TELEPHONE HOUSE, BELFAST: MOST COMPLETE SYSTEM IN THE WORLD, 10,000 LINES

Northern Whig, Wednesday 6th March 1935

SKILLED ENGINEERS BUSY AT WORK

In a modernistic embryo skyscraper, towering above the Belfast rooftops, a small army of skilled engineers and artificers are busily engaged on the thousand and one details of what will ultimately be the most up-to-date telephone system in the world.

WIZARDS IN OVERALLS

A “Northern Whig” representative who toured Telephone House yesterday found humble wizards in overalls hard at work bringing order into the apparent chaos of miles of multi-coloured wires, acres of bright new switchgear, and long bays of Robot-like machines which do everything but think.

Although the automatic system will not come into operation until the latter part of the year good progress has already been made at Telephone House. Much remains to be done, however, in connection with the installation of new instruments in subscribers’ premises, the diversion of underground cables, and the equipment of the nine new satellite exchanges – East, North, Dundonald, Stormont, Ormeau, Malone, Fortwilliam, and Dunmurry.

Telephone House itself is designed for 10,000 lines, though it is expected that at the outset only about 5,600 will be accommodated. The total number of exchange lines in the area within a five mile radius is approximately 13,000, while extensions bring up the aggregate of stations to 18,000.

Before the change-over every subscriber will be supplied with a temporary switch, many of which have already been fitted. At the time immediately preceding the change-over each line will be connected to both the present manual system and the new automatic system. Subscribers will be asked at a given moment to throw over the switch, linking up with the new system, and simultaneously the four existing exchanges will be replaced by the ten new ones.

SPEED IN HANDLING CALLS

The “step by step” automatic system will be worked on the five digits method, under which the first digit (or in some cases the first and second) represent the exchange, the remainder standing for the subscriber. Bewildering to the layman in their intricate ingenuity, the various pieces of apparatus are designed to combine reliability of unattended working with a speed in handling calls far superior to that of the manual system.

Like a setting from a futurist film of the “Metropolis” type is the room housing the main distribution frame. Here all cables from the street are terminated, the apparatus serving two purposes, protection against power lines and also a safeguard against lightning storms. On one side subscribers’ lines enter in a medley, and on the other, without a single manual operation, they are sorted into street numerical order. Subsequently, however, on an upper floor the intermediate distribution frame throws the lines out of numerical order again. The object of this is to mix busy lines with those which carry a less number of cables, thus equalising the load on the switches.

LINE FINDER

The line finder in use is a comparatively new model, which can handle a group of 200 subscribers’ lines, whereas one of the old switches had to be allocated to each subscriber. If, however, there are on an average, say, six calls at once on any given group, a corresponding number of line finders is required.

From the line finder the incoming call is passed on to the first selector. As soon as the requisite number is dialled the “finger” of this remarkable device rises to the level of that number. It then hunts in the bank for a free junction to the next series of selectors. The process is repeated until the final selector takes in order the last two digits and puts the subscriber through to the number called. If this number is engaged the “busy” sound is automatically given.

In the intermediate distribution room if a switch is faulty or for some reason is held up for three minutes it automatically sends out an alarm. There is a series of directional alarm lamps, and a bell also calls the attention of the maintenance man. All he has to do is follow the lamps.

Another uncannily clever machine is the automatic routine tester, which can be set to test a certain group of line finders. When it finds the faulty section it sounds an alarm and holds the switch in the position in which it is faulty.

There is a separate room for call meters. Each subscriber has one of these compact little machines, which wait until the number called has responded before registering the call.

All telephone subscribers will await with interest the inauguration of the system, the date of which will be notified in due course. It is a difficult matter to estimate the exact time occupied in putting through an average call automatically, but, according to an official, in normal cases the actual dialling by the subscriber will occupy much the longer part of the operation.

LOCKED IN OWN YARD: BELFAST TRADER TRICKED; £17 ABSTRACTED FROM THE TILL

Belfast Telegraph, Friday 11th March 1932

After locking the proprietor in his own yard a robber rifled the till of a Belfast shop on Thursday afternoon and carried off a cashbox containing £17.

The shop was that of Mr. J. B. Milliken, stationer and newsagent, 3 St. Enoch’s Buildings, Clifton Street, and the man lured him out to the yard by requesting him to flush an out-office at the rear as it was believed to have rendered a stoppage in the sewers of the adjoining premises.

Mr. Milliken gave a dramatic account of the affair to a “Telegraph” representative when interviewed in his shop later in the afternoon. He described the robber as between 25 and 30 years of age, of medium build, and respectably dressed. He gave the impression of being an official from the agents of the property adjoining, and his manner was so disarming that Mr. Milliken immediately proceeded to comply with his request. He got a bucket of water, and, preceded by the man, went towards the yard. The man fumbled at the latch of the back door, but, as it was locked, Mr. Milliken reached past him, and released the catch, the man then opening the door, and standing back to allow him to emerge first.

“Hardly had I got out,” said Mr. Milliken, “when I heard the door slam behind me, and the bolts crashing home I realised then that I had been the victim of trickery, but I was powerless to do anything except shout and make a noise with the hope of attracting the neighbours. When I perceived that my cries were not being heard, I clambered up on the yard window, and eventually succeeded in attracting the attention of Mr. Smyth, the tenant of the shop adjoining, by rattling a handful of gravel against his windows. He at once saw that something serious was the matter, and, entering my shop by the front entrance, unbarred the back door, and released me. But, of course, by this time the man had gone, and I found the till lying open, and the cash-box, which had contained £17 in notes, missing. Some coppers had also been taken from the counter.”

Mr. Milliken added that the same man had come into his shop earlier in the day, and had purchased a packet of cigarettes, tendering a £1 note in payment. Apparently his cupidity had been aroused when he saw the contents of the cash-box from which Mr. Milliken had given him his change.”

NEW YORK’S DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF: AMAZING BELFAST STATION, EQUIPMENT AND EFFICIENCY

Belfast Telegraph, Thursday 30th July 1936

Mr. Albert Reid, deputy chief of the New York Fire Department, thinks that the Belfast Fire Brigade has little to learn about fire-fighting.

In his 40 years of fire-fighting he has seen many fire stations and has had experience of all manner of fire-fighting equipment, but when he visited in the Chichester Street Headquarters of the Belfast force he saw something that he had never seen before – a 100 ft. turntable escape. In the matter of equipment, he thinks, Belfast Brigade is certainly in advance of New York, although the latter, naturally, in a numerical sense, is much bigger.

Mr. Reid, who is visiting Belfast on holiday, was greatly taken on with the 100 ft. water tower which is driven by motor. In New York, he said, their water towers were considerably under 100 ft. and were of an older pattern, which hydraulic drive. He also inspected with interest the other fire-fighting equipment and was greatly impressed with the spick-and-span appearance of the station and with the general note of efficiency which was evident.

Afterwards, in an address to the men, he complimented them and Chief Officer Smith on “a station which was a credit to any city”, and remarked that they were fortunate in the possession of the very last word in modern fire-fighting equipment.

NEW YORK’S BIGGEST FIRE

He mentioned that the New York Fire Department had a corps of over 6,000 men and was highly organised to deal with fires at the shortest of notice over a vast area. The biggest fire in his experience, he said, took place at an oil plant many years ago, when over 800 men were mobilised in the space of a few minutes and ran almost incredible risks in trying to put out the flames.

Fifty tanks, each containing 50,000 gallons of petrol were affected, and the danger was magnified a thousand times because the pumping house controlling the oil level in the tanks was destroyed.

So fierce were the flames that three of the tanks became red hot, then white hot, and finally the firemen saw the terrible spectacle of the metal transparent and the oil bubbling within before the inevitable explosion. It was the most awe-inspiring sight he had ever seen. The firemen, however, triumphed in the end, but only after tremendous damage to the plant, the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fuel oil, and over eight miles of hose.

Before leaving the station, Mr. Reid expressed his cordial thanks to Chief Officer Smith and the men for the hospitable reception they had given him.

He leaves Belfast to-night for a tour of Great Britain, during which he intends to visit the principal fire stations. It’s a “busman’s holiday”, but he’s enjoying it.

To read about the origins of the Fire Department of New York City click here.

To visit New York City Fire Museum's website click here.