The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-04

Conversation Between Citizens of New
York and Chicago.
Chicago Tribune.

Chicago Tribune
In order to test personally the merits of
inventions which are expected to effect a
revolution in the science of telegraphy Rufus
Hatch sent q representive to this city in
order to converse with the latter over 1 QG0
miles of wire. The desired experiments were
made at o'clock yesterday afternoon, and
were OF the most interesting character. Mr..
Gushing operated the telephone on Broad
way, New York; Mr. Rudd operated the one
on Thirty-ninth. street, Chicago. At Mr..
Cushings side stood Mr. Hatch, and at Mr..
Rudd's elbow was Mr.. Cole.
Ask Mr. Cole if he received letter at the
Palmer House this morning from Mr..
Hatch" This was the first question that
came sliding swiftly over the wires-over
lake and prairie and the roofs of a hundred
hamlets, and through shade and sunshine. 1t
was answered in the affirmative
Professor Gray sat on one of the tables near
at hand, with his silk hat tilted over the
back of his head. He watched the expert
ment with interest and beamed on the tele-
phone in kind, encouraging way. But the
next conundrum that "Uncle Rufus" sent
skipping along to the West nearly knocked
out" the instrument in the second round 1t
was: Where was | three weeks ago last Sun
day." The Chicago telephone tried to answer;
with John Fender at lunch, " but the effort
was evidently too great. New York couldn't
hear. The Chicago telephone tried again.
but in vain, and it began to get "rattled"
and to perspire violently The stenographer
at Mr.. Coles side, who had already written
the answer "With-John-Pen der-at-
lunch, " five times looked at the instrument
reproachfully and increased its confusion
Finally Professor Gray said solicitously: 81
think the word lunch is what breaks up
the telephone. Just change it."
The suggestion was adopted, and the Chi
cago telephone braced up and exclaimed
boldly: with John Fender in London"
and New York gleefully responded: Right
you are"
The two instruments then got their second
wind and carried on a very ineligible con-
versation about Mr. Penders house in Lon
don, until the New York machine asked its
Chicago friend What church did you at
tend three weeks ago in London?'
The Chicago telephone fairly groaned 1t
tried to say: cat the Old Temple Church"
but it could not make New York understand,
1t repeated the sentence again and again.
and spelled out the word "T-e-m-p-l-e' until
it covered three pages of the stenographer's
notebook, but at last New York Caught on,
and the Chicago machine heaved a sigh of
genuine relief. The Garden City telephone
was by this time somewhat hoarse, but it
said the remainder of its catechism very
nicely, indeed.
Mr. Clay operated it satisfactorily, recog-
nizing Mr.. Hatch's voice at distance of l.
900 miles
Our experiment shows conclusively,"
said Mr.. Cole, ''how great the possibilities of
the system are"
Prof. Gray stated that on some days he
could carry on a conversation with New
York without the slightest embarrassment,
and at other times he encountered much diff
fculty in making himself understood Some
OF the delicate vibrations, he admitted, were
apt to be lost while in state of transmission.