Communication in the Western Division of theNiagara Hudson System

BY EDWIN S. BUNDY,Member, A. I. E. E.

E XTENSIVE interconnection of electric generating phone circuits by the power company, in some casesand transmitting systems has brought the problem the leasing of circuits from the telephone companyof rapid, dependable communication to the fore. and in some cases merely the use of telephone toll

Present day systems cover such large areas that the service. It was only natural that different companiescommunication lines have become almost as important should have different ideas on the subject.as the power lines themselves. Following the grouping of the companies into theMen operating these systems must have some means Niagara Hudson System, it immediately became ap-

of immediate communication with several points on the parent that communication facilities should be rear-system. More than that, the system of communica- ranged and revised to meet the needs of the coordinatedtion must be highly reliable and as safe from the destruc- system. Greater flexibility was needed. Engineerstive forces of nature as it can be made, because it is of the telephone company were called in to makeusually most needed when power system operation is a survey and a report. Upon the completion ofupset by storms. this survey, they submitted a report covering theThe area covered by the Western division of the complete communication needs of the western division.

Niagara Hudson System and the location of the various This report is divided into three sections: inter-officegenerating and switching points are given below: communication in the Electric Building at Buffalo,The Niagara Hudson System spans New York State

from the Pennsylvania border, near Jamestown, to the -Massachusetts border, near Albany, with a branch of l = =T-LIGHTOUSEthe lines extending northward to the Internationalboundary between New York and Quebec. The CKPORT

western division of this system includes all that part NIRALwest of Lyons. This area is shown graphically on the

TONSOLVAY

copy of the system map in Fig. 1. IGARDENVILLE

Main generating stations of the western division arelocated at Niagara Falls and Buffalo, but power is\also available from plants on the Adirondack streams X R K

and in the Mohawk and Hudson river valleys. Through 'Ninterconnections, power may also be secured from plantson the Canadian side of the Niagara River and from an

OE

adjoining system in Pennsylvania. JAMESTOWNMain switching stations of the western division are P E N N S Y L VA N A

located at Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Gardenville, Lock-port, Mortimer, Jamestown and Olean. These points FIG. 1are clearly designated on the system map.

In the economical operation of a large system such as communication between substations, extensions in thethis, which includes both steam and hydroelectric Service Building and lines to Huntley Station. Theseplants, rapid and dependable communication between are all extensions from the private branch exchange andthe division load supervisor's office in Buffalo and the comprise more than 700 miles of extensions; inter-various generating and switching points, as well as be- department communication at Huntley Station, linestween those points, is vital. Recognizing this fact, connecting Terminal Houses A, B, C and D in Buffalo,the system now in use was devised and is believed to and lines to Niagara Falls and the Tonawandas;fulfill all requirements. communication channels to main switching and gen-

Prior to the organization into one system of the va- erating stations and other strategic points of the systemrious companies comprising the western division, each throughout western New York State.company arranged for its own communication facili- Part I will be discussed later in this paper, as it isties. In some cases this involved the building of tele- concerned mostly with inter-office and Buffalo city

communication.1. Elec. Engr., Buffalo, Niagaraj & Ea,stern Power Corp., PrsIanIIweecsirdadfuldsusd

Buffalo, N. Y. PrsI n I eecnlee n ul lcsePresented at the Summer Convention of the A. I. E. E., Asheville, by the various operating men concerned. Following

N. C., June 22-36, 1931. this discussion and the adoption of various modifications1173

31-111

1174 BUNDY: COMMUNICATION SYSTEM Transactions A. I. E. E.

proposed by the operating staff, the telephone com- have of privately owned lines... . and without the re-pany was authorized to provide the facilities outlined sponsibility of maintenance. In the event of troublein the plans. on these lines, the telephone company is usually in a

REMOTE METERING position to make available other lines for reaching theThe load supervisor's office had been moved to the same points.The points thus tied to the division load supervisor's

Electric Building in Buffalo. This made it necessaryofieaeteBflosampn,thsyemprtr'to centralize operating telephone lines at that point office are the Buffalo steam plant, thesystem operatorsand provide remote metering installations from the ofice at the Niagara Falls hydro plant and the Lockportgenerating plants at Niagara Falls and Buffalo. Lines switching station. Through Lockport, the load super-

visor can also talk to Mortimer, Lyons, Solvay, andSyracuse. Using the automatic equipment in theBuffalo office, he can also reach Gardenville (just out-side the city), Jamestown, and Olean.

Lines were also leased from the telephone companyto connect the four main switching points of the westerndivision directly with each other. Niagara Falls,Lockport, Gardenville, and the Buffalo steam stationare so tied in that any one can call directly and talkto the other three.These four points have district load supervisors, and

by means of the leased circuit a two to four party con-versation may be held directly by the men. The load

W _~~~~NAGOAR FALS

FIG. 2-REMOTE METERING INSTALLATION IX LOAD SUPER- ! | i-i II|i

VISOR'S OFFICE AND Two 20-LINE, SINGLE-SIDED SPECIAL !q-, -DISPATCHER'S TuRRETS IN OFFICF OF SYSTEM OPERATOR . I

were leased from the telephone company for thispurpose, and by means of the meters the load super- 1visor gets an accurate picture of the load on eitherstation at any time of day. ' ---Three recording and three graphic meters are pro-

vided. One of these shows the total load in kilowatts .___.___ -on Huntley Station number one, which is a 25-cycle O i' 7 --i _steam-electric station, and the second shows the total FOR,FLAL ' 1 oti5.load on Huntley Station number two, which is the ' jH60-cycle steam station. The third is connected to IOiftj I ThL 9 i7Harper Station, the switching unit at Niagara Falls, iAL.and shows the load on units 19 and 20 in Schoellkopf UG-LEGE[EI It LI Ahydroelectric station. These are the regulating gen- ___erators at the station, and the meter reading, in con- Lnection with data supplied to the supervisor, makes -E 1 Jthe total load on the station available at a glance.

Huntley Station is about five miles from the super- FiG. 3A-COMMUNICATION FACILITIES, BUFFALO, TONAWANDA,visor's office and Schoellkopf Station is about 20 miles AND NIAGARA FALLSaway. The meters are operated by three separate Bluffalo, Niagara and Eastern Power Companycircuits leased from the telephone company. Theseare shown in Fig. 2. supervisor for the western division gives his orders

to the district supervisors over circuits reserved forFULL TALK CIRCUITS that purpose entirely, and the line connecting the four

Three vital points of the system are tied together points directly is reserved for the use of the four districtfrom a communication standpoint by lines leased from supervisors in direct intercommunication.the telephone company on a 24-hour a day basis. The arrangement of communication circuits atWhile these lines are built and maintained by the Buffalo is shown in Fig. 3A.telephone company as part of its regular toll facilities, Lines entering the division load supervisor's officethe power company has as full use of them as it would in Buffalo, as well as those entering each switching

D,ecember 1931 BUNDY: COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 1175

station are brought to a special dispatchers' turret. telephone lines through induction or direct contactOne telephone instrument connects the operators to between communication and power transmission wires.the entire communication network, the turret being so This hazard has been eliminated through the installationsimplified that the operator needs only to throw a key of protective equipment leased from the telephoneto call the station he wants. company.

Turrets are of three capacities, 10 line, 20 line, and Where the interconnection of communication lines40 lines, and are provided in both single and double is in a station buiJding, horn gap arresters located in aface to meet various requirements. The turret in the sheltered spot on the outside of the building are in-division supervisor's office at Buffalo is a 20-line single- stalled on the lines. These are set at 0.05 inches, toface installation. operate at about 5,000 volts. The lines then pass

Through these turrets, communication lines of vari- through disconnecting switches, at which point fusesous types can be tied together. Dial central office lines, are provided and thence to a second arrester. Thisdial extension lines, common battery extension lines, second arrester is set for as low a voltage as is con-magneto-battery central office lines, magneto-battery sistent with that normally induced on the private line.leased lines and magneto-battery privately owned lines The ground of the arresters is connected to the stationcan be interconnected in the turrets. For example, ground bus. The lines then pass through a transformerthe load supervisor in Buffalo may call Syracuse on a for further protection, since it acts as an insulatingleased line, be switched through the turret and talk to barrier. From the secondary side of this transformerLighthouse Hill using the privately owned line from the lines pass through a standard telephone protectorSyracuse to that point. This eliminates the delay and to the point of connection with the telephone company'serror danger involved in relaying the message. The conductors.turrets provide that only one call like this may be Where privately owned lines connect with telephoneswitched through at a time, however. This limitation circuits at points distant from buildings, a similarwas purposely provided in order to avoid making the installation is made on poles. One pole is set betweenload supervisor a telephone operator. the last high-tension line pole and the first telephoneAnother advantage of the turret is its speed. All compans pole for the installation of protective equip-

lines end in keys rather than plugs, and it is faster and mentyeasier to switch the key than to pick up a plug and make mn .

the connection. ~~~~~~~Inorder to take care of excessive ground potentialsWhilethnnectommunicationnsystem.wasbeingplanned,where telephone equipment is installed in power andWhile the communication system was being planned, larger switching stations, two methods are used; in-

several instances were discovered where operating needs sulating transformer, and distant ground.could not justify the leasing of lines on a 24-hour a daybasis. Such lines were desirable from an operating Thedistant ground method iS sultablein the case ofstandpoint, but the operating department alone did not smaller stations and where the telephone instruments can

fee jutfe in inurn th neesr expnse be placed so that persons using them are insulated fromItel wastifidfnd however,i that ifethessarypen. c the ground potential of the station. Telephone equip-It was found, however, that If these circuets coulrbe ment and wiring are adequately insulated from all

reserved for the operating department at certain hoursreservedforetootheoperat departmentsaherest ofth ,grounds and grounded structures that are subject toand open to other departments the rest of the time, excessive potential variations, and the equipment isthe expenditure was well worth while. These circuits connectedptoag ro asicntaditae awayeto bewere accordingly leased, with a resulting saving in long free from the influence of power station ground potentialdistance toll calls and closer contact between district vafrations.offices and the main office. With the insulating transformer method it is not

INTERCONNECTION OF PRIVATE LINES necessary that the telephone instruments be placed inBy what has gone before, it might be assumed that insulated locations in the power station. Where

private lines owned by the various companies before grounding is required, the telephone equipment isthe consolidation, were entirely discarded, but this was grounded to the power station ground, and the out-not the case. Where private lines were available and going lines pass through an insulating transformerin good condition, protective equipment was leased before they connect with telephone company circuits.from the telephone eompany, in accordance with the All equipment on the power station side of thepower company's agreement, in order that private lines transformer is grounded to the station ground; allmight be connected to leased lines to provide inter- equipment on the telephone company side of thecommunication when desirable. transformer, within range of the influence of powerPower company privately owned lines usually follow station ground potential variations, is carefully in-

the transmission line right-of-way, and where these sulated from that influence. The insulating trans-lines interconnect with telephone company circuits former is the barrier between the power station groundthere is danger of damage to equipment and possible potential variations and the telephone company'spersonal injuries due to the building up of voltage on system.

1176 BUNDY: COMMUNICATION SYSTEM Transactions A. I. E. E~.

CARRIER CURRENT Practically all the lines leased from the telephoneCarrer current is used in addition to the leased lines company are in cables, reducing to a minimum the

and privately owned lines., Briefly, in the event that probability of failure during storms. In addition,not everyone is familiar with this means of communica- where two circuits are leased between the same points,tion, it is a system which puts carrier current for voice the circuits follow entirely different routes. This alsotransmission at very high frequency on the power lines, helps to minimize the possibility of storm damage.the frequency of this carrier current being in the radio In this connection there is an important considlera-frequency range. tion in rega~rd to power company private lines. Usually

Sets are installed at Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Garden- these lines are on transmission line rights-of-way inville, Olean, Jamestown, Mortimer, Solvay, and Light- order to avoid the expense of securing separate rights-house Hill. These sets are single frequency duplex, of-way. Communication is most needed during periodsproviding two-way communication between stations of destructive storm, and private communication linesand in general are rated at 50 watts. often go out when transmission lines fail. The leasedEach telephone instrument on this system is pro- circuits usually follow different routes from the trans-

vided with a dial for selective ringing. Various stations mission lines, providing an additional factor of safety.are assigned dial numbers, as on the conventional dial Prior to the establishment of the present communica-telephone system, and any one station may call any tion network, a particularly disastrous sleet storm,

NIAGARABAFALLS BRURTMIET

I LJ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~UAK

EUAEARA FALS.WASTERPORTA SE

WEST FREASNIA ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~RCESE

TONAWAND xRAEUURAECUSEBRB

IIIA US.A, FIG. ON3R-S KPOTE COMMUNICATIONS- PLAN O I. UNTO

Buffalo,Niagara and Eastern~~~~~~~~~~"I2 Powr oman

other bydialing it directly. Whe~~~~~~~~~~LCKPRe lese lnesT ar swept cross-ractiAKLlyteetietritr.Mnavailable, the carrier-current system is not used to any of the stations were cut off at the beginningWEEDSPofgreat extentunder normal conditions because of the the storm and the private linesELBAwereAseverelyXI LYON

betterquality of v~~~~~~~OicetRansmissononth leAsedI LiEs,Y crpldAfcoretefrsOoNao etr hHowever, each set~~~~~~~~~is tEstdhroglyeerOdytopweAinsmakesure that it i~~~~~~~UBSTiAprtn cniini teeet To neetn occrrece duringthspeidr

of an emergency. worthy of mention. Extensive use wasmadeoftele-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~F~ '_'A

suchasbetween Solvay and Lighthouse Hill, the to BuflwaF ruedetieyRronOtestrTaecarrier-curren equipment ismuch more valable, via Monteal and Chicao. Short-waveradio was als

There is also an arrangement whereby the carrier- used. Amateur stations in Buffalo and Syracuse,as~~~~SYRACUScurrentequipment at Lighthous~~~~GARENHILL,E hc so h ela tanme fitreit ons racs

edgeoftheAdirondacks, can be used for communicating PAmesageRwhch er relAye byloalteepon-twiththegenerating statio~~~~~~~LAELNs,In ThWERStLawecGdsEorsItcigsatosDttie uig htr

cationplan. Communicaton for the operatingL departmentELE.NE FACLIwas

December 1931 BUNDY: COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 1177

carefully planned following an exhaustive study of the branch exchange leased from the telephone company,needs and daily traffic. As it is now laid out, the load for interdepartment communication. Calls betweensupervisor has at least two different channels of com- departments are now dialed directly and are not handledmunication with every major switching and generating by operators. Calls to the telephone company's centralstation on the system, as shown by the Buffalo district office are also dialed through directly and do not passdiagram in Fig. 4. The communication system now through the manual switchboard. Operators are nowinstalled has met every practical test so far concerned only with incoming calls to the general offices;satisfactorily. customer and all service calls being handled by a special

INTERDEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION method which is explained later.With the esta n oThe company's general switchboard, following the

Wuartersith theEstablish ofiwester diiion h hea adoption of the dial system, was cut from five positionsquartersou intheElestrcBdngpoyear.n P ionto the to three positions, only two of which are used in normalbuilding doubled in less thzan a year. Prior to 1930p,

three s r st ooperation. The staff of operators was reduced from ninethree separate swmpanitc rs, wetresumaintaid.fote. to five, despite the fact that the number of telephonesthreemseparate compani rslting confusion. served by the private branch exchange has increased

Employheefrst oinaledcompanycallitheirownoperator emrl from 189 to 325, with a corresponding increase in tele-another first signaled their own operator and askied for poetafcphone traffic.

The extra position on the manual switchboard is notSCHOELLKOPF STATION needed in normal operation. But in peak trffic, such

RANKIN STA. thatRFLLCONTROL as that occasioned by service interruptions, it is possible

ROBINSON ST.SUBSTHINMAN to put an extra operator at this position to help in han-\SUBSTATION TONAN LOCKPORT dling customer calls. While trouble calls usually go to

H.E.p. \, \ERIE\\ ERMINALS A,B,CTD,ANf an entirely separate order table receiving apparatus, asO.R PLANT UUT-EY described later, customers have a habit of calling theSTEAM-PLANT general office when the customers' service department is

T\ T TSTOET7 LYONS busy. This occasionally occurs during an unusual\\\NMORTID SOLVAY service interruption. This extra position helps to

BLO RHT SAONl relieve the peak caused when customers in trouble callTURRETR/TE TS the general offices instead of the customers' service

COMPANY telephone department.

BUFFTATLON In some of the smaller offices of the western division,SUBSTATION /

<sANGOLADENViLLE

dial equipment has been installed to give better serviceOFFICE MAHIGASRSDUESNViLLE to customers. In time of trouble, single position boards< 3STA / SgATLAN -NOTES- ll in these offices have been swamped by customers calling

INDICATES RE6U- in, and the operating staff, trying to call out in order toFREDNA FRANKLINVILLE INDICATES SECOND- clear the trouble, has been handicapped.

JAMESTOWN \INDICATES POINTS With dial equipment, the operating men can dial out

NICATE DIRECTLY on a separate group of outgoing trunks and the operatorRFALCONER HENLEY ST. BY DIAL SERVICE.SUBSTATION SUSATION ELECTRIC BLDG. can devote her entire time to answering incoming trouble

WASHINGTON ST. OLEAN BUFFALO. calls until the trouble has been cleared. The resultsSUBSTATION

have been quicker restoration of service and better treat-FIG. 4-BUFFALO LOAD DISPATCHER'S CIRCUIT DIAGRAM ment of customers.

Where the dial system is in use, one telephone instru-the other company. When the second operator ment is provided for both inside and outside calls. Onanswered, they asked for their party. With the re- an inside call the number of the extension desired isarrangement of departments by floors, irrespective of dialed directly. On an outside call, 7 is dialed and whencompanies, employees working side by side were often the second dial tone is heard, indicating that the instru-on two different switchboards. There was also a great ment is connected with the telephone company'sdeal of congestion on the tie lines between company exchange, the number wanted is dialed.switchboards,andalarge staff ofoperatorswasrequired Since the installation of the dial system, time con-to handle the traffic. Customers were also confused and sumed in completing both inside and outside calls hasthere wa(s a considerable number of calls intended for been cut in half. Employees have become thoroughlyone company received on the switchboard of one of the familiar with the dial telephone and find it faster, moreothers. accurate, and generally more satisfactory. The new

This situation was somewhat relieved by bringing all system has also ended the irritating habit of having athe boards together, but the traffic problem, particu- telephone operator put in a call and keep the personlarly on interdepartment calls, was still present. called waiting on the line until the caller is ready to talk.The problem was solved by establishing a dial private It has been found that people have acquired the more

1178 BUNDY: COMMUNICATION SYSTEM Transactions A. I. E. E.

courteous habit of being ready to talk when the person persons on each side facing each other. Green lights inthey call answers. the center of the table indicate a call instead of the

INCOMING CALLS FROM CUSTOMERS ordinary telephone bell. The board is so multipled thatthe same call may be taken at any one of three positions,Publlc relations dynamite lur in e teleo and a white light flashes when the call is answered.

call. Executives who ponder upon the public rela- Eac sevc rersnttv is eqipdwt edtions problem would do well to listen in on some of the Et reeiveadacestatiter,eaving both hadsncoming calls from customers andoler t firsthand free. From all positions at the order table, direct lines

how employemeshode wrevitustomers ov the telephone. run to the meter and trouble departments and the orderUnder the method previously used by the company, table files, making it possible to get information quickly

customer calls came to the general switchboard. The from these departments while holding the customer oncustomer made his request to the telephone operator the line. In addition, 10 tie lines connect the orderwho knew by experience what department was wanted. table with the dial switching equipment of the privateUsually the operators were all busy with other calls, branch exchange, making it possible for the serviceand this delayed answering incoming calls. Customers representatives to pass the call along to any of the 325were not always sure what department they wanted. extensions from the company's regular switchboard inIt was a common occurrence for a customer to ask for the event tha.t the customer wants to talk further tothe purchasing department, and upon being connected, some particular person. In this event, the servicesay that he wanted to purchase an appliance. representative gets the company employee while holding

Calls to have service cut in or cut out and similar the customer call, explains what is wanted and thusrequests were routed to a commercial table. Here, obviates the necessity of the customer's repeating hisafter the customer had repeated his request, the mes- request. Through these tie lines, service representativessage was taken and relayed to the department handling may also get information from any one of the 325 exten-the work. sions on the company's regular exchange.

Customers who reported trouble were connected with Incoming trunks to the order table pass through thean order table in the distribution department, operated regular exchange, but give no signal to the operatorsby men, and while they handled their work well, the there. However, if the call has been made in error andtelephone contact with customers was not always as the customer really wants the regular general officepleasing as it might have been. switchboard, the service representative gets the switch-

Entirely aside from the cumbersomeness of this board operator over one of the tie lines and asks herarrangement, there were several undesirable features to connect the person on the trunk number to Mr.from the standpoint of public relations: Blank. Although the customer has made a mistake,

1. The customer was forced to make his request two he is transferred without a word to the right extension.or three times to different people, explaining his trouble When customers call the general office switchboard into each one. error, they may also be transferred without trouble to

2. The company caused the customer loss of time the customers' service telephone department.and patience. The customers' service telephone department answers

3. Often customers hung up before the proper de- all customer calls to Cleveland 5260 directly. Thispartment was located, with a resulting loss of both good number is so listed in the telephone directory that cus-will and business to the company. tomers should not get the wrong number, but if they do

4. No record was made of how any given case was their call is passed along to the right switchboard with-handled and whether or not the customer was satisfied; out any inconvenience to the calling party. The youngno one, with the possible exception of one department ladies who comprise this department were carefullyhead (whose department had happened to handle the selected and put through a course of training extendingparticular case) knew what service had been given. over a six weeks period before the department was put

5. There was no follow up to make sure that the into operation. During this time, they were in all thecustomer was satisfied. various service departments, getting a background

Following the survey and report by the telephone regarding the work done so that they might handlecompany, a department was established known as the customers' requests intelligently.customers' service telephone department. This is a The staff of the department includes fourteen atten-centralized point where all customer telephone calls dants and a supervisor. The department is in operationregarding connections and disconnections of electric 24 hours a day, every day in the year. The usual loadservice, interrupted service, bill complaints, and on the department is about 1,200 calls a day, but duringrequests for information are received, times of general trouble over a section of this city, calls

Calls are received over a special group of 18 central rise to a peak of 3,000 or more. When the lines areoffice trunk lines which terminate in what is known as normal, attendants who are not needed "double" asan order receiving table. This is a telephone switch- typists and filing clerks, but are ready to take up theirboard in the form of a long table, with places for seven duties as attendants the moment a peak impends.

December 1931 BUNDY: COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 1179

When desired information can be obtained in a few one location and a similar receiving machine can be at amoments, the attendant "holds" the customer on the distant location either in the same building, the sameline and provides it; when considerable time is needed, city or two widely separated cities. The machines arethe customer's number is taken and the information is so arranged that whatever is typed on the sendingtelephoned back when it is secured. machine, such as an order, a letter or other information,By having the customer calls come into this central- is instantaneously transmitted by electrical impulses

ized point instead of directly to the private branch over wires to the receiving machine. These impulsesexchange switchboard, the necessity of the customer operate the keyboard of the receiving machinie in suchbeing cross-examined by the private branch exchange a manner that it types the message at the receivingoperator to find out what the customer's desire might point exactly as it was typed at the sending point.

Through the medium of five of these machines in thecustomers' telephone service department, all ordersand reports of trouble are immediately sent to theService Building for prompt attention.

All service requests are kept in duplicate in a pendingfile. This file is inspected every morning to make surethat all promises of the day before have been kept.In this way, the customers' service telephone depart-ment provides a constant check on the service renderedby other departments.

There has also been installed a monitor observing setwhich taps every company telephone line. By means ofthis, samples are taken of telephone conversations car-ried on by employees and these are used as a basis fortraining employees in the correct use of the telephone.

FIG. 5-ORDER TABLE-BUFFALO

be is obviated. After this, the call was referred to thedepartment that might be involved, where again thecustomer was requestioned and if he had not beenconnected to the right department, transferred toanother telephone and again questioned, much to theirritation of the customer. The customer's telephoneservice bureau not only receives the call, but completesthe entire customer contact without transferring thecall to another person or to another department.This arrangement not only provides for speedier hand-ling of customer calls, which is essential to giving realcustomer service, but allows all calls of this nature tobe handled by a group of people who can specialize inthis type of work. The equipment is shown in Fig. 5. FIG. 6-FIVE No. 15 SENDING AND RECEIVINa TELEPHONE-

TYPEWRITER INSTRUMENTSTELETYPE MACHINES

Three equipped with special platens for positive drive and remote control.Calls to have service cut in or out, bill or service two equipped with standard platens --one with remote control

complaints, and trouble calls are handled by the de-partment directly. The customer provides the informa- This work has been so arranged that there has been notion and the operator follows it through to completion. charge of "spying." Each department knows inFor this purpose, five teletype machines are provided, advance when it is to be observed over the monitor.affording direct communication with the meter and dis- Samples are taken verbatim by a stenographer attribution departments in the Service Building, two miles various periods of the day for several days. These areaway. The teletype installation is shown in Fig. 6. discussed later at a meeting of employees of the de-A telephone typewriter instrument is an electrically partment observed and means of improving the differ-

operated machine which has a keyboard and other me- ent conversations are pointed out.chanical parts similar toaregular typewritermachine but The vital importance of telephone contacts withwith this difference; that the sending machine can be at customers has been realized and for that reason steps

1180 BUNDY: COMMUNICATION SYSTEM Transactions A. I. E. E.

have been taken to see that their impressions of the able, and up-to-date. The telephone company deservescompany gained over the telephone, are favorable. a great deal of credit for the way in which it handled the

It is believed that the system of communication complete survey of our system and for the cooperationwhich has been set up in the western division of the it has given us in working out our communicationNiagara Hudson system is practical, efficient, depend- problem.