Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-05-11
The Improved Telephone.


Marvellous as have been the discov-
cries and inventions in the line of tele.
phones, it seems probable that we are
yet in the infancy of their utility. The
result of late experiments has been the
establishment of telephone communi-
cation between Boston and New York,
by which conversation has been car
ried on over distance of 240 miles
that is, to and from Boston-and not
only has the conversation been con-
Quoted intelligently and easily, but
with distinctiveness that has hitherto
not been obtained through telephones.
This improvement has been reached,
not through any particular change in
the instruments, but by chemical
manipulation of the carbon and cur.
rent four times as long as the ordinary
one. Mr.. Chinook, the electrician of
the Metropolitan Telephone company
of New York, thus states the operation
of the machine under the new discov-
cry. He says: "Two weeks ago went
to Boston to consult with the Bell Tele-
phone company. The chief electrician
of the company, Mr.. Jacques, said that
he had something to show that would
astOnish me. Some twenty feet away
from where sat was an ordinary tele-
phone, exactly like those in use all over
this city. Mr.. Jacques came, and as
be closed the 6oor a voice as loud and
distinct as I am talking to you in now,
said: Good morning, Mr.. Chinook.
How do you like BostonT I looked
around in amazement and said to Mr..
Jacques: "Have you a speaking tube
hereY No. he replied; that is the
telephone thought at first that it
was some practical joke, but after a
few moments investigation 1 became
convinced that a great advance hal
been made in science"
This same gentleman says that the
present handphones can be made to
give forth sounds as loud and distinct
as the human voice itself, and that
hereafter the call bell will be unneces-
sary, as the voice can be heard as far
as the bell. Thus, standing in Boston,
he heard voice from the telephone
call Miss Taylor, lady sitting in an
adjoining room, at least forty feet
away, and the lady heard tie call and
came from the other room to answer it.
He further explains the possibilities
of the future of telephones:
"When the voice comes from dis.
lance, as from Boston to New York, it
is necessary to speak quite loudly, but
not to shout, for the voice to be heard
distinctly in all parts of the room in
this city; but by putting the handphone
Boston to New York. By using what
is known as the metallic circuit-two
wires instead of one-conver5ations
have been carried on with ease over
4SO miles of country. 1 see no reason
why conversations cannot be carried
on between New York and San Fran
cisco. and have no hesitation in saying
that within a year conversation be-
tween here and Chicago will be a mat
ter of hourly occurrence. No change
whatever will be necessary in the pres
emit apparatus, except in substituting
four cells for one and in. differently
prepared carbon"
The Imagination is free to count up
what will be the result when man In
Chicago can go to his telephone and
call up by a single hello" any person
he wishes in st. Louis, New YORK,
washington, Boston or New Orleans.
and speak to him freely, and as dis
tinctly. and with no greater voice, than
if he were present in the same room.
Electricity has made marvellous strides
since Morse, less than forty years ago,
strung his first wires and opened his
FIRST line of telegraph, a distance OF
FORTY miles. The telephone has already