The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-03-10

petely revolutionize the methods of in
structing the deaf and dumb, and within
the last six months four new schools for
this special purpose have been opened
in Michigan, Maine, Illinois and New
York, while the system has also been in
troduced into large proportion of the
establishments of this class already ex-
Isting in the United States.
Besides it's benefcent influence on
those persons deprived of the ordinary
faculties of hearing and speaking, the
Bell system has very largely facilitated
the requirement by Europeans of such
languages as Chinese, japanese, Cinga-
lese, and the Zulu dialect. We mention
this circumstance because it is simply as
result of the constant attention paid
by Prof. Bell to the mechanism of the
human voice, both in instructing teach
ers and in directly amelioratlng the con-
dition Of the deaf and dumb, that he has
devised his telephone system.
The experiments yesterday were as
follows: Telephones having been con.
nected with the private Geographic line
of the Boston Rubber Shoe Company,
and the operators at either end having
taken up their station, conversation was
at once commenced. Stationed at the
Boston end of the wire Prof. Bell re-
auested Mr.. Watson to speak in loud
tones, with view of enabling the entire
company at once to distinguish the
sounds.
This was SO successful that u smile Of
mingled pleasure and surprise played on
the features of those present. That it,
/ however, might not be supposed that
loud speaking was essential to intelligi-
bility, Mr.. Bell explained that soft tones
could be heard across the wires even
more distinctly that loud utterances, even
whisper being audible, In contirma-
ton of this statement, Mr.. Watson COM
menced speaking in turn with each mem
Der of the company, and after the eff
cheney of this method had been proved
to the satisfaction of all, he took up a
newspaper and informed the assemblage
that gold had closed the previous even
ing at New York at 1863. AS there were
quite a number of business men present,
the effect that this practical demonstra-
ton of the value of the telephone pro
duced can scarcely be exaggerated.
Other passages from the daily journals
were then given, and by this time the
desire for conversation having become
general, Mr.. Watson was piled with
questions such as, Is it thawing or freez-
ing at Maiden? Who will be the next
President? etc. 1t was remarkable that
Mr.. Watson was able to distinguish be-
tween the voices at the Bosten end, he
calling at least one gentleman by name
as soon as the latter commenced speak
ing.
This went on for some time, until a
lady at Maiden end sent the company an
invitation to lunch per telephone, and an
appropriate response was made by the
same medium. At length the company
were requested to remain quiet while a
lady at the other end conveyed to them
the sweet strains of music. The assem-
blage thereupon listened with rapt atten
ton while a young lady commenced sing
ing 1.-The Last Rose of Summer" The
effect was simply charming. Possessing,
as the fair cantatriCe does, a voice of eX-
quisite sweetness, the sounds penetrated
into the Boston end of the telephone
with distinctness equal to that attain
able in the more distant part of large
concert-room, and an unanimous. vote of
thanks was sent by the handy little in
strument which had procured for the as
semblage so agreeable an hour. Among
those present were electricians and gen
tlemen occupying prominent positions on
our Western railroads, and one and all
expressed the conviction that the tele-
phone was destined to achieve the great
est possible results. Let US hope that
the day is fast approaching when every
man will be in position to turn on the
| electricity in his house with the same
facility with which he now turns on the
wafer or the pas -BOSt0n TrnDScTiDt