Rules For Troublemen

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", July 1986, page 18

CHICAGO TELEPHONE COMPANY
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

S. E. Sunny, President
W. R. Abbott, Superintendent

October 28, 1911

RULES FOR TROUBLEMEN

1. Put up a "good front". It is not necessary to advertise any tailor shop, neither is it necessary to go about your work looking like a coal heaver. Overalls can look as respectable as anything else, but they must at least show that they are on speaking terms with the laundryman; and shoes must have a bowing acquaintance with the bootblack.

2. Make the liveryman wash and oil your wagon and harness, and do not tie the harness up with wire longer than is necessary to get proper repairs. The same may be said of your suspenders and buttons.

3. Keep all necessary junk out of your wagon.

4. Don't pitch dry batteries into the bed of your wagon to be hauled around day after day with broken glass, bolts, wire, pole steps and what not. Don't neglect to memorize the fact that the supply houses are not running charitable institutions for the benefit of the Company.

5. Go about your business cheerfully and quietly. When you enter a residence don't overlook the foot mat. If requested to go around to the back door, don't consider yourself insulted, but try to realize that the lady of the house may not have a maid, and is only trying to save work for herself. Say "Good Morning" or "Good Evening", it doesn't cost anything and shows you started out right at home.

6. If compelled to do anything that makes a litter, ask for a newspaper to catch the trash. The lady of the house will be grateful.

7. Close the door when you go out, not forgetting to shut the front gate.

8. When you leave be sure you have looked over everything carefully and anticipated, as far as possible, some future trouble.

9. It is not necessary to tell the lady of the house that her telephone is worn out and no good. She may think so herself. Tell her that her telephone is as good as anybody's and back it up by making it so.

10. If you ever believe that a subscriber is a crank, forget it. All of them are wise enough to tell when a telephone is not working right. Not every troubleman can do this.

11. Be courteous and polite, and don't be afraid to hand out a little jolly occasionally. It doesn't hurt anybody's feelings to be jollied a little.

12. Treat everybody as you would like to be treated, not forgetting your horse. If you want to know the horse's side of it, just take off your coat and hat some zero day, hitch yourself to the same post with your belt, and stand there about two hours. Hereafter don't forget his blanket.

13. Don't go pell mell through the streets regardless of pedestrians as though you were going after your salary check. The fact that a man is always in a hurry doesn't always mean that he is accomplishing much.

14. Remember that you do more to raise or lower the Company's profits per subscriber than anything else, except a sleet storm or a fire, depending on how many times you go back to do the thing that you should have done the first time.

15. Don't idle away your time; there is always something to do if you will only do it.

16. Don't forget to report to the proper party, things that you see needing attention.

17. If you will do today what somebody would put off until tomorrow you need not worry about your future.

18. Cultivate the friendship of the people with whom you do business; it makes friends for the Company, and friendship is essential to true success.

The linemen pictured are wearing felt hats which
 meet the safety rules of this era. 
The line truck was in its prime around 1920.

19. Carry yourself with dignity and others will accord it to you.

20. Study your business and try to improve the quality of your work.

21. Remember that you are working more nearly on honor than any other employee of the Company, considering that necessarily the troubleman has less supervision than other employees, hence you should come across with a square deal.

22. Report for duty promptly and don't be afraid of working overtime.

23. If you don't like your job, resign. It will be better for you and the Company.

J.C. Jones
Plant Supt.

APPROVED: W. R. Abott, Supt.

My thanks to Jim Hinkhouse, Correctionville, Iowa, for submitting this article which gives insight into the job of a telephone troubleman.