CONQUEST OF DISTANCE BY WIRE TELEPHONY 415 



we will not be obliged to neglect the very important classes of work which 

 we are already engaged upon. 



Before speaking of the work we now have in hand or which, under the 

 arrangement heretofore existing pertained to this department, I will briefly 

 outline the nature of the new duties as far as they have yet been developed. 

 First, the department is being reorganized so as to have three principal 

 divisions reporting to the Chief Engineer: 



1. A department relating to legal, protection, and railroad and power and 

 electric light interference matters. Work under these headings has for a 

 year or more been going on, but under the new scheme a more effective 

 contact with the associate companies will be possible and required. 



* * * * 



2. A department under the Plant Engineer, establishing standards of 

 plant construction and maintenance, issuing them to the various Plant 

 Superintendents as fast as such officials are created. These things include 

 not only the most economical and efficient methods of construction, but also 

 the most economical and efficient methods of maintenance. 



* * * * 



3. A department under the Traffic Engineer, establishing standard meth- 

 ods of operating, standard traffic engineering methods, standard traffic 

 records and reports. 



* * * * 



Wliile it will be seen that that portion of the work above outlined which 

 is new is of great magnitude and importance, the department must be 

 strengthened in order that, in taking care of the new duties, the existmg 

 work will not suffer. In judging then of the necessity for the proposed 

 increase in the strength of the department, it will be helpful if we consider 

 a few of the items of work upon which we are already engaged, or which, 

 even under the old scheme of organization, we should undertake. After so 

 doing, I think it will be seen that when we compare the increased payroll 

 with the increased results which will be obtained, the additional sum of 

 money to be expended is a moderate one. 



Some of the work already in hand or which would be undertaken in due 

 course is described below and an estimate of the savings which would be 

 accomplished by its successful performance is given. 



* * * * 



Phantom Circuits and Duplex Cables: 



At the present time phantom circuits can be established only upon over- 

 head lines and even there, where their value has been so abundantly demon- 



