From the Lafayette Gazette of August 23rd, 1902: TELEPHONE EXCHANGE. Transferred to the Lacoste Building - Steady Increase of Business - Long Distance Rates Reduced. Manager W. A. Broussard, of the Cumberland Telephone Company, successfully completed the transfer of the local exchange from the Moss to the Lacoste building last Saturday, August 16. The changes necessitated and the delicate manipulation required in making the transfer of instruments and their installation in the new office demanded skilled workmen and so the company detailed Mr. R. G. Gooch of Nashville, electrician, assisted by Mr. Homer Jones, of same city, for the work. These two expert workmen together with a number of linemen labored industiously for over two weeks before everything was ready for the final transfer of the office. On the 16th at 7 a. m. the transfer with the least interruption of business and Mayor Caffery and Mr. R. C. Greig were called upon to exchange the first Hello to test the efficiency of the new switchboard. The trial was eminently satisfactory and much credit is reflected upon the management for the excellent service now assured the public under the new system. The office fixtures consist of an iron route board, a two-section multiple switch board with positions for four operators, and a long distance board outside the office proper, with two booths attached for public use. The multiple switchboard with all the most improved attachments for rendering convenient and reliable service, constitutes the principal feature of the many innovations. By means of this the operator can perform her duty with as much ease as playing the piano. An intelligent and efficient corps of operators has been employed, the following young ladies constituting same: Miss Lucy Judice, chief operator; Misses Corinne Guidry, Henrietta Landry and Marguerite Ruger, day force, while Misses Ella Bertand and Laura Magnon compose the night force. The company has done everything possible to contribute to the comfort and convenience of the young ladies in charge and with larger and airy rooms and an up-to-date installation the hello girls may well smile as they give the number. Manager Broussard reports 220 phones in service and orders for 20 more. The reduced rates will doubtless add considerably to the number of subscribers. A neat and complete directory has just been issued. Lafayette Gazette 8/23/1902. Water Supply. - For several months the supply of water from the city works has gradually shown signs of failure and about ten days ago engineer Melchert under direction of the council removed the strainer from the old well, finding it almost completely clogged with sand, gravel etc. The feat of removing the strainer screwed to the pipe some three or four hundred feet below the surface was accomplished only after repeated and persistent efforts. A new strainer fifty feet long and constructed on a different plan has been made by Mr. Melchert and will be attached to a six inch pipe and lowered into the eight inch well. The new strainer is made of brass and protected with a net-work of rust proof wire which it is hoped will effectually prevent any future clogging. If this scheme succeeds as there is every reason to believe, the city saves the expense of boring a new well, something over $1,000 and thus will have solved the most serious problem which has confronted it for some time. Mayor Caffery and the waterworks committee have in the meantime kept the stand-pipe full in case of emergency and also arranged with Mr. B. N. Coronna of the Compress company for supplying a limited quantity of water for stock and necessary house-hold purposes. The public should bear with patience any inconvenience resulting from the predicament in which the city finds itself as to water supply remembering that the present year is altogether without parallel in small amount of rainfall. Many of the deepest wells and some of the largest and finest springs in the country have failed this summer, in numerous instances altogether. And this condition has not been local but has existed throughout the Southern States, affecting very seriously the growth of crops generally. Lafayette Gazette 8/23/1902. Brick Factory. - The Lafayette Brick & Tile Manufacturing Company have completed the installation of all machinery necessary to operate the plant and Thursday raised steam for testing. All parts worked smoothly and Manager Mouton expresses extreme satisfaction over the success which has so far crowned the efforts of the promoters of this enterprise. Next Monday the plant which has a capacity of 30,000 daily will be put in full operation and the manufacture of brick actually begun. Nearly all the process is by machinery, very little manual labor being required either to mold the brick or place them in kiln. Lafayette Gazette 8/23/1902.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 14:11:15 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015