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exchanges encourage subscribers to call up trouble department, and make liberal provision in that branch to take care of subscribers' complaints. At the main exchange 550 complaints a day are received from 13,000 stations. Some of these complaint clerks would be wanted in a manual exchange of corresponding size. In manual working the subscribers have access to an operator who informs them of'many things that in an automatic they cannot know without reference to the trouble department. For some years in this city they were working several thousand manual C.B. subscribers and a very much larger number of automatic subscribers together. They found the automatic methods, although the subscribers were more scattered than the manual subscribers, to be much the more economic way to give service, and they gradually introduced automatics until all the manual subscribers were on that system. They still have private branch exchanges working manually, and they will probably continue to work them in that way. These private branch exchanges are supplied with current from the central exchange. The information-desks for the whole city are in this exchange. There is only one board, and one girl who has before her eight sets of five jacks each. A few feet away is the information-table, fitted for eight girls. Each has a directory with the alterations made and generally such information as is likely to be asked for. Each girl has also lamps and jacks before her. There is also a large revolving square containing pigeon-holes, in which are cards containing particulars. The first girl distributes information-calls to the other eight; as she has the plugs she can see who is free, or most nearly so, to take another call. Each of the eight can turn the table and get access to the information there. This works well. The information girls are reduced in number as the business requires. The calling-rate per subscriber per day is high—from 19 to 20. In the private branch exchange in the main office there are 85 girls. There are 29 manual-board positions, and more are being added. There are fully 10,000 manual telephones in these private branch exchanges. The 29 positions are staffed from 8 a.m. to about 6 p.m. ; thence to 9 p.m. alternate positions are vacant; after that there are 5 girls all night. All the subscribers to this exchange, both manual and automatic, are multiplied on its manual board. There are supervisors and monitors in the usual proportion. Here also is the three-position board to enable operators to complete calls to or from automatic or manual subscribers at a few of the smaller exchanges that have no operators. The company is doing a great deal of its own manufacturing. It is making its own manual equipment. The company does not solicit business. It cannot erect plant to keep pace with demand for service, and is in need of capital. The area of supply extends out for about nine miles. The rate is—business £1 os. 10d., and residence Bs. 4d., a month, flat rate, with no mileage charges. They would like £1 7s. business and 10s. 6d. residence rate per month, and are striving to get the. city to permit that rate, but so far without success. They did not declare a dividend last year, but used the earnings for extensions. Although they do not solicit business, they gained 410 stations last April and 566 last March. The girls' pay averages £8 a month. Looking after the switches there are 6 good men at about 16s. a day ; 4 men at 6s. 6d. a day (these watch and ticket trouble) ; 3 good men on at night at 16s. a day. As an indication of the number of telephones in buildings, one outside man at 15s. 6d. a day looks after 3,000 telephones located in four buildings having 900, 800, 800, and 500 each. In two hotels that came under my notice —viz., the Alexandra and the Lankershim —there were 750 and 300 telephones respectively. South office was visited. This is the oldest office, and it has still the oldest plant. There are 4,500 lines and about 5,100 stations. The number of men for the switch attention here is 12, to cover all hours, viz. : 3 at 15s. 6d., 14s. 6d., and 13s. 6d. a day ; 2 at 13s. 6d. and 12s. 6d. a day ; 7 apprentices, 1 at lis. 4d., the others at 9s. 4d. each a day ; 2 girls for private branch exchanges, 1 girl as clerk to wire-chief, and 1 complaint girl, all about 40 dollars a month ; 1 wire-chief at 17s. Bd. a day ; 3 trouble men for instruments and lines at 12s. 6d. a day, for outside work. When men work on Sunday in any exchange they are paid time and a half. There are no girls on at night, and only one man. Labour is expensive here and along the Pacific coast. The average length of each line in the heart of the city is less than one mile, and in the residential part over two miles. There are thirteen automatic exchanges in Los Angeles, with lines ranging from 9,000 to 400. West office was visited. Here, in a room 30 ft. by 87 ft., with space to spare, there are 4,500 lines and 5,100 stations. There is only one girl in attendance, and the same number of men as at South office. Wiltshire is a small exchange in a brick building 20 ft. by 20 ft. It contains 500 subscribers, and will accommodate many more. It has been previously referred to. Adams office was also visited. The building here is a very large fine brick structure, much too large for requirements, and admitted to be so. The company would like to have the money.sunk in it available for extensions. This was erected before they were satisfied that it would be economical to give service from a number of points rather than from a limited number of fair-sized exchanges. There were only a few men here, as in the other exchanges visited. There were two girls, one for private branch exchanges and one for complaint. This office contains the old-type apparatus, or a first selector for every line, and despite this the engineer informed me that they had not spent £25 for material for that office during twelve months. It contains switches for 3,000 lines. Information of this kind has a bearing on the life of the plant and the extent to which depreciation from wear-and-tear may be expected.