Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-23
DARKROOM TICKERS.
New Scheme for Promoting the Sale
of Cocktails.
From the Chtcd0 Herald.

From the Chfcd0 Herald.
Who has not observed while refreshing
himself at some mahogany bar one or
more apparently excited individuals rush
in and hastily grab narrow slip of viii tie
paper that emerged from a curious look
ing machine which sputtered out several
inches of this paper at irregular but fire.
quent intervals? The apparently eX-
cited individuals in question scan
the strip and look pleased
or disappointed. Toe mechanical
source of this sorrow and Joy is known as
ticker" without which, at the present
writing, no well-regulated barroGm is
complete. In the window a card an
nounces that market and base ball news
IS served with the cocktails, and the
"ticker's" verdict is a source of anxiety
to many whose pockets inclose pool
tickets and legal tender of the bucket
shop. AS the curious scorn to borrow a
look at a mans ''ticker' without buying
a beverage, it is a great help to trade and
commerce ana keep money In circulation.
The ''ticker" in use in the local resorts
was introduced into Chicago last August.
There are at present 100 instruments in
operation in this city, and orders for about
200 more are on file. The "ticker" has its
drawbacks as we'll as its advantages.
For instance, 1t is peculiarly annoying
for a man who is holding his breath while
he waits for the next quotation on August
wheat to have go and see the beautiful
Evangeline tonight" sprawl along the
immaculate tape instead of the quotation
he is looking for.
the source of these quotations and
news items is a roomy basement in the
Royal Insurance Building on Quincy
street. Here the news is received by
telegraph from all over the country, and
is sent out.
OVER THE LOCAL "TICKERs."
The other morning the Herald man
dropped into this place before the bust
ness of the day was fairly begun, and was
pleasantly received by the operators on
duty at the time. One of the operators
was seated at an instrument, which he
explained was the keyboard. 1t was a
small box about foot square, of polished
wood, and upon the face of it was dial
upon which were two circles, the outer
composed OF white ivory keys bearing the
letters of the alphabet. The inner circle
was composed OF numbers, fractions and
initials used in Board of Trade circles.
These were printed just inside the circle
OF keys, and when the operator desired TO
make figure he pressed the letter oppo-
site IL, at the same time touching one of
two KEYS, which he called unison points.
Inc lSCuulCdl IeTIn IuT Inc TWO ClTCitS Is
type wheels. Upon the right-hand side
of the box is a switch TO sever or make
the connection. The key board is placed
upon an incline in front OF the opera or,
and from beneath it run q number of in
suated wires. Above and back of the
key board IL one OF the "tickers," by
means of which the operator is enabled TO
watch his results and keep the thread OF
his narrative.
81
peine battery is used, it being the only one
that will charge and discharge quick
enough for the work required of it, as
there are 100 revolutions per minute.
Upon a series OF shelves in the rear OF the
room are 800 cups OF these batteries, and
60 cups OF the colland gravity battery to
operate
THE OTHER ELECTRICAL MACHINERY
in the place. There are nine circuits, and
on one side OF the room are nine of the
.'tickers" ranged along the wall-One
"ticker" for each circuit. BY means OF
these the operators can see whether all OF
the circuits are working properly. The
electric current Ia sent by pole charger,
sending the opposite polarity OF the bat
terry to the line. When a certain letter is
pressed the action OF the battery Is
stopped long enough to print the letter
required.
In the centre OF the room is the trans
mitter. which is a complicated arrange
ment OF wires, oogs, wheels and weights,
operated by sturdy boy who turns
crank on the side OF the machine, with
zeal worthy Of a better cause. IL is run
by a sort of porpetusl motion clockworR,
operated by heavy weights and an endless
chain upon which the pressure Is always
uniform. At one side of the ransmitter
is brass disk termed the "sun1ower,"