Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-04-07
wonderful Telephone and Telegraphic
Achievements,

Last nlgnt, In n little Office OF the
Postal Telegraph Company, was per-
formed the most interesting, and at the
same time most remarkable, achievements
in modern history. Electricians won
dered when, by the invention of the tele-
phone, they were, enabled to commune
cate between their Offices and their homes.
By later devices and Improvements they
were able to talk between cities from fifty
to seventy-fve miles apart. The wonder
full feat performed last night was the car
rying on of a conversation between Cleye-
land and New York.
The wire of the Postal Company,
which had been leveled for several days
by the fearfully severe sleet-storms that
had been raging in Central New York,
was in excellent shape. By meansof the
switchboard the wire was switched first
on to the Morse instrument. The latter
instrument was the invention of Mr..
Charles J. Dorrance, of New York, who
manipulated its workings in the Cleye-
land office. At the New York end were
Mr.. Elisha Gray, of the Gray Harmonic
system, MI. A. D. Hunt, a prominent
Wall street broker and interested in the
Dorrance telephone, and many other
prominent gentlemen.
Mr.. G. 81. Dunn, of the Gray Harmonic
system, oficiated at the Morse instrument
and gave the signals when to go ahead
and when to desist. The experiment was
principally intended to prove the posi-
bility of talking from Cleveland to New
York. This is a much more difficult task
than in speaking from the Metropolis to
Cleveland, a fact due to the fearfully
heavy induction upon the wires running
into New York City. An experiment
had been made in the afternoon that sub
stantiated the possibility of speaking
from New York to Cleveland. The line
was cut on to the telephone, for about
ten minutes. Mr.. Dorrance raised the
ear trumpet to his ear and distinctly
heard:
"Hello, Charlie, how do you get me%'
Good, how are you?"
Gall right"
At this point some local station cut in
the wire and began to operate, which, of
course, suspended further operations.
The conversation was very audible, al
though not carried on in a tone above the
ordinary pitch.
At about 7:15 o'clock, after the instru-
AuCuU A5u UcCn OJuSlGO, NEW 1OTk Salu:
CHOW 60 ahead"
"Helso," said Mr.. Dorrance, team YOU
hear me-"
"Yee, quite plainly"
MIR. Torrance then recited q verse from
Mother Goose.
"Gite us something we don't know"
answered New York.
"Ycu are a very slow town." replied
the Cleveland speaker, "why don't you
come up to the Forest City,"
II think you are a little too tight"
said the New York man, meaning, of
course, the diaphram.
"No, I haven't been tight for years.
was the answer.
AlS this was very audible and distinct,
and the New York gentleman tele-
graplIed:
"1s works very we'll We congratulate
you on its success"
"Thanks," said Mr.. Dorrance over the
telephone.
"Ihere is a reporter here who wants to
listen to you," said MI. Dorrance to- the
New York Office.
CAL right; call him to the 'phone,"
was tie response.
Tho reporter picked up the instrument
suspiciously. He had often conversed a
distance of fifty or sixty miles, but the
fact that the transmitter at the other end
was almost 700 miles away was hardly
comprehensive. The fearful clatter and
clang Of the great network of wires
through which the postal line creepsinto !
New York could be plainly heard.
Finally, above the roar and %clatter, a
voice was heard that sounded as if COM
Ing from down through the earth, in the
washee shop of a Celestial. The tones for
q minute were indistinct, and the earhad
to be held quite close to the instrument.
After a little the voice could be plainly
heard.
Hello; how are all the people in Cleve-
land%
Everything is frozen up here"
I'VE are having our summer in New
York" was the response.
Then the New York man sang a bar of
I'm the Cleaning" the notes being dis
tinguishable.
Good night, Herald," said the man in
New York.
Good night" replied the representa-
tive Of this office.
MIR. Torrance then tried several exper-
iments of great interest. At no time
were over five battery cells used, and at
one time the number was reduced to a
single battery cell.
II have tried all methods" said Mr..
Torrance, "and have come to the conclu-
sion that the fewer batteries the better.
l have worked with as high as one hun
dred cells, but it was no palmer than the
condensation tonight, where we used
onlyone or two"
what new principle do you claim for
your instrumental was asked.
"The difference in the tension of the
transmitter," replied MI. Dorrance.
At about nine o'clock the New York
office announced that they were satisfied
with the experiments thus far tried, and
1hat further trials would be postponed
until the next day.
THE NEW TELEGRAPHIC SYSTEM.
Many very interesting experiments
were also made during the day with the
Geographic system.
I'VE will show you some rapid work."
said Mr.. Schribner, of New York, to the