The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-01-04
The Telephone rs "A Reporter.

As population moves up town, the
news centers of New York change. For
several years it has been evident to
those who furnish the news 10 the pub
lie that vast majority of election re-
turns live in the upper parts of the city,
and do not come to newspaper Offices to
hear the figures read out, or to see the
bulletins displayed. In recognition of
this fact, the Tribune and other journals
made preparations, at this election, to
display the news at various points in
the upper part of the city. The Herald
used the stcreopticon, an old, familiar
and popular form of amusement, at va
rious points of the city. The Evening
Express telcgraphed its returns to
Twcnty-Third street and Broadway,
where the figures and speculations were
shown by the stereoptican at that point.
The other daily papers made little or no
attempt to satisfy the public, except the
Tribune, which employed n new agency,
and in this way distributed its returns
all over the city. The new agency al
ludcd to is one which has never before
been tested in the delicate mission of
transmitting figures ofclcctions. 1t has
transmitted music, but in music the
trained ear can detect, as ii cannot in fig
urcs. sudden violation Of the proprie-
ties.
The new agency was the telephone.
The Tribune early recognizing the need
of some more rapid means of commune
cation than the telegraph, arranged with
the telephone company of New York to
establish wires and instruments con-
meeting the official sources of informa-
ton, as to the actual figures of the cleo
ton, with the Tribune office; and ex-
tending from the Tribune Office, for the
transmission of its figures, to the Amer
ican Institute, the police headquarters,
Thirteenth street and Broadway, and
still other points in the city.
For the first time in the history of the
telephone, a reporter, who had never
before seen the instrument, was enabled
without practice, almost without in
struction, to transmit figures with per-
feet accuracy. These figures were re-
ceivcd and recorded in shorthand, by q
stenographic reporter, who had never
seen the telephone instrument, and were
written down in shorthand as fast as
received. AT the same time the report
cr was enabled to read aloud the figures
as they came in.
The reports as received at the Tribune
office were sent by telephone to the sew
eral points named above, and at the
American Institute were displayed On
immense bulletin boards. Crowds
gathered as each bulletin was placed in
position. The returns came in so rap
idly that the bulletins soon covered the
entire music stand, the mammoth bulle-
tin boards being filled at an early hour.
A practical illustration of the rapidity
with which messages are communicate
ed by the telephone was furnished by a
man with stentorian voice, who re-
ceived the news simultaneously with
the operators in the main Office, and an
uounced the result TO the crowd long
before bulletins could be painted and
posted. A strong electric light was
thrown upon the bulletin boards, Civ
ing them prominence for a long distance
The news rs it was announced called
out varied comments. Morrissey and
Mcclellan seemed to be special favor.
tics, and the announcement of thcil
election was received with cheers. The
crowd in attendance last night wa,
largely Democratic, but not in sympa
thy with Tammany, for there was grca
rejoicing over the defeat of Schcll, ii
looking to the overthrow of John Kcl
ley. The telephone worked admirably
and the visitors to the Institute regard
ed it with evident appreciation. Sever
al orders were received last night tc
connect business houses with private
dwcllings.-[New York Tribune.