A general view of a portion of the A-board of the Chelsea office is shown in Fig. 424, this view being taken from a point in the left-hand wing looking toward the front. In Fig. 425 is shown a closer view of a smaller portion of the board. Fig. 426 gives an excellent idea of the rear of this switchboard and of the disposal of the cables and wires. The main mass of cables at the top are those of the multiple. Immediately below these may be seen the outgoing trunk cables. The forms of the answering-jack cables lie below these and are not so readily seen, but the cables leading from these forms are led down to the runway at the bottom of the sections, and thence along the length of the board to the intermediate distributing frame on the floor below. The layer of cables, supported on the iron rack immediately above the answering-jack cable runway, shown at the extreme bottom of the view, are those containing the wires leading from the repeating coils to the cord circuits.

An interesting feature of this board is the provisions for protection against injury by fire and water. On top of the boards throughout their entire length there is laid a heavy tarpaulin curtain with straps terminating in handles hanging down from its edges. These may be seen in Fig. 426 and also in Fig. 425. The idea of this is that if the board is exposed to a water hazard, as in the case of fire, the board may be completely covered, front and rear, with this tarpaulin curtain, by merely pulling the straps. The entire force—both operators and repairmen—is drilled to assure the carrying out of this plan.

The rear of the boards is adapted to be enclosed by wooden curtains, similar to those employed in roll-top desks. These are all raised in the rear view of Fig. 426, the housing for the rolled-up curtain being shown at the extreme top of the sections. In order to guard the multiple cables and the multiple jacks against fire which might originate in the cord-circuit wiring, a heavy asbestos partition is placed immediately above the cord racks and is clearly shown in Fig. 426.

Fig. 424. Subscribers' Board. Chelsea Office, New York City
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Fig. 425. Subscribers' Board. Chelsea Office, New York City
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