Omaha daily bee., 1891-11-14
LONG DISTANCE TELEpHoNING.
Wonderful Progress i'm That Branch
of Electrical Science.

The history Of the telephone is a
record of epochs, says the New York
Herald. Each epoch marks the limita-
tion in the power and efficiency Of the
treatment, and AT the Same time the
new starting places in its triumphal
career.
The first telephone was for short dis.
tances. After Reise, who is really the
father of the telephone, and Bell demon
strated the possibility of the electrical
transmission of speech, long distance
telephoning became the dream OF scien-
lists and inventors. When the telephone
left the hands of Bell its voice was
weak. The ~microphone transmitter had
to he invented, and the induction coil
and other important accessory devices
had to be brought into requisition.
1t was only after the telephone had
attained its natural growth by assimi-
lating these necessary elements that the
higher development, tending to make
it's voice stronger and far reaching,
began. AT first it was IL successive i'm
provement made in the tiansmltter and
receivers in ordinary use that enabled
longer distance transmission.
FIRST LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE.
Earliest in the field of long distance
telephoning was Mr.. Gillett of Mich
igan. Then followed Hunning of Eng
land, and after him Adar of France.
Gillett produced the only practical long
distance t%ransmitter, Hunning's requir-
ing shaking down" at short intervals
and Adair's being very loud but indis-
tinct.
Powdered carbon is the base element
Of all these telephones, and, in fact, is
the only mean by which long distance
telephoning can be accomplished. The
first experiment made by Mr.. Glllett in
long distance telephoning was over the
wires of the Michigan Central railroad,
early in 1877, from Detroit to Jackson,
seventy miles. Up to that time the fur
thest distance of transmission was twenty
miles. The instrument used on that
occasion was very simple in construction,
consisting essentially of the diaphragm
and arm supporting the cylinder filled
with powdered carbon, through which
the electric current passes.
In subsequent experiments it was
found that by placing two points or trans
mitters on the same diaphragm, speech
could be transmitted double the distance
with one point or transmitter. Having
ascertained this Mr.. Gillett constructed u
''quadruplex, or four point transmitter.
With this instrument successful tele-
phoning was made between this city
and Meadville, Pa, a distance of 800
miles. The telephoning was over the
Postal Telegraph company's wires early
in the spring of 1884. The utterances
were as audible as in previous expert
ments of shorter distances.
After this successful demonstration a
ten point transmitter was constructed
and tests made Of its efficiency between
this city and Chicago, a distance of
1000 miles. The result gave the most
complete satisfaction. This is called
the 'multiplex system"
OCEANIC TELEPHONY:
Mr.. Gillett turned his attention to
ocean cable work, n a transmitter
having twenty points, or Il double
header" was constructed. 1t dis
lance capacity was believed to be
$500 miles. Gable companies were UNI
willing to have the test made, claiming
that no such distance could be made by
q telephone. Thus far the world has
been shut out from oceanic telephone
transmission, but it is predicted that
this state Of affair" will soon cease to
exist, and New Yorke + will have tele-
phone communication with people in
LoLdon and Paris, and in fact any city
on the continent.
This belief is strengthened by the fact
that under the direction of the minister
Of telegraph in Paris the Gillett tele-
phone was tested on the cable between
Dover and Calais. The tick of Il
watch was heard with perfect dis
tinctness. On the heels of this
success followed the recent build
ing OF the London-Paris telephone line.
1t is claimed that in Mr.. Gillett's instru-
ment each point of the diaphragm will
operate through 5000 miles, and that
through its use distances will be virtu-
ally eliminated.
BY the majority of electrical authori-
ties it is alleged that it is impossible to
telephone across an ocean cable, not
only on account of the great distance to
be spanned, but also on account of re
tarda.ion." 1t is asserted by Mr.. Gillett
that this is not so, and that telephoning
is as practicable over oceanic cables as
on land lines of wire.
While the Bell Telephone company
and the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany are now able to control long dis
lance telephoning, this monopoly will
not be enjoyed after 1892, when the Bell
Telephone company's patent lapses.
After that time any one can come in and
try his hand at long distance telephones.
A very small pill, but q very good one. De-
w tits little Early Risers.