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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 10, 1921)
TTTE MORNING OREGOXIAN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1931 11 TELEPHONE HISTORY TOLD BY E ngeh Evolution of Art Explained to Show Improvements. VAST SUMS ARE SPENT Expenditure or $100,000,000 for Iron Dust Casing- Cited as Apt Example or Progress. Complete evolution of the tele phonic art In the United States during the last 40 years, brought about by constant research work carried on by the general staff of engineers of the American Telephone & Telegraph company for the benefit of its associ nte companies, including the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph company, was the story related yesterday by Fred erick Leland Rhodes, outside plant engineer and member of the general engineering staff of the American company, who appeared before the public service commission as an im portant witness in the telephone rate rehearing. The recitation of the inside work ings of the Bell company, which is conceded to control the telephone situation in the United States, was given in Oregon . yesterday for the first time. It was the purpose of the witness to show by his testimony that the Pacific company, in common with other associate companies, is saving hundreds of thousands of dollars an nually through affiliation with the parent ' company. Mr. Rhodes, who has been on the engineering staff of the American company for 30 years, told the commission of the develop ment brought about by the general staff of his company in every branch of the telephone business, develop ment which has improved the tele phone service and which has saved telephone users millions of dollars. Charts Illuntrate Points. Charts and photographs were used by the witness to illustrate his points, and actual reproductions of parts of telephone instruments found their way into the records before the day had ended. Mr. Rhodes did not com plete his story when adjournment took place and will resume the stand for direct examination this morning at 9:30 o'clock. Assistant City Attorney Tomlinson entered objection after objection dur ing the morning session to the testi mony offered by Mr. Rhodes. The city's representative took the posi tion that the progress of the tele phone art under the direction of the engineering staff of the American company was not relevant or material to the case before the commission. After much argument en the part of both counsel for the city and for the company, Chairman Williams an nounced that the commission would take note of the objections entered, but that inasmuch as all sides to the telephone case had been clamoring for the story of the inter-relation be tween the Pacific company and the parent company, the witness would be permitted to proceed. Witness Tells Story. In 1881. at the time that the Pa cific Telephone company entered into a contract with the American com pany for the rental of instruments, Mr. Rhodes stated that there was no provision for the placement of tele phone wires in a cable. Shortly after that period telephone wires were laid in iron pipe and later they were placed in rubber casements, but both of these methods proved unsuccessful. The witness traced the evolution of the cable for telephone wires going through the various stages, showing .by his testimony that in 1S88 the cable used could carry only 100 wires, and then gave very unsatisfactory service, while the latest development of the cable permits the carrying of 2424 wires and gives satisfactory eervice. War Causes Changes. The late world war caused many changes in the manufacture of tele phone equipment, and caused a revo lutionary change in the insulation of wire carried in cables. Manila rope paper was used to cover the wires, but shortage of this paper caused the engineers to make experiments until they produced a paper made from 6pruce pulv which served as a eatisfactory substitute. Inability to obtain diamonds with which to ;ut fine wires used in mak ing up coils caused the engineers a year or more of experimenting and etudy. Out of this study came an iron dust casing, made up of 36,000.000,000 particles of dust to each coil, each separately insulated. .The improvements along this line, according to the witness, amounted to more than $100,000,000. Development of the duplex cables, made by the engineers of the American company, has already saved associate compa nies $7,000,000, the witness averred. When the witness told of the devel opment of the loaded circuit patent, purchased from Dr. Micheal Pupine. professor of electricity at Columbia university. Assistant City Attorney Tomlinson interrupted to object, (stat ing that not only was this testimony immaterial, but that, in addition, it was not good grace for the company to tell ebout a patent that had been stolen from a "poor professor." 1Mb Sum Paid for Patent. The witness, under direct question ing by Attorney Shaw, stated that he had been informed that Professor Pu pine had received between $500,000 and $1,000,000 for his patent, which came to the Bell interest undeveloped. The use of the carrier system, also known as duplex telephony, was brought out by the witness to show the effort on the part of the parent company constantly to improve tele phone service. This particular serv ice, he said, enables the use of one set of telephone wires, for four long distance messages can be carried over the single set, simultaneously, in ad dition to the original message. The ame system permits the sending of ten telegraph messages over one set of wires at one time in addition to the original message. This improvement, he pointed out, has saved the Pacific company the expense of constructing new lines be tween Portland and San Francisco to care for growing business, an ex pense which is estimated by company engineers to be not less than $1,000. 000. There are six carrier channels in operation at the present time be tween Portland and San Francisco. Development of Wireless Factor. The development of wireless teleph ony, as an adjunct to the land wires, was explained by the witness, who said that the work of the engi neers of his company had made it possible to provide telephonic com munication over a telephone by radio from Washington, D. C, to San Fran risco, and thence to Hawaii, and also from Washington across the Atlantic ocean to Paris. Stepping from the department of research in the American company. Mr. Rhodes next told the commission of the fundamental plana which are prepared by engineers of his company fcr the guidance of the engineers of ! the associate companies.. These plans include a map of what a telephone plant, should be in a city 20 years from the time that the plana are evolved. At the expense of the parent com pany, engineers are sent to the cities in which associate companies- are op erating and make a careful commer cial survey, including a house-to-house count, gathering statistics of value in such a study. In 1906 en gineers were detailed to Portland for this purpose and at that time a forecast was made that Portland would have a population of 270,000 in 1920. In 1917 engineers were again sent to Portland to make revisions on their plans, and this time four of them remained in Portland 565 days to complete their studies. Guesswork Eliminated. "The value of the fundamental plan," the witness explained, "is in the fact that it provides a careful forecast for development of the tele phone business instead of a rough guess, This feature, handled for the associate companies by the parent company, saves them large sums of money In the planning and construc tion of additions to plant." The witness went in detail Into many phases of the work carried on by the American company in its lab oratories in Boston. No phase of the telephone business is overlooked when it comes to working out meth ods of improving this service for the benefit of the associate companies, he maintained. Economies Axe Effected. If the associate companies were required to maintain staffs to do this work they would entail a cost of huge sums of money, and in addition he pointed out that the standardization of the telephone equipment used by the associate companies was the re sult in saving much money and also of giving better eervice than if the various companies installed equip ment of various kinds, as is done in France and other foreign countries. In outlining just what the Pacific company receives for the payment of hb per cent of its gross earnings to the American company each year, an amount in which Oregon's propor tion last year amounted to $175,471, the witness produced a chart out lining the various departments of service in the American company, which constantly gather and dissem inate information of various kinds to the Pacific and other subsidiary companies. Development Work Done. For instance, he explained that the American company maintains a de partment of devlopment and research to conduct development and research in connection with new telephone sys tems, apparatus and materials for use in plants of the association companies. Separate departments are main tained for the purpose of studying the development of transmitters, metallic circuits, hard-drawn copper wire, switchboards, underground cables, aerial and submarine cables and pro tection against dangerous currents. Representatives of the parent com pany, the witness testified, are sent abroad from time to time to attend congresses of foreign telephone offi cials. These same men are also de tailed to attend meetings and confer ences In this country which are per tinent to the telephone industry and the results gained from such meetings are outlined in bulletins sent to the proper officials of the associated com panies. Engineers Study Patents. Competent engineers, he said, are constantly studying patents on vari ous types of switchboards and all other instruments and devices used in the telephone system. Not only are such patents purchased by the com pany, he said, but they are improved and put into practical use as quickly as possible. The legal department of the Ameri can company is divided into many subdivisions. One department is maintained to furnish the associate companies with expert advice on all questions arising in connection with the telephone business. Another bureau is conducted for the purpose of collecting, analysing and distributing information of general value to the legal departments of the associated companies. Advance com pilation of reports of public service commission decisions, bulletins of court cases of interest to associate companies and compilation of all statutes affecting telephone com panies are sent out to the associated companies at regular intervals, ac cording to the witness. But, although Mr. Rhodes held that this part of the legal depart ment was of tremendous value to the subsidiary companies and saved them a large sum of money annually, he maintained that the patent depart ment of the legal bureau effected the real savings. j Trained Attorneys Employed. In this department, he said, trained attorneys were maintained to carry on ail patent litigation, which he said the parent company assumes, thus absolving the associated com panies from any financial losses either from patent infringements or through lack of patent protection from the manufacturers. While on the subject of patents, the witness denied most- empratical- ly that the American company was guilty of suppressing patents, saying that any such policy would be short sighted and would cost the company large sums of money which might be conserved. Mr. Rhodes read an article written in a technical journal some years ago relating to this subject and then read a reply from - the commissioner of patents in which the latter told of the process of development certain patents were undergoing in the lab oratory of the American company. when as a matter of fact it was. gen- . ftra'iv simnrtRpH that (hp n'i tnni u being suppressed. Easy Loans Are Made. From the executive and treasurer's departments of the American com pany come loans to the Pacific and other associated companies at low rates of interest, according to the witness, ind in addition this depart ment assists the subsidiary compan ies in financing by taking its stock without discount, and assisting in the sale of its securities. In addi tion both these departments and the accounting department constantly give expert advice to the associated companies on matters pertaining to finances and records. Latest methods of handling traffic and every other detail of the traffic department are handled for the sub sidiary company by the department of operation conducted by the Arder ican company. Likewise commercial departments of the associated com panies are given advice by a staff of commercial engineers of the parent company. In addition to these services, and a multiplicity of other services out lined by the witnesses, the American company furnishes the Pacific com pany all of its instruments, accord ing to Mr. Rhodes. The parent com pany replaces and repairs all instru ments returned by the Pacific com pany and also furnishes special In struments required by operators and linemen. Photos Show Evolution. In this connection the witness produced photographs to show the evolution of receivers and transmit ters during the last 30 years. Con stant improvement has been made in the instruments, he said, and every time that a new and improved in strument is evolved, -all of the old I S. & H. TRADING STAMPS WILL BE GIVEN ON ALL CHARGE ACCOUNTS IF PAID IN FULL TODAY 1 Best Butter, 2 lbs. 90c No. delivery except with other pur chases in Grocery Dept. Glen- Qfls wood Creamery Butter, 2 lbs. fUl MODEL GROCERY, 4TH FLOOR. Ice Cream Special 50c Brick At the Basement Fountain T fllfl if RELIABLE MERCHANDISE RELIABLE METHODS. T MOPPtSON. AtPEff. WEST PAPW. AND TENTH STREETS T Candy Specials CANDY CHEWS, assorted, pound 330 SALTED PEANUTS special, lb. 120 GUM DROPS small kind, pound! 1S0 NO PHONE ORDERS ACCEPTED. Great Clearance of Summer Merchandise in All Depts. And Other News of Interest From Portland's Best Store Summer Furniture At Clearance Prices Rockers, Chairs $24.50 Fourth Floor High - grade Reed Chairs and Rockers in handsome designs, upholstered in best quality cretonnes. Very attractive pieces for the living room. 32.75 and flJOl Kf $33.75 vals.; each We give S. & H. Stamps. Fourth Floor Our remain ing stock of high-grade Reed and Grass Furniture will be closed' out at special low prices, giving those who desire attractive pieces for the home at a saving. Grass Chairs $9.85 Grass Chairs and Rock ers in the very latest de signs. Substantial con struction not the flimsy kind that go to pieces in one season. Good assort ment to choose from. Lines selling heretofore fl?Q QP at $13 to $13.75 tDJU Rockers, Chairs $29.85 Fourth Floor Marked to sell in the regular way at $39.25 and $40.00. High-back Rock ers and Chairs new 1921 de signs first-class construction very artistic ivory finish. Wonderful values. Priced at, each S29.85 $148 Reed Sets $91.00 Fourth Floor Reed Settee, Arm Chair and Rocker to match. This is one of the season's best selling styles. Each piece is carefully finished and made for service as well fl?Q' fifi as looks. Splendio. $148.00 Set of 3 pieces special'-- w" $125 Davenport $66.00 Fourth Floor Reed Davenport in pleasing design, upholstered' in art cretonne. You will surely buy one of these when you see how attractive they are and what remark- fl?C? ff able values. Regular $125.00 Davenports special 5uOUU MANY OTHER SPECIALS IN SUMMER FURNITURE ON DISPLAY, ALSO EXTRAORDINARY OFFERINGS IN BED ROOM, LIVING ROOM AND DINING ROOM FURNITURE. Furniture Dept., 4th Floor Women's Sport Suits $4.79 Second Floor Ideal for camp and outing wear. Good quality khaki material. Fitted coat with breeches. All sizes 34 to 46. Special at $4.79 Khaki Breeches $2.25 Second Floor Women's and Misses' Khaki Outing Breeches in the popular peg-top style with laced bottoms. (JO OC Sizes 24 to 36 Sale3J Corduroy Sport Suits $15.oO Khaki Skirts priced at $3.5 Wool Outing Skirts at $8.50 Corduroy Skirts priced $7.50 Khaki Sport Coats at Jfvo.oO Khaki Breeches $2.25 to $5 Women's Outing Hats $1.5 Garment Salons 2d Floor Good Taste in Dress Finds Its First Expression in the Proper Corset in the harmony of beautiful lines and right proportions. Women of good taste give particular attention to their Cor sets, realizing that to a remarkable degree the success of their costumes depends upon the proper foundation. Gossard Corsets are designed to accent the natural charm of every type of figure and are created in accordance with the unchanging prin ciples of beauty and good taste that will assure you graceful lines and faultless proportions. Our thorough understanding of modern corsetry makes certain your complete satisfaction. GOS SARD CORSETS range in price from $3.75 on up to $25.00 Gossard Brassieres give a trimness above the waistline that assures a youthful and charm ing silhouette beneath the sheerest blouse. Gossard Brassieres fit perfectly. Scores of dainty styles ready for your selection. Prices range $1.00 to $5.0O Corset Salons, 2d Floor Sale of Summer Silks $298 Main Floor A vigorousi clearing of the Silk 6tock to make way for Fall merchandise presents to the women of Portland a phenomenal opportunity to buy Summer Silks of highest quality at sacrifice prices. Plain and fancy Sport Silks, Pon gees, Baronet Satins, Charmeuse Radiums, Taffetas, Canton Crepes andi many other wanted weaves reduced for this sale. Lot 1 S2.25 to $3 Silks at $1.98 Lot 2 $3.50 to $6.50 Silks $2.98 Lot a $4.50 to $7.50 Silks $3.98 SILK DEPARTMENT MAIN FLOOR Mildred Stout Tailormade Undermuslins LARGE WOMEN who have experienced difficulty in buying Undergarments that fit properly are invited to come and view the famous Mildred Stout Undermuslins. These garments are designed especially for full figures and are reinforced at all points of strain. Gowns, Chemise, Skirts, Drawers, etc. 2d! Floor. Basement Millinery V2 Price Basement Final Clearaway of Summer Hats at half former prices. Excellent variety of styles from the small, neat tur bans to the large effects. $3.98 Trimmed Hats $1.99 $458 Trimmed Hats $2.49 $5.98 Trimmed Hats $2.99 $6.98 Trimmed Hats $3.49 $7.98 Trimmed Hats $3.99 $858 Trimmed1 Hats $4.49 Hat Trimmings At 14 Off This applies to our entire Basement stock Hat Trimmings. 25c Trimmings now at 180 50c Trimmings now at 380 $1.00 Trimmings now 750 Flowers, fancy feathers, fruits, wreaths and other novelties. Basement. Butter Boxes 48c Basement Glass Butter Boxes like above sketch. Keep butter cool, sweet and wholesome dur ing the hot weather. Don't fail to get one op more of AQn these! 1-lb. size. Special OC Basement Underprice Store " DOLLAR DAY 19 tenn ivr J Basement Underprice Store Ll An oldVfashioned "grab-'em-quick" Shirt Sale that brings back memories I of pre-war days! We have planned! to make this the biggest thing the PQcamont A.T o n ' a Cfnro Vi a a a nn vn npoH -frtf a Inner fl'm fWoi Kflfl fihirfa in the offering. Shirts of good quality percale from reliable makers. Soft and stiff cuffs and there are all sizes in the lot from 14 up to YlYz but not all sizes in each style. Sale, $1.0O Boys' Blouses for $1 Basement Blue chambray and fancy striped Percale Blouses in sizes from 6 to 12. On C-! special sale at 2 for only 0 J- Handbags, Pu r s e s C" odd lines, various styles f Silk Gloves, 3 Prs. $1 Basement Women's White Silk Gloves in the popular twoclasp style. A well-known make. Sizes hVz and Q"l fi&. Rnpcinl. S rvairs for D-L ' - 1 r x W o m e n's Handker chiefs, special, 12 for CAP SHAPE HAIR NETS, light, me dium and dark brown, blonde, black; 12 for SI Odd Lines Undermuslins $1 ENVELOPE CHEMISE in many dainty styles, trimmed with laces, beading, etc. Regular $1.48 garments NIGHT GOWNS and En velope Chemise of fine qual ity materials. Regular J1 to $1.75 values"; special SILK CAMISOLES in white, pink and combination colors. Several styles. Ct On special sale today Women's Hose 2 Pr. $1 si si Basemen t Women's Lisle Hose in black, white and brown. Medium weight and splendid quality. Spe cially priced, 2 pairs for LACE CENTERPIECES in several styles and sizes. (J" On special sale today at Toilet Paper, 20 for $1 Basement 20 rolls to a cus tomer and no telephone or C. O. D. orders accepted. Good quality Crepe Toilet Pa per, special 20 rolls for MEN'S BUCKSKIN GLOVES, outseam I1 sewn, ball fasteners; slightly imperfect 0-L SI Sale of New Wash Goods Main Floor Prices have been greatly lowered' on prac tically all novelty Wash Goods. Now is a good time to buy materials for warm wea ther apparel at lowest prices of the year. Dotted Voiles Novelty Dotted Voiles very dainty ma. terial for frocks, blouses and other Qf wearables. On special sale, a yard) Imported Dotted Swisses of I- QQ fine quality. Priced special, yard DJ-0 Imported' Embroidered Organ- 7tZ dies $3.50 values; reduced to DiiJ Dress Voiles at 250, 3S0, 880 a yard. Imported Eponge on sale at PRICE. Poplins Silk-mixed Poplins one of the season's most favored materials. Spe- (J" " O cially priced for this sale, a yard D-L-L $1.75 Large Size Bath Towels at $1.25 Hemstitched Huck Towels at only 350 "Woolnap" gSS Blankets Special $2.48 Third Floor Take our word for it, these Blankets at above price are the best buy in Portland today! We could not secure them at the mill for so little money. Splendid heavy Cotton Blankets of the famous "Woolnap" make. Plain tan and gray with fancy , rapidly, so shop at once. $3.50 and $4.00 Blankets, at 5tO Bedding Dept., 3d Floor J "Notion Day" BSn 1st Floor $1.25 Combination Garment and Hose Supporters, sizes 3 to 13 years, on special sale at 890 Phoenix Hair Pin Cabinets on sp&ial sale today at only 70 Skirt, Trouser Hangers 70 Uncle John's Thread, in col ors, on special sale today at 50 Waterproof. Household Aprons on special sale today, only 490 5c Unique Hair Wavers 40 Elgin Maid Crochet Thread in light blue only; dozen 290 20c Kid Curlers, special 120 15c Folding Wire Coat Hang ers, on special sale today 120 Spool Silk in black, white and pink. 50 yards to a spool. pT On special sale today, at Dove Toilet Pins, special 40 El iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiin instruments must be Junked, because of the inability to change the old instruments. The cost of this Junk ing, he said, was borne by the parent company. In outlining his story of service, Mr. Rhodes made it plain that the services given to the Paciific and other associated companies was ad visory and consulting and not super visory, as has been intimated by hostile witnesses. . Babcoclc In Challenged. The witness held that selective ring ing advocated by Major Babcock when he was on the stand for the city of Portland in the present case had not been developed to the point where it could be successfully operated. Attorney Shaw enjoyed a compara tively easy time yesterday, for there were few tilts and the witness on the stand was his own. Incidentally, he celebrated the 45th anniversary of his birth yesterday conducting his case. Wheeler County Bonds Sold. FOSSIL, Or.. Aug. 9. (Special.) The county court of Wheeler county on August 5 sold the Wheeler county i road bonds to the Steiwer & Carpen ter bank of Fossil at par for $140,000. Wheeler county is now in line to make rapid progress in completing roads within the county. FIRE DEPARTMENT POOR Bandon Citizens Decide to Make Service More Efficient. . MARSHFIELD, Or., Aug. 9. (Spe cial.) A fire apparatus locked in a garage with the key carried by the city marshal might prove rather inef ficient in case of need, was the opin ion of Horace Sykes, deputy state fire marshal, who made a visit to this section last week and found that con dition to exist at Bandon. After discussing the situation with the business men and officials It was decided by the Bandon people to form a regular fire department and eauip rooms for several of the members to etay at night. These rooms are to be where the fire engine is kept. Mr. Sykes said he was pleased that Ban don had begun these precautionary steps. PIPE LINE SALE REFUSED POWELL VAXiTjEY WATER DIS TRICT FILES LETTERS. Sectloni Line Company Declared to Have Declined to Enter Into Xesrotiation on Terms. Copies of letters exchanged in an attempt to open negotiations for the purchase of the pipe line of the Sec tion Line Water company were filed yesterday with City Commissioner Mann, on behalf o-f the Powell Valley water district. The letters showed that the Powell valley 'district asked for a price on the pipe lines of the other concern, and that the Section Line Water company replied that their property was not for sale. Commissioner Mann declared that unless some effort is made by the water company to enter into negoti ations or meet the water district half way, he will recommend that the council supply the Powell Valley water district with Bull Run water, according to the request made in the application. The Powell Valley water district was formed May 14 in accordance with a state law. It includes the district supplied by the Section Line company. In case an agreement is not reached between the two con cerns, the stockholders and users -of the Section Lin company -will be taxed to put in the lines of the other company. District bonds to the amount of $50,000 have been voted to carry out the work. The city council has gone on record to protect the interests of companies already established where an attempt has been made to freeze them out or to install duplicate systems. The re fusal of the Section Line company to entr into negotiations will nullify the protection from the council un less immediate action is taken. Com missioner Mann stated. Peppermint 61111 to Operate. SOUTH BEND, Wash., Aug. 9. (Special.) Pacific county is to have a still which will be more of a blessing than a curse. Dr. C. F. Lauderdale of Portland has announced that he will spend his month's vaca tion at Seaview in setting up and operating a peppermint still. The peppermint industry is a new on here and Dr. Lauderdale's still will help the ranchers profitably to dis pose of their crops. WOMEN CONTINUALLY OYERDO This applies to all women, regard less of caste or color. The ambitious girl striving for school honors, the overworked housewife, the shop girl, girls in offices and stores, and the society woman, all climb too high, overtax their strength, and what fol lows? Nervous prostration, sleepless ness, backache, headaches, and the in evitable weakness and ailments pecir liar to their sex soon develop, which, unless checked, bring on more seri ous conditions, and which often lead to operations. An efficient restora tive for such ailments is Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, whicn Is now recognized from coast to coast as a standard remedy for woman's ills. Adv. YOU'LL GET RID OF BLACKHEADS SUE There is one simple, safe and rt way that never fails to get rid blackheads and that is to dissc: them. To do this get two ounces calonite powder from any drug st' sprinkle a little on a hot. sponge rub over the blackhe. briskly -wash the parts and : will be surprised how the bla' heads have disappeared. Big bla' heads, little blackheads, no mat whete they are. simply dissolve ; disappear, leaving the parts with' any mark whatever. Blackhe are simply a mixture of dust dirt and secretions from thA h that form in the pores of the sk Jr'incning ana squeezing only ca irritation, make large pores, and not get the blackheads out af they become hard. The calon powder and the water simDlv solve the blackheads so they wa rignt out, leaving tne pores free a ciean ana in tneir natural conaiti Anyone troubled with thesn unKic ly blemishes should certainly try t simple metnoa. aqv. 102.2