The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-06-06
Talking by Telephone Between Chi
cago and New York.

cago and New York.
The triumphs of the speaking tel.
ephone within the past seven years
have been source of wonder to the
world. For communication on snort
lines it has come into general use
especially in this country. Within
the past year some experiments have
been made with view to determine
the practicability of the use of the
telephone in long circuits, only par.
tial success being achieved where
the lines were more than $50 miles
long. Recently corporation known
as the Postal Telegraph Company
erected a line between New York and
Chicago, using a No. 4 wire which is
made of copper, having a steel core
to stiffen it. Prof. Elisha Gray, an
electrician ofNew York, was the pro
jector of this line, one of the princi-
pal objects of which was experiment
on the possibilities of long distance
telephoning. and to furnish line
for the perfecting of the same. II
was apparent that common iron
wires would not attain the result
aimed at. On Monday last the lines
were connected between the offices
in New York and Chicago and a
test made of the new copper wire,
which showed resistance of only
1922 "ohms against 5000 "obms''
on the best iron wire and 1900
ohms" on the average iron wire.
A telephone connection was made
and an effort made to communicate,
but without success. Sounds could
be heard but the inductive troubles
from wires hung on the same poles
in the city, and in close proximity
to the copper line, made it impossi-
bic to obtain satisfactory results and
it was at once determined to make
telephone connection at this end of
the line at the Stock Yards, the New
York end being in the company's
general office on Broadway.
Yesterday morning Charles E.
Scribner, electrician for the Western
Electric Company, William Hoff-
master, his assistant, E. L. Warner,
an employe, John Young, foreman
of the outside department, and a re-
porter for the Times took an early
train for the Stock Yards, equipped
with all necessary appliances for the
contemplated talk over a thousand
miles of wire between the cities of
New York and Chicago. Batteries
were arranged, wires strung and
connected with induction coils trans
mitter, key and receiver, and at pre-
cisely eleven o'clock by Chicago
time Mr.. Scribner sent his " Hello !"
through the doubled Edison trans
mitter over the thousand miles of
wire. He promptly received an an
answer, which came SO quickly and
so distinctly that he was induced to
believe that it could hardly be true
that he was in communication with
New York, but recognized the voice
|sf Mr. John q Barrett, chemist ct the
Postal Telegraph Company who, in
response to a question as to what
time it was, answered: :" Five min
utes of twelve, which was correct,
according to the difference in time
between the two points. From II
a. m. until $50 o'clock in the after
noon conversations were carried on
between the two places, the New
York parties being John A. Barrett,
Prof. Elisha Gray George NJ. Phelps,
Jr.. C. A. Brown, w. A. Armstrong,
d. Cushing and number of others.
At the Chicago end of the wire Mr..
Hoffmaster played on the mouth
organ, and Z. T. Warner sang, the
report coming back that the whole
was heard distinctly. During the
greater part of the time the conver-
sation was perfectly distinct, being
as plain as through an ordinary
telephone in the city. Some diff
culties were encountered several
times by some one cutting into the
line at different points, and from the
evident crossing of some telephone
wires either in New York or Cleve-
land with the main wire, as other
voices could be distinguished at
times, and the induction became so
great that it was necessary to sus-
pend for the time. The experiments.
however, were declared to be entire
" satisfactory, results being obtain
ed which were thought to be scarce
ly possible. The volume of voice at
times was sufficient to have travers-
ed fully FIVE hundred miles more of
wire, and vet have been heard dis
tinctly. The instruments used were
the same to both ends of the wire,
and were manufactured in Chicago.
The transmitting apparatus consist
ed of double Edison transmitter,
mounted on single mouthpiece
connected with two induction coils
and with the main line, giving
double the volume Of sound of an
ordinary transmitter. Two receiv-
ers were used, the ordinary one and
the Scribner head telephone, which
is far superior to the other. 1t has
no permanent magnet, but simple
electromagnetic mounted in an iron
case, with the ordinary diaphragm.
This is placed in the circuit with
primary induction coil and bat
terry, and with the main line. 1t
weighs but two ounces, while the or
binary receiver weighs about a
pound. In addition to them key
was attached, which cut out the re-
ceivers and cut into the circuit trans
mitter at will, and vice versa, thus
removing all unnecessary resistance
in the line. While talking the re-
ceivers were out of the line, and
while receiving the transmi:ters were
out. The experiments will be con-
Chicago Times.
Az when She waa Young