Newport's Telephone Revolution: A 600-Line Exchange Built for Growth

One of the most modern and complete plants in the Northwest country.

The new telephone exchange, now about completed, is an improvement that Newport should be proud of. It is doubtless true that but few of our people understand the thoroughness with which every detail of its construction has been looked after, or the modern character of its equipment. As fast as possible the phones from the old exchange are being changed over to the new, and soon the whole office system will be in working order.

Last winter Mr. R. S. Anderson, of Sherwood, N.D., a telephone man of long and successful experience, after having visited Newport and surrounding country, and being impressed with the wondrous possibilities of growth that developments of our resources would bring about, applied to the town council for a franchise to erect and operate a telephone exchange in our town. The franchise granted, Mr. Anderson, realizing the expense that two phone systems would be to our people, purchased the local exchange of the Pacific States Telegraph & Telephone Co. However, instead of rebuilding the obsolete exchange he discarded it, and has built for our town an entirely new system, and in doing so has at a cost of over $11,000 given Newport the most modern and complete telephone equipment that could be procured. In fact, there are but two as complete systems in the smaller cities of the northwest.

The system is what is known as the "central energy system" of the Vote-Berger Ballast Switchboard, Central Energy System, Vote-Berger Co. of La Crosse, Wis. The equipment consists of a complete three-position Ballast switchboard, main and intermediate distributing frames, with all necessary protectors, complete power plant, and all necessary cables, cable racks, etc.

The switchboard is of an ultimate capacity of 600 lines, having 400 common battery lines and 32 rural lines. All lines are multiplied to each operator's position, affording each operator easy access to each and every line on the board. When the receiver is taken off any phone on the line—no ringing or other signal required on the part of the patron—a corresponding electric light bulb on the switchboard directly in front of the operator directs attention to the call; in addition a bright red bulb is illuminated, so there is no possibility of a call passing unnoticed. Returning the receiver to the hook breaks the connection.

The electrical power for the plant is all located at the central station, there being no batteries in connection with the phones. A Gould storage battery of 20 cells with 80 ampere hour capacity furnishes the electrical power, the battery being charged by a Roth dynamo driven by a 5-horse power Fairbanks-Morse gasoline engine. In addition there is an auxiliary system of dry batteries, for use in case something goes wrong with the storage battery equipment. The main and intermediate distributing frames are of Western Electric Co. make and have a capacity of 600 lines. They are fully equipped with lightning arresters and heat coils, affording ample protection against lightning and high tension currents. In four different places is the system protected against lightning, insuring safety to the patrons of the line.

The equipment includes a converter to furnish power for central to ring, ammeter, volt meter, circuit breaker, rheostat, and the switches necessary to manipulate the various power circuits, all of which play their part in the intricate mechanism of the modern telephone exchange. The storage battery furnishes the current for the operation of the entire system, talking, signaling and all other purposes.

Mr. J. Pfeifter, expert switchboard engineer for the Vote-Berger Co., installed the various mechanisms.

Not only in the central office equipment, but also in the pole lines has a high standard of construction been insisted upon by Mr. Anderson. The construction of the lines has been under the supervision of Mr. J. W. Johnson, telephone engineer of Trempeleau, Wis., and the thoroughness with which the work has been done attests his ability. An entirely new set of poles and wires has been built, the poles being set in the alleys wherever possible. All of the poles are of the choicest that could be found in the Newport pole yards and are 45 and 50-footers with 6-inch tops. The crossarms and all other materials are of the best. In the central business district of the town over 1000 feet of cable was used. A total of over six miles of poles were set, which must be soon considerably increased, as the town grows and the use of the system is extended in all directions.

The Pacific States' long distance lines are connected with the switchboard, and the long distance lines of the Inter-State Co. also reach the central office, but can be utilized only at central. A 24-hour service will be given as soon as arrangements can be completed and all the phones are connected with the new system. Of the old system of the Pacific States Co. nothing has been used in the new exchange, the old lines, instruments and everything having been discarded.

The telephone is a necessity in business and social intercourse of the day. Mr. Anderson has given Newport a telephone system such as few cities in the Northwest can boast of. His faith in the future of our city will, we trust, be vindicated by a rapid growth in business, and he should have the hearty co-operation of all our people. The central office is located on Third street, between Washington and Spokane, and Mr. Anderson extends an urgent invitation to all who are interested in modern improvements in telephony to give it a visit.