I Viirtemberg 43 5 



OUTSIDE WORK (TRUNK) 



As the Wiirtemberg railways belong to the State, the telephone 

 trunk lines naturally follow them for the most part, and, except for 

 the crossings, are indistinguishable from'the telegraph wires. The 

 wire used is 2*5 mm. high-conductivity bronze for the short, and 

 3 mm. for the long distances, strung on large double-shed insu- 

 lators. All trunks are metallic circuits crossed at intervals ; the 

 twist has never been employed. There are three circuits between 

 Stuttgart and Ulm, and one between Stuttgart and Munich. The 

 trunk traffic is considerable and continues to increase, but without 

 prejudicially affecting the telegraph revenue, which likewise con- 

 tinues to grow, although not so rapidly as it did before the advent 

 of the telephone. This satisfactory result is no doubt owing to the 

 fact that the telephone is utilised, as in most other continental 

 countries, as a feeder to the telegraph, and not treated as a perni- 

 cious rival to be discouraged and, wherever possible, excluded or 

 suppressed. The telegraph tariff in Wiirtemberg is 50 pfennige 

 ($d.) for ten words, each additional word being charged 5 pfennige 

 (%d.), the minimum being $d. This is the same charge as for a 

 five minutes' long-distance telephonic conversation ; but in the 

 latter case the payer obtains a great number of words and also a 

 reply for his money, and probably, in the majority of instances, 

 greater speed. The speaking over the trunks is good, and undis- 

 turbed by external noises. The steel local wires do not appear to 

 influence the service deleteriously, but, of course, the distances, 

 even to Bavaria and Munich, are not great. The trunks are ex- 

 clusively telephonic, no attempt being made to utilise them simul- 

 taneously for telegraphy. 



PAYMENT OF WORKMEN 



Foremen are paid 4*. per day ; the men from 2s. 6d. to 3^ 6*/., 

 according to length of experience. Sleeping allowance u., and 

 day allowance when working away from home, 6d. Hours of 

 work, 6 A.M. till noon, with half an hour's interval for breakfast, 

 and noon till 6 P.M. This gives a long working day of eleven and 

 a half hours. 



