Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-04-30
EDISON'S LATEST.
Catching a lightning Express
Train by Electricity.
Messages Transmitted From the Wires at
the Side Of the Track Through the Roof
OF the Car--Uses to which the
Invention May BE Put.
[Chicago Herald.l


Two hundred railway, telegraph and
newspaper men Of Chicago and vicinity
were recently given an opportunity TO
witness Edison's latest wonder, telegraph
ing from n moving train, in practical op-
GRAFTON. In the baggage car Of a special
train. run 10 Milwaukee and back by ths
ST. Paul road and the Telegraph and Tele-
phone Company, OF New York, was a little
table, by which sat an operator with re-
ceiving cups resembling telephone receiv-
ers buckled tight over his ears and an
ordinary Morse dispatching key under his
fingers. In boxes near by was a power
ful battery, and wires connected tho in
struments with the wheels of the bar
beneath and with tho roof overhead. Thus
simple was the apparatus which performs
such marvellous work. Before leaving
Chicago many Of the guests wrote messages
addressed TO themselves, and these were
received as the train sped to Milwaukee.
One message was received from the office
Of the company in New York.
Superintendcnts Tubbs and Clowry
received messages relating TO the
business OF the Western Union Telegraph
Company. One gentleman sent a dis
patch inquiring the condition of a relative
who was III, and an hour later received a
reply. Another inquired for and was
given the latest quotation on st. Paul stock
and June wheat. A houso-owner had cor
respondence with his agent regarding the
rental Of n building, and while running
forty miles On hour Conductor Glass ro-
ceived the first train order ever sent to a
running train. II was:
Z. J. GL,ss AND ENGINEER sPEcnL:-Pass
No. 10 (thittecn) at lakewood and run to
Minerva regardless OF No. 10. G. Il. X.
In ell something like two hundred mes
sages were handled, even the names OF
persons being in most cases correctly re-
ceived. The dispatches were sent through
the train and delivered by messenger, and
passengers found that without leaving
their comfortable seats they could send
messages 90 their homes or places Of busi-
ness aud receive replies thereto.
"The process is very simple" said Man
ager McGregor; "thc secret Of the whole
thing lies in the fact that the air, for a
short distance, does not make any percep-
tible resistance 10 tho transmission of an
electrical current. Consequently, when |
touch this key | send a current through the
wires TO the roof OF tho car, where Il makes
n leap TO the wires running along the road,
distant, perhaps, twenty-five TO one hun
dred feet, although Il is possible for the
current 90 loap through the air, as we have
practically demonstrated, distance OF
five hundred and eighty feet. Messages
are sent as by the Morse method, and re-
ccived bY telephone instead of 10y ordinary
sounder. With the receiving cups over his
cars the operator is relieved of all annoy
nnce by the noise OF the train. In order 70
telegraph, you know, we must have n cir
cult. This Is secured by connecting our
wire with the wheel of the car by a copper
ring around the axle, the current passing
thence, OF course, TO the rail and ground
At fixed station, for this exhibition
at Wadsworth, the overhead wires
are grounded by connection with
the rail, aud thus we have n com.
| plete circait, excepting only the dis.
tance from the car roof 20 the wires strung
along the track. BY induction this spac,
is jumped and the circuit completed. In.
duciion is electrical sympathy, and tel
egraph men have much trouble with tn,
tendency OF currents to jump from on,
wire 20 another; from telegraph wire t
| placed too close together"
/ This system was brought into its presen
shape by Mr.. Edison, but the first paten
was taken out by William Wiley Smith, o
/ Tennessee, who, with F.. I. Gilliland, tn,
noted Now York electrician, co-opcrateC
| with Mr.. Edison i'm the matter. Mr.. Smitl
] conceived the idea of having n mcssag,
/ pass from train TO an ordinary wire alon:
! the route 10y simple induction. He told Mr.
/ Gilliland, Mr.. Gillland told Mr. Edison
| The telegraph and telephone company ha
n million dollars capital, and propose Z,
sell royalties 20 railroad companies. 1t Il
claimed that with this system wire
may 10 operated with greater cas-,
and safety, as the dispatcher cal
communicate directly with NJ
conductors, no matter whether they are a
telegraph stations or not. In case Of acci
dent help could be summoned immedi
ntely, and messages may be sent from on,
moving train TO another.
That the method is success there cal
be no doubt after this exhibition. Tele
graphing TO and from moving trains is
verify. In every sleeping car there ma,
be telegraph office, in every parlor car
grain and stock ticker. The system Is in
tcrcsting and its works marvellous, bu
there Is much doubt as 90 its practical util
ity, the trouble being that every train mus
take n telegraph operator, and that this /
an expense which few railroads will b
willing TO incur. To this objection reply |
made that conductors can soon learn I
telegraph, and that many unimportan
fixed telegraph stations may be dis
pensed with, local patrons deliverin
their messages TO passing trains, to b
transmitted therefrom. IL is also elaine
that the presence Of operators on pas
senger trains will largely increase com
mercial business. travellers using the wire
more freely than now because Of the in
creased convenience and celebrity in for
warding the messages and receiving sup
plies. Operation OF the train telegraph 4
nowise intcrferes with the usual service Q
the wires employed. Doubtless the nev
method will be adopted on the limited an
other important express trains ON man
roads, and some Western roads whic
maintain many telegraph Offices solely fo
the management Of trains may find its us
advantageous and economical. The man
electricians and railway telegraph super
intendents present were delighted wit
the novelty OF the system and its success
ful working, but doubtful Of 10 utility
financially considered, in its preser
shape.
Every American Indian costs the Unite