Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-03-14
SPEAKING ACROSS THE ROCKY
MOUNTAINS.
New Norlh-West.1


!, graphy requires study and experienc,
telephony only the faculties of speech an
:, hearing. Tie former is a comparative
slow method Of transmitting messages
the latter limited only by the capacity I
utterance. Its utility as a popular NEAR
of communication is beyond comprehe'
sion and its benefits in 4 thousand ways il
valuable. These advantages, Of cours'
depend upon its being inexpensive and
certain and easy means OF transmittin
speech over certain distances instantant
ously. So far the telephone most appro,
ed and in use in the United States is tina
known as Bells, of which many Thousand
are now in use in the East, connecting
business offices, manufactures, residences
etc.
1t is stated they have transmitted voice
distinctly 300 miles: they have also beel
used under the English Channel. workin:
successfully from Calias to Dover, dis
lance OF some forty miles. One of tn
principal advantages claimed for this cOun
try is their adaptability for connecting thu
deep workings of mines with the surface
their susceptibility to interruption by
many of the influences that would inter
rupt telegraphic communication and the
/ fact That anyone can use them from the
| first attempt. These facts and the popular
interest manifested in them rendered the
receipt of Il set Of Bell telephones by Prof
ROlici Helena matter of some moment
to Montana. The experiments conducted
in Helena over Il three and four mile cir
cult were SO highly successful that it was
arranged to try them over the line between
Helena last Sunday. Prof. Role in Hele-
m. and Prof. Moore in Deer Lodge, had
charge of the instruments, while Messrs.
Ercdcricks and Mantle presided at the teie-
graph instruments, which can be worked
in connection with, and ri hit through, the
telephones. 10 the courtesy of these gen.
tlemen quite number of citizens in the
respective places were indebted for the OPP
portunity of being present. The length
of line used was about forty miles, travers-
ing the Deer Lodge, Little Blackfoot and
Ten Mile Valleys, and crossing the main
range of The Rocky Mountains and Dog
Creek Hills. The variation Of altitude
from valley to summit probably exceeded
1000 feet, and the line is impcrtectly insul-
ated and connected in many places. These
were hard conditions to subject the tele-
phone to, and under inexperienced manip-
ulation it was not felt certain success
would be attained. 1t was, however, to a
degree, and the transmission
of voices became more and more easy and
distinct as persons became accustomed to
the instruments. Loud tones were used at
first, but eventually Mcssrs. Mantle and
Fredcricks conycrsed in ordinary CONVEX
sational tones and each could hear the 9TH
CT distinctly. Several pieces OF music
were sung and, wf'rc clearly enunciated,
The words cou'. " plainly distinguished,
while from the Helena Office the Deer
Lodge auditors could distinguish the three
parts OF music carried and each voice sep
,r.lteIy. and with its distinct characteristics
IS plainly as in concert room.
1t must be remembered, however, that !
he singer holds the telephone close to his,
n her. mouth while singing, and the all
litor must do the same. the sound not be-
NC audible away from the telephone.
adde's voices and tenor voices are trans
nitted more clearly than heavier male
oices. 4 popularity about it is its sug-
'cstion of ventriloquism and the fact that
I !
inging o.: talking to Brobdingnags from
he depths of Il cavern. This, however. is
OF SO observable over short distances.
The instruments were placed ON the local
'leglaph line between tie First National
'ank and tie pcnitentiary. distance of
early onc-half mile. on Tuesday evening,
18th better results. Conversations were
lrricd or in whispers and and every word
card and answered distinctly; voices also
oundcd full-toncd ar,l perfectly natural.
he voice OF lady singing in the bank
as heard at the penitenliary Office, ten
et from the telephone. The battery was
so cut out and the instruments worked
; well, it was even thought better, with
ut an electrical current as with it. The
ter experiments have much enhanced the
lephoncs in estimation, and have resulted
w. A. Clark, Esq, ordering set to
,nnect the Dexter mill and the Bank in
ute. Each set OF instruments consists
six pieces. The speaking instruments
e of walnut about the size of cigar
ox. with gutta perc!la mouth piece.
he hearing instruments are cylindrical,
,out five inches long and two in diamater. 8
re latter is held to the ear and the words {
'oken through the former. Thus con- !
rsation can be carried on as rapidly as if t
e persons were in the same room. Two I
gnal bells accompany the set t. call at S
ntion. The instruments are not sold, {
1t rented at $50 per annum. This is a
ormous, as they do not cost probably a
ore than SIS or SIS TO manufacture, but =
ey are covered with exclusive patents.
many businesses, though, they will ray c
r themselves many times over by saving .
time. o
While telephones will not at present SUI b
rccde tcle2raphy, especially for long dis c
noes, they are wonderful achievement n
scientific and mechanical knowledge and /,
G present telephone is doubtless but the S
perfect germ from which will be deyel- v
'ed 4 yet more perfect and more wonder r
instrument. We congratulate the Pro- fl
ssors on their probably being the first C
isons who ever talked across the Rocky n
ountains and on the success of the in a
for which we believe they are r
e agents for Montana. 49,
Montana News,
~ -=..
Herald.]