The Bossier banner., 1883-05-24
Talking by Telephone Between Chicago
and New York.


The tr1umphs of the speaking tele
phone within the past seven years hav,
been source of wonder to the world
For communication on short lines it ha.
come into general use, especially in thi.
country. Within the past year some ex
periments have been made with view
to determine the practicability of the ust
of the telephone in long circuits, only
partial success being achieved where the
lines were more than $50 miles long
Recently, a corporation known as the
Postal Telegraph Company erected a
line between New York and Chicago
using No. wire, which is made OF
copper, having steel core to stiffen it.
Prof. Elisha Gray, an electrician of New
York, was the protector of this line,
one of the principal objects of which
was experiment on the possibilities OF
long-distance telephoning and to fur
nish a line for the perfecting of the
same. 1t was apparent that common
iron wires would not not attain the re-
suit aimed at. On Monday last the
lines were connected between the offices
IN New York and Chicago and test
made of the new copper wire, which
showed a resistance of only 1,522
''ohms" against 5000 "ohmsn on the
best iron wire and $4,000 ..ohmsn 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 impossible
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. Scrib-
ner, electrician for the Western Electric
Company, William Hoff1naster, his as
slstant; Il. I. Warner, an employe; j Ohm
Young, foreman of the outside depart
ment, and reporter for the Times took
an early train for the Stock Yards.
equipped with all necessary appliances
for the contemplated talk over thou
sand miles of wire between the cities of
New York and Chicago. Batteries were
arranged, wires strung and connected
with induction coils, transmitter, KEY
and receiver, and precisely eleven
O'Clock by Chicago time Mr.. Scribner
sent his '.Hellon' through the double
Edison transmitter over the thousand
miles of wire. He promptly received
an answer, which came so quickly and
SO distinctly that he was induced to be-
lieve it could hardly be true that he was
in communication with New York. but
recognized the voice of Mr.. John A.
Barrett, chemist of the Postal Telegraph
Company, who, in response to a ques-
ton as to what time it was, answered:
Five minutes of twelve which was
correct, according to the difference in
time between the two points. From
eleven o'clock a. M. until $3.50 o'clock
IN the afternoon conversations were
carried on between the two places, the
New York parties being John A. Bap-
ger, Prof. Elisha Gray, George M.
Phelps, Jr., G. A. Brown, w. A. Arm
strong, ID. Cushing and a number of
ladies and gentlemen At the Chicago
end of the wire Mr.. Hoff1naster PLAYED
on the moHth-organ. and E. T. Warner
sang, the report coming back that the
whole was heard distinctly. During
the greater part of the time the con-
versation was perfectly distinct, being
rs plain as through an ordinary tele-
phone in the city. Some Difficult
ties were encountered several times
bty some one cutting into the line at diff
ferent points, and from the evident
crossing of some telephone wires either
In New York or Cleveland with the
main wire, as other voices could be dis
tinguished at times, and the induction
became so great that it was necessary
to suspend for the time The expert
ments, however, were declared to be
entirely satisfactory, results being OBJ
tanned which were thought to be scarcely
possible. The volume of voice at times
was sufficient to have trayersed fully
1ve hundred miles more of wire. and
yet have been heard distinctly. The
instruments used were the same to both
ends of the wire, and were manufact-
ured in Chicago. The Transmitting an
paratus consisted of a ''double Edison
transmitter, mounted on q sinole
mouthpiece connected with two indiic- |
ton coils and with the main line. giving |
double the volume of sound of an ordf. |
nary transmitter. Two receivers were |
used, the ordinary one and the Scribner |
head telephone, which is far superior to |
the other Ithas no permanent magnet,
but simple electro-magnet mounted
IN an iron case, with the ordinary dia-
phragm. This is placed in the circuit
with primary induction coil and a
battery, and with the main line. It'll
weighs but two ounces, while the ordi-
nary receiver weighs about a pound. T
In addition to them, s.key'' was at
tached, which cut out the receivers and
eut into circuit the transmitter ut will.
and vice versa, thus removing all un-
necessary resistance in the line. While
5alking the receivers were out of the
me, and while receiving the transmit
ers We're out. The experiments win be
continued. - Chicago Times. /,
|