No farmer, merchant, businessman or resident should be without the convenience of telephone service. Farmers can keep in touch with packers and shippers, customers with businessmen and merchants. It is available for emergencies, and enables the ladies of the community to keep abreast of the latest social news. The construction of your very own telephone line is not such a complicated job requiring scientific skills. The construction and installation of a telephone system has been made simple here. Just follow eight easy, do-it-yourself steps.

Step 1: The first step is the decision to build the line and determine who is going to pay for it. How many circuits will be necessary, and will the construction be of the bracket or crossarm type? The bracket method should never be used where there is a possibility of more than two wires ever being placed on the pole. The approximate cost of a full metallic circuit, crossarm type:

Step 2: Now that the potential telephone tycoon has become enthusiastic about his new adventure, the next step of routing of the line is necessary. One must be aware of locating, obtaining right-of-way, staking out, grading land, trimming trees and underbrush, railroad, highway and power line crossings, selecting poles, framing poles, crossarming, stepping, setting, etc. Sounds like work, doesn't it? Is the potential line builder sure he still wishes to go through with it? Employ some linemen to help. Starting pay for linemen is generally $1.00 per day with no climbing, and $2.00 with climbing. Starting from the initial point, measure off the distance at which the poles are to be set. Following a straight line as much as possible, locate a stake in the ground. The builder will find that following roads and railroad tracks is not only more convenient and practical but the crew is not so apt to become lost in the woods while trying to find the shortest distance.

Step 3: Locate and select quality poles. Poles about 25 feet high should be used on level stretches. The heaviest poles shall be placed on corners and curves, and the best looking poles shall be placed in towns and in front of residences. Poles allow the professional look to the job as well as being practical; however, a tree and a beer bottle neck for an insulator has worked fine for many lines However, if woods fires frequent the area, service can be easily interrupted. It must be kept in mind that it usually takes eight or nine men to plant a pole in the ground. Eight or ten poles are about as many as can be set by the average gang in a day. All crossarms and braces shall, whenever possible, be attached to poles before the poles are set. Poles shall be set in concrete when sand is encountered, while all blasting of rock shall be in charge of men experienced in the use of explosives.

Step 4: All pole hardware including glass insulators should be installed next. Number 9 pony glass insulators should be used on rural lines. A locust or oak pin, one inch in diameter fitted into a hole in the center of the crossarm supports the glass insulator which is threaded to fit the pin

Step 5: Galvanized iron wire should be used in rural line construction Do not do it the wrong way with fence wire stapled to trees. Static will be so bad, a conversation will sound like a Fourth of July fireworks shoot. The line wire should be carefully unwound along the line of the poles and drawn to the top of each and tied to the insulators as shown in accompanying figure.

Step 6: To prevent interference from foreign currents and cross-talk between circuits, the circuit must be transposed at about every quarter mile. The accompanying figure indicates two satisfactory methods.

Step 7: Installing the instrument, The figure at the left indicates the proper method for running drop wires. All instruments are to be grounded and protected from lightning. Care should be taken when fastening the set to the customer's wall. Before any holes are made, kindly confer with the lady of the house for correct positioning. Do not allow customer to assist in the installation of the telephone. Occasionally, patrons will want to try out your new contraption for a few weeks, then have it removed before the bill is due.

Step 8: Rules of the line and servicing. Various suggestions should be given to the patrons concerning service: Call by number only; treat operator considerately; kind words improve service; answer all calls promptly; do not call during a thunderstorm, as the company will not be liable for any injuries received. In the event that there are several parties on one line, a distinct ringing code must be given (1 long or 3 short rings, for example). All customers on that line will know who is being called. (And, invariably, if they want to know why, they will listen in.) When ringing, the caller will most likely hear receivers coming up all along the line. Party line disputes will be common. A charge of $2.00 per month is normal for telephone service.

Normal repair and maintenance on instruments and lines will be necessary. Batteries in sets must be replaced periodically. Damage from storms and fires may require a full time crew. Constant preventative maintenance will be required of all equipment. Consult the rule book for bee or flea swarms or wild boar encounters while in the field. However, run-ins with the natives (farmers with shotguns) must be handled at the lineman's own discretion.