Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-01-22

TELRGRAPHING.-The lecture of Prof Silliman
before the Young Mems Association few weeks
ago, gave to his audience plain and clear idea of
the first principles of telegrapbing. The method
of communicating through hundreds of miles of
conducting wire, was clearly shown and an interest
ezced in the general subject of signal telegraph
ing. Mr.. Geo. B. Hicks, of this city, who is agent
of the Associated Press, having invented and put
into use a very ingenious and valuable machine for
repeating signals, few facts relative to the Union
Telegraph LiAe will not be unnteresting.
On air line telegraphs great difficulty is expert
enced during wet weather in transmitting messages
to any great distance. The air at such times con-
tains many particles of solid matter which are good
conductors, and these coming in contact with the
wire convey away the electric fluid A land wire
which will work for 500 miles in clear day, will
not work more than 300 in cloudy or rainy day
This being the case, those companies having long
routes must have some repeating stations establish
ed upon the route, by means of which messages
may be delivered through the entire length. At
these stations, messages are repeated as fast as re
ceived, and scarcely any delay is experienced.
The New York Companies from Buffalo east
ward, are obliged to repeat at Albany, and messa-
ges are rapidly transmitted through that Office
Messages for points west of Cleveland are re-
peated here at Cleveland: and the labor Though
comparatively slight of doing this, by first recev-
lag and then writing out the messages for their
final destination, attracted the attention of Mr.
Hicks, who soon Invented the repeater which is
now, with some notifications, manufactured at
this station for other repeating stations west and
south.
An attempted description of this ingenious ma
chine would but confuse the reader. Enough 10
say that by means of it a Buffalo operator can, ss
it were, simply call the attention of the repeater,
when it sends directly forward without any aid or
overseeing, the message, whatever it may be.
The machine needs no tender, for it takes entire
charge of itself, repeating the messages and as
perfectly adjusting itself to its legitimate end as
though it had a soul as its intelligent power. Mr..
Hicks has spent much time and labor in perfecting
this instrument, and so well has he succeeded that
it has already high reputation among telegraph
operators A machine has just been finished and
sent to Cincinnati, while others are being made TO
supply orders.
-uS W Sotelu OAluu COMPANY nave over I,OOO
miles of wire, and are daily constructing new lines
for the different Railroad Companies in the West
This Company is the largest in the United States
and is acknowledged to be one of the best practical
working lines iu the world. Between two and
three hundred operators are employed, beside q
large number Of machinists, clerks, and workmer
in other capacities. All tie material and supplei
/ E-rf - r ~.
in this city.
1t is well worth visit to see the manufacture o
the delicate and complicated operating machines
which are made at the rooms in Washington Block
The repeater spoken of above, which was sent t
Cincinnati, was one of the incest pieces of work
manship we have ever seen, and each part, liz
the mechanism of a watch, must be so perfectly az
iusted that not the slightest jar or irregular NOV
ment will be perceptbe.
The operators in this Office read entirely by SCUM
the old Morse register and the House printing nj
chine having been done away with. To receiy
and transmit messages rapidly, requires muc
practice and strict attention, and nearly all the op
rators employed both here and in the various offe
of the Company, are first class practical telegrap
ers About thirty men are employed in the difie
: ent departments of the works here, and all is ca
E ried on with perfect system and regularity.