The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-16
LOCAL MATTERS.

LOCAL MATTERS.
THE TELEPHoSE-EAsF COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN RICHMOND AND NoRFoLK.wMr. d.
" Eates. superintendent or the Western
I-n;on Telegraph Company for this division,
Yesterday evening gave number OF gen.
;lnmnn-ministers OF the gospel, newspaper
rnDorters. merchants, anG others-an op-
nnr,unity to test the practical operations OF
tbe telephone. The wires were those OF the
Western Union Telegraph Company eX-
,nndinc from his private office here to Pc
tersbnrc. and thence 10 the cempany's
ofice in Noriolk-a distance Of one hun
dred and five miles. The instrument
used was that belonging to the Gold and
Stock Telegraph Company, OF New York.
II is not larger than 4 mans hand. 1t is OF
or,tta.percha. and is about one inch in thick
ness On one side is circular cavity,
which is big enough to cover the mouth or
the greater part OF the ear. 1t is connected
With the iron telegraph-Wlres by kerite or
Neyible wire. which enables q person to
move about the room with the telephone at
his ear or mouth. The telephone can be
used with equal convenience at the mouth,
as a speaking-trumpet to transmit your
words to the person with whom you are IN
communication, or as ear-trlmpet to hear
what he SAYS. For one person two OF these
phones are provided. One is usually held
At the ear; the other at the mouth. For
greater distinctneSS in hearing one can be
applied to each ear.
Mcssrs. Hates and Paynter conducted the
experiment at this end OF the line. While
Mr. y. c. Pampin ("old Nick") the
manager OF the telegraph office at Norfolk,
operated down there. Nearly every word
uttered at Norfolk could be heard with a
phone at your ear. MenoSyllabies anu
short sentences were heard with perfect
clearness. Long sentences were heard about
: as well as when two persons, separated by
4 common stud.partiton, are shouting to
each other. Conversation could be carried
on without difficulty, and only now and
then were words lost.
Our reporter asked, "Who are you:"
Promptly came the answer, "Nick Pamp-
lin.' To the inquiry, 'stHow are youf"
he responded, "Very we'll. How are you 2"
All these words and hundreds more passed
between the two points with remarkable
distinctness. One OF the Richmond party
"a newspaper reporte-) sang vorre OF
"The Broken SPELL" and Norfolk voice
avery sweet one-respondedw with the g." Last
Rose of Summer" The tunes and words
were very clear. The Norfolk party re-
ouested that Mr.. John Redford should come
TO the instrument and sing them a song.
Mr.. Redford was sent for, and with charac-
teristic politeness responded promptly, and
sang one or Two verses OF "Good-Bye, Sweet
heart.'' One OF our party asked Norfolk,
"How is that? The answer was, "Splen-
did,, Soon after this, at each office gathered
quartette. Our folks here sang the Sweet
Bye-and-Bye, solo and chorus, and the quar-
tette the Pirates GleG, and solos Kathleen
Mayourneen and When the Swallows Home
ward Fly, quartette. The Norfolk party
furnished US with the following, giving
the names OF their songs and singers on the
occasion: First solo, " What Will You Do,
Love:" by Mr.. w. A. Power; second solo,
wearing of the Green by Mr.. w. A.
Power: third solo, "Molly Bawn," by
opera OF Martha, Messrs. w. A. Power
in the Silly Night Messrs. George
G. Martin. George NJ. Todd, Frank
Craig, and W. A. Power; second quar-
tette, "Genevieve," song and chorus,
Messrs. George G. Martin, George N. Todd,
Walter n. Taylor. and Frank Craig; third
quartette, "Sweet Bye-and-Bye." Messrs.
George G. Martin, George NJ. Todd, Walter
\. Taylor, and Warren G.. Elliott; fourth
quartette, "Joys We've Tasted" Messrs.
George G. Martin, George NJ. Todd, W. S.
Johnson, and Walter n. Taylor. Solo,
"Simon the Cellarer," by Mr.. Warren G..
Elliott; solo, "Katie Lee" by Frank Craig +;
last solo, "The Old Friar," was by Mr.
Frank Craig.
The last solo particularly was as distinct,
though, of course, not rs loud, as if the
singer and hearers bad been in the same
room. ..r,..t
These persons here acquainted with Mr..
Pamplin recognized his voice whenever he
talked. At the conclusion OF one OF Mr..
Redfords songs member Of our party asked
Mr. Pamplin EDO you know who that was
singing?" eyes" said he, ssRedfort."
Mr.. PampIn lived in Richmond several
years. and knows Mr.. Redford well.
Towards the close OF the entertainment
all the participants became quite hoarse.
The Norfolk gentlemen thereupon recon-
nended that the Ricbmonders retire and
refresh themselves.
In the singing it will be understood that
each singer put a'phone to his mouth and
each hearer put one or more to his ear.
That is the great advantage OF this particu-
lar telepbone-tbe phone can be applied
with equal facility to mouth Or ear.
1t is not claimed that the telephone will
work with complete satisfaction at any dis
tance greater than fifty miles. Therefore
The trial Of yesterday evening, when 105
miles separated the two parties, and when
the sounds were in the main reproduced
with accuracy, goes 10 prove that for the
shorter distances for which it is designed it
Will succeed admirably.
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