CHAPTER I 



1904 to 1907 at Boston 



A Career Seeks the Man 



IX the spring of 1903 Dr. George A. Campbell, then in charge of the work 

 on "Loaded Lines and Theory of Telephone Transmission" in the En- 

 gineering Department of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company 

 at Boston, visited Professor Harry E. Clifford of M J.T. to inspect a 10,000 

 cycle generator that had just been acquired for some experimental work. 

 \\/liile they were discussing the generator, a young instructor walked by. 

 He was called back by Clifford and introduced to Campbell as Dr. FranV 

 B. Jewett. 



In the few minutes conversation that resulted, Campbell was much im- 

 pressed with the charm of Jevvett's personality and his alertness, high in- 

 telligence, and maturity. The thought flashed through his mind, "Here 

 is the tx-pe of man we want in the Telephone Company." After Jewett 

 had passed along, Campbell told Clifford his thoughts and impressions. 

 The latter countered by remarking with evident satisfaction that Jewett 

 was under contract to M.I.T. for the 1903-04 academic year. 



The next year, however, Campbell renewed his efforts well in advance of 

 the time for academic contract commitments and, in due time, Jewett 

 visited the American Telephone and Telegraph Company engineering head- 

 quarters for an interview with Messrs. Hammond V. Hayes, Howard S. 

 Warren, and G. A. Campbell. Warren, who was Campbell's immediate 

 superior, was in charge of the so-called "Equipment Division," reporting to 

 Hayes. At the time Warren had an authorization for a new man to work 

 on protection problems, and he had become interested in Jewett as a pros- 

 pect, in consequence of Campbell's recommendation. Hayes was one of 

 the "Triumvirate" or Engineering Committee, that managed the Engineer- 

 ing Department in behalf of the Chief Engineer, Joseph P. Davis, then 

 living in semi-retirement on account of illness. 



The reactions of Hayes and Warren to Jewett's personality were similar 

 to those earlier experienced by Campbell, and the interview resulted in a 

 definite offer to Jewett and a tentative acceptance. This became final a 

 few days later, after Jewett had convinced Hayes that he would be worth 

 more than the amount previously suggested. The starting salary was $30.76 

 per week, or $1600 per year, which was big starting money. The standard 



340 



