a wheel and unless each individual wheel fills its office, as is intended by the master maker, neither he nor we can hope for the ultimate success of the machine.

I would further urge the necessity of a strong affiliation between the wire chief and the operating department. The operating department is the pivotal point on which the destinies of a telephone company turn and the wire chief is a strong factor in its sucThe wire chief with an efficient corps of subordinates is as necessary to an operating department as its operators, and likewise an efficient chief operator is as necessary to a successful wire chief as his testboard.

cess.

As an examination of the above I would cite as follows: Perfect service depends on perfect operating and perfect mechanical conditions. It is our duty to maintain the mechanical conditions and keep them as near perfect as possible. To do this it is necessary for each man employed to co-operate with his fellow in an endeavor to act quickly and intelligently on any detail that may present itself to the detriment of our service.

We need and appreciate the service of a good and efficient chief operator. If she thoroughly understands her work and is keeping in close touch with her subscribers she will call to the wire chief's attention not only complaints that have become chronic by continual dissatisfaction on the part of the subscriber, but such cases as may ultimately cause a subscriber to complain and perhaps become what we please to term a "chronic."

As regards our outside troublemen, we must study them as we would a machine. We must learn their weak points and their capabilities and using their capabilities to our best advantage, build up and strengthen their weak points until they reach the standard of all around competency.

I have found that, as a class, the out

side troublemen are more than eager to take hold of any plan or organization wherein the points of our work are to be studied or discussed and I have further found that the bringing of these men together in this manner calls out traits that are impossible to discover in any other manner.

My advice to a wire chief would be, to call his troublemen together; get them interested in their work by showing them that their future welfare depends on their keeping in touch with its advancement; get them interested in each other that they may gain from each other ideas and experience which prove of value to them; enter into their discussions yourself and broaden their field and give them confidence in you and, last, but not least, interest yourself in them to the extent that they will feel that you have their welfare at heart. The results you will gain, I believe, will be to your utmost satisfaction.

Our daily routine varies in the different offices to such an extent that I do not believe it practical to outline or expand on any particular line of set rules to govern all exchanges.

I believe, however, that inasmuch as every wire chief has the same object in view and as each of his departments is working to the same end, that his method of getting these results should be left to his discretion until such time as our system of operation shall be perfected to the extent of working all offices on the same basis.

In conclusion, I wish to say that the development of telephone operations on the Pacific coast has opened up a broad and expansive field which is full of vast possibilities for the wire chiefs of The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, and only by giving the most vital attention to the detail and aiming high are we going to see our aspirations fulfilled and the standard. of our company raised to the highest possible plane.

Oregon Operators in Convention

Operators of Jackson and Josephine counties, Oregon, met in a successful convention at Ashland, on October 20th, acting upon a suggestion made by Division Superintendent Gilkyson at the convention of managers in Portland held a few days before.

The meeting was held in the Masonic lodge rooms, and was called to order by Manager E. A. Sherwin. Miss Edna Eifert, chief operator at Medford, was elected chairman and Miss Edna Tostevin, chief operator at Ashland, was chosen secretary.

County Manager A. T. Marshall, of Grants Pass, addressed the meeting, outlining the policy of Division Superintendent Gilkyson as explained at the manager's convention. Manager Sherwin urged co-operation, and Manager Strang of Medford gave a fine address on the handling of messages.

Miss Edna Eifert, the chairman, advocated making Medford a checking station,, and the operators in convention voted in favor of the suggestion. Miss Edna Tostevin, secretary, talked interestingly on quick service with long-distance calls. Other addresses included talks by Miss Grimes on checking, by Miss Eva Wimer on long distance troubles, by Miss Jennie Huggerth and Miss Emma Shaska. Miss Shaska advocated frequent conventions of operators.

A vote of thanks was accorded Division Superintendent Gilkyson for authorizing the convention, and the operators adjourned for refreshments.

Library for Berkeley Exchange

A library is the latest development at Berkeley. The enterprise started with 90 volumes, secured by purchase and donation, and its success is assured by the hearty manner in which the operators have taken hold of the project.

The library was formally turned over to the operators at a supervisors' meeting on October 1st. It was a most successful meeting, attended by operators and supervisors, Manager F. E. White, Wire Chief J. A. Etter and testers and switchboard men. The supervisors were taken to the terminal rooms and the entire line circuit was explained in detail.

The manner in which the library was for the most part secured tells of the good service which the Berkeley staff is giving. When it became known that the young women wanted books, there was a generous response from prominent Berkeley people. The donors included Mrs. W. F. Morris, proprietor of the Hotel Carlton; Mrs. Anna B. Pray, proprietor of the Berkeley Inn; Mrs. Biver, Biver, proprietor of of the the Alta Vista; Mr. Eugene R. Hallett, manager of the Berkeley Independent; Mr. Van Becker of the San Francisco Call staff in Berkeley; Mr. Duncan McDuffie of Mason-McDuffie and Co.; Prof. Senger of the State University, and Mr. Clyde Abbott of Abbott's Book Store.

Mr. and Mrs. White contributed a Century dictionary and encyclopedia. The dues, which are nominal, are used for the purchase of new books.

Bell men of Seattle are going to study telephony. How's that? First rate; isn't it. The first meeting of employees interested in the new class, or club-it hasn't a name as yet-was held on October 15, in the rooms of the east exchange, 1520 17th avenue, Seattle. Details of the meeting are given in the report of the secretary, which follows:

The meeting was opened by Mr. George M. Noltner, who had Mr. W. B. Reed read a paper outlining the object of the meeting. Mr. Noltner then appointed Mr. Fred Nelson temporary chairman and Mr. C. Hayes temporary secretary.

The next order of business was the election of officers in which Mr. Frank Tustin was elected president, and took the chair. With Mr. Tustin in the chair the following officers were elected by ballot: Vice-President W. B. Reed; Secretary, W. C. Pickford; Treasurer, G. M. Noltner; Sergeantat-Arms, Sam'l Rothermel.

The next order of business was the appointment of a committee to look up and report at the next meeting the merits of all oganizations furnishing the study of telephony. The committee is as follows: M. W. Cornitius, Fred Baum, H. D. McClellan, Chas. Knago and J. E. Lloyd.

The next order of business was the selection of the evening and the hour, which was decided by standing vote, for every Tuesday evening at 8 P. M.

On account of the large crowd it was at once decided that the room used was too small for the purpose. Mr. Noltner was elected as committee of one to make arrangements for a large room.

A committee was appointed on rules, composed of the following members: H. W. Shyrock, J. U. Lundy, H. T. Jordan.

The next order of business was the appointment of a committee on name, which

consists of the following: C. E. Fleager, T. L. Chambers, W. E. Donaldson.

The next order of business was the voting of the following members as charter mem bers of the organization:

After the above business had been transacted, Mr. Fleager and Mr. Noltner gave short talks on the benefits of such an organization.

After this the meeting was adjourned to meet Tuesday evening, October 22, 1907, at 8 P. M., at a place to be decided upon by Mr. Noltner and all members advised.