The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-05-19

aSGtAN4 AAf3t ttoAA NOhAhCSh 0t Alliance, O., with a tide- water train for Cleveland in time to catch the Lake Shore train which will bring him into New York at half- past seven, and whether all those trains are re- ported on time or not, and if not, will the office kindly state why? Other guests also manifest a morbid curiosity through their transmitting, but the clerk does not get excited, for he knows that all these remarks are filed away in tLe large black walnut box at the back of the office. When he gets ready, provided he has been through & course of study in this branch of business, he takes one room at time, and addressing pale young "banister- -polisher" by the Eame of "Front," he begins to scatter iniorma- tion, baggage, towels, morning papers, time tables, etc., all over the house. It is supposed to be great time- saver. For instance, No. 80 wants to know the correct time. He moves an indi. cator around like the combination on safe, reads a few pages of instruc- tions, and then pushes button, per- haps. Instead of ringing for boy and waiting for him some time, then asking him to obtain the correct time at the office, and come back with the information. cohversing with various people on his way back, and expect ing compensation for it, the guest can ask the office and receive the an- swer without getting out of bed. You leave call for 8 certain hour, and at that time your own private gong makes it so disagreeable for you that you will be glad to rise. Again, if you wish to know the amount of your bill, you go through certain exercises with the large barometer in your room; and, supposing you have been at the house two days and have had fire in your room three times, and your bill is, therefore, Sl32.1S, the answer will come back and be announced on your gong as follows: One, pause, three, pause, two, padse, one, pause, eight. When there is cipher in the amount, do not know what the method is, but by using due care in making up the bill this need not occur.
 For police and fire purposes, the sy stem shows a wonderful degree of intelligence, not only as speedy method of conveying calls for the fire department, health department, de- pertinent of street cleaning, depart ment of the interior and Good of the Order, but 1t has perfected a method of transmitting emergency calls, 80 that no citizen-no matter how poor or unknown-need go without an emergency. The citizen has only to turn the crank of the little iron mar ten-house till the gong ceases to ring, then push on tho "citizens' button," and he can have fun with most any emergency he likes. Should he decide, however, to shrink from the emer- gency before it arrives, he can go away from there or secrete himself and watch the surprise of the ambu- lance driver or the fire department when no mangled remains or forked fire fiend is found in that region.
 This system is also supposed to keep it's eye peeled for police, and inform the central station where the patrol man is all the time also as to his tenn perature, pulse, precipitation and breath. It keeps a record of this at the main office on ticker of its own, and the information may be published in the society columns of the paper in the morning. It enables the citizen to use his own discretion about sounding an alarm. He has only to be a citi- zen. He need not be tax payer or a ror popult. Should he be a citizen or declare his intention to become such, or even though he be voter only, without any notion of ever being a citizen, he can help himself to the fire department or anything else by ring ing up the central station.
 Electricity and spiritualism have arrived at that stage of perfection where coil of copper wire and can of credulity will accomplish a great deal. The time is coming when even greater wonders will be worked, and with electric wires, the rapid transit trains and the English sparrows under the ground, the dawn of a better and brighter day will be ushered in. The car-driver and the truckman will lie down together. Boston will not rise up against London, he that heretofore slag shall go forth no more for to slug, and men shall learn scrapping no more.
 Gayety Among the French.