledged to a competition with a private undertaking-which may have been faulty, but was certainly willing and able to mend, as it did in point of fact. The whole five years that the corporation system has been in actual operation under license have resulted in what ordinary traders would regard as dead loss. After an expenditure of some 360,000 pounds ($1,800,000) in building up the system, it is now necessary to expend another 100,000 pounds ($500,000) on alterations and extensions to meet the circumstances of the day."

Volume I

Number 2

There have recently been important changes in the management of the American

Telephone and Telegraph Company. Fred

erick P. Fish, for sevChanges in East eral years head of the Bell interests in America,

resigned three months ago, his resignation taking effect on May 1. President Fish had been desirous for more than two years, it is said, of giving over the reins in order to devote all his attention to the law, his profession, but he continued in office until a successor in every way capable could be secured. This man was Theodore N. Vail, one of the four original telephone men in the United States.

Hubbard and Theodore N. Vail organized the first Bell company for the exploitation of the telephone. The company was merely an association, of which Mr. Vail was president. It was succeeded by the National Bell Company, which in 1878 was consolidated with the New England Company to form the American Bell Telephone Company. When this company was reorganized as the American Telephone and

Telegraph Company, Mr. Vail became gen

eral manager.

Mr. Vail left the telephone business in 1889, however, and for more than ten years devoted his attention to the building of street railway systems and electric lighting plants in Europe and South America. For the past four years he has been one of the board of directors of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, so that he entered upon his duties as president equipped with a thorough knowledge of the affairs of the company.

extent impossible to anticipate so far as the past is concerned, it would not be wise or for the interest of the company to fail to profit by its experience. The policy of the company should be to anticipate requirements rather than let requirements force action. upon the company. Ample financial resources should be provided in advance of immediate demands.

"While these demands still continue large and must be met, it is for a much better class of service, yielding more adequate returns, utilizing the construction work already completed and making the demands upon the company for money for new construction very much less than last year.

"So far as the work of the current year is concerned, the company has ample resources to provide for all contemplated expenditures without any difficulty whatever and without increasing liabilities beyond those already incurred.

"So far as the general outlook is concerned, it was never brighter. Conditions are becoming more favorable in all quarters, business is improving and returns are most satisfactory. The balance of earnings of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company for the five months ending May 31 is nearly $600,000 more than for the same months last year, and the surplus for the first five months of this year is quite sufficient to pay a full year's dividend on the proposed new issue of stock which will make no considerable demands on the present year."

in Los Angeles. The local chief operators' meetings are held on Thursday of each week, and the long distance meetings on Wednesday. The subjects discussed at these meetings indicate the interest and enthusiasm of the operating employees in the work. For example: In a recent long distance chief operators' meeting the subject of ticket reports and code work was taken up, and special stress was laid upon the improper recording of reports on the backs of tickets and errors in general detail work. The code was thoroughly discussed, and the following meeting was opened by an examination of code work, followed by reports from supervisors regarding the results obtained in their division. At another meeting the relations between chief operators and office employees was taken up, and their effect upon certain efficiencies was brought out.

At a meeting of the local chief operators the subject of operating forces was considered. Traffic curves for each office were exhibited and discussed in detail; particular attention was paid to peg count reports, and their relation to the schedule of operators' hours. THE PACIFIC TELEPHONE MAGAZINE congratulates Los Angeles on the start it has made, and feels sure that the results of these meetings will be highly gratifying.

Now, just one word of caution: To be productive of the results desired these meetings must be participated in by all, and each supervisor and chief operator must feel free to bring up topics for discussion and to express opinions. If one does all the talking these meetings become lectures and not conferences. We hope to hear as good reports from the other exchanges, and will be glad to give as much as possible of our valuable space to reports of similar efforts toward perfect service for our subscribers, which is the aim of all of us.