The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-07
THEY HEARD THE reRLAPHoNE.
How Smart Telegraph Operator Exhib
tied One of Edison's Inventions.

How Smart Telegraph Operator Exhib-
tied One of Edison's Inventions.
"The trouble that is being experienced in
several cities with electric light wires and
| the number of men who have been killed
! in repairing them" +" said a Western Union
| Telegraph operator, reminds me OF lot
of smart men who, when electric lightning
was first talked about, thought they knew
more about it than Edison. They wouldn't
| let me say word about electricity, and in
deed didn't know much about it, but Ger
/ tainly more than any of those hayseeds,
/ and l had to play joke o. them which,
| although it didn't kill any Of the greenies,
came near killing me with laughing
1T was in a little Iowa town, and l was
! the manager of the little Western Union
| telegraph office. Every night the people
would get together III small crowds in the
various stores and lounging places, and the
amount of knowledge they showed in re-
gard to electric lighting would have made
Tom Edison 90 sit down in the woods and
wonder whether he knew what he was do
ing or not. Oh, they were awfully intelii-
gent on that subject, and if | ventured to
make any correction of their foolish no
tions, was told in plain words that | had
better keep quiet in the presence of such
! learned company. Well, thought they
needed taking down a peg or two, and after
little thought as to how it should be &C
comphshed, took a newspaper reporter
into my confidence, and in the next issue of
the paper appeared the following startling
bit of news:
ION next Saturday afternoon at o'clock
the citizens of R will have an oppor-
tunity TO witness one of the most wonder
full exhibitions of Edisons genius as an
electrician that has ever been seen. At that
time a telegraph wire will be connected
with The Omaha Bee Office and Beecher's
church, in Brooklyn, and several tunes will
be played on the organ Of the church, which
can be heard at all points through which
the wires will pass. The local manager Of
the Western Union has been notified that
one of his wires will be used, so that all
who are at the Western Union Office at the
above mentioned time viii hear this mar
vslous performance Of Edison's latest in
vention, which Is called the Uerlaphone
well, you would have thought there was
a country fair in progress in that town the
next Saturday. As early as Q a. m. the
farmers began 70 come in, and by O'Clock
the office and the pavement in front Of it
was crowded with those smart electricians
who would hear the music box and then
tell each other how easy it was done Yes.
they heard it and told how it was done, but
their explanation Of it was on a par with
their sense on electric lighting"
But where did the music come from'"
asked one OF the boys whose shoes were
fast filling with muddy Ohio river water
We'll. I'll tell you. 4 girl az the house
where boarded had a little music box
that played three tunes. Two OF them
had never heard before nor since saw the
box, and the third one was The Last Rose
Of Summer took the box and put it in
the bottom drawer on one side Of nv desk.
and put match under the wheel so the
thing couldn't go of, and on the end Of the
match / tied long piece Of thread, which
run mp behind the desk to the top drawer
on the other side and fastened il, 20 that II
pulled that drawer out the thread would
pull the match out OF the wheel and let the
organ play.
Promptly az o'clock remarked that
would smoke a cigGr, and opened the
drawer TO get a match. and away went the
organ IN Beecher's church You could
have heard q PIN drop while the music box
played It's three little tunes. and a. the box
was snothered up with paper and other
things that viii accuE1 ulate in desk. the
deception Was very plausible But when
she began The Last Rose q Sumner I
had 70 blow my nose constantly % keep
from laughing When * was ali over the
crowd went away, satisfied thai what thev
had heard was genuine exhibition of one
OF the great Edison = wonderful i1ve7floas I.
and. as far a. / kno-, they have never
learned any different, as lsft there shorty
afterwards 20 find 9 plsoe whers people
didn't know 50 much H-CIacinnsti Com
merc.sl Gszstte.