The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-04-09
Wonders in Telegraphy.
Dispatches Sent Down n Moving Train BY
New System of Induction
From the Baltimore American.) }

From the Baltimore American.)
A most interesting, as well as wonderful,
experiment in telegraphy was successfully
tried on Wednesday by the Baltimore and
Ohio telegraph company officials. They
succeeded in telegraphing on a railroad train
while going at the rate of 40 miles an hour
by the Phelps induction system. The ex-
pertinent was conducted by Mr.. Phelps, the
inventor, and under the direction of the B,
& o. officials. The experiment was tried on
the Harlem river branch of the New York
and New Haven railroad. An insulated wire
encased in rubber, was laid in wooden box
or trench, on the ties in the centre OF the
rails of the up track 1t was held In position
by iron clamps. Twelve miles of this wire
was laid. A baggage car was fixed up for
the travelling telegraph station. A coil of
wire making circuit was run around the
car and extending under it by means of an
iron rod. The rod was mithin II inches Of
the wire in the wooden trenches on the ties.
The telegraph instrument was in one corner
of the car. Soon after the train was started
and while going at the rate of 40 miles an
hour, the operator in the car called New
York. A direct wire had been furnished
through to Baltimore and into President
Garretps private Office in the central build
ing in this city. The gentlemen in the car
awaited the answer with anxiety. Soon the
instrument began ticking as loudly as If in q
stationary Office. New York had responded.
The induction system worked. Major Pane-
born then indited telegram to President
Garrett, saying that the Phelps induction
system was a success. The telegram went
directly TO Mr.. Garrett, and an aOswer was
received by the experimenters on the car,
"Your telegram has been delivered to Presi-
dent Garrett in bis private Office" Major
Pangborn then wrote another: president
Garrett, am teegraphing to you, on a train
going 40 miles an hour, by the Phelps in
dnction system. The wire In our car is II
inches from the wire laid on the ties of the
track" While the operator was sending the
despatch, Major Pangborn noticed that the
train had gone its II miles, and that it would
soon pass over the wire in the wooden trench.
He said nothing but let the operator con-
tinue. The train left the box behind. As
1t passed over the end there was fainter
sound of the ticking Of the instrument, but
the message continued. The inductor was
80 strong that the current had gone to the
wire on the telegraph pole 40 feet
from the track. Ii seemed marvellous to the
experlmenters lifting in a car with no
wire nearer than 40 feet, and to send and le-
ceive messages When the train returned
the experiments wee continued aud It was
found that the inductor worked as well as on
the other track. The message was sent over
The wire in the wooden trench on the other
track, II feet away. OF course there was a
difference in the sound from .he one received
and sent when the car was over the wire and
when IL feet from it. Ga the return the
telephone was connected with the induction
system aud message on wire 60 feet away
was heard. The sender was in New York
and he was sending a message to his wife in
New Rochelle: 81 will not be home tonight.
Business detains me in the CITY," Mr..
Phelps stated that system of bells could be
placed on the engines and worked by the
induction systems so that trains could tele-
graph to each other, and a system arranged
SO that when trains were within 1000 feet
of each other bell would ring announcing
the number OF the train ahead.