1C4 nature's flfcfracles. 



of the ability of the ordinary man of business. 



This problem has been solved (but not with- 

 out many difficulties) by the inauguration of 

 \\liat is known as the "central station." By 

 this system one party simply controls a single 

 wire from his office or residence to the central 

 st;it ion; here he can have his line connected 

 \\ilh any other wire running into this same 

 station, by calling the central operator and 

 asking for the required number. It is useless 

 to tell the public that very often this number 

 is "busy," and here is the great drawback to 

 the central-station system. This is especially 

 true in 1,-irge cities, where there are a. great 

 number of lines. The switchboards in large 

 cities are nccc-< arily very complicated affairs, 

 and it requires a number of operators to an- 

 $wer the many calls that are constantly coining 

 in. Each central-station operator presides over 

 a certain section of the board, and as this 

 section has to be related in a certain way to 

 every other section, it is easy to see wherein 

 arises the complication. 



In large cities the central stations them- 

 selves have to be divided and located in dif- 

 ferent districts, being connected by a system 

 of trunk lines. 



