Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-05-11

Professor Hcii Vs-d Il u- q Toy Withor
Knowing Its Possibilities.

Professor ncr Vsrd Il rs a 10Y without
Knowing Its Possibilities.
In the winter of 1876 and early part
of 1877 the newspapers contained
much about the new invention called
a telephone. and most of ii was writ
ten in a vein describing the tele-
phone as 9 curiosity and toy. In
the month of april. 1877, George II.
Coe, manager Of Skiff's opera house,
and w j. Howey, on operator in the
Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph com
pany, joined in an endeavor to get
Professor Dell to lecture on the tele-
phone at the opera house.
They were successful in arranging
an elaborate programme for the
evening of April %, 1877. Professor
Bell lectured at the opera house,
while Frederick A. Cover, Bells
special agent, lectTed in Hartford.
Both places were connected by tele-
phone over a telegraph wire loaned
for the occasion by the Atlantic and
Pacific company. In addition there
was an electrical and telephone COM
munication with an organ in Middle
town, which was under the super
vision of Thomas A. Watson, an
electrician for Professor Bell. The
connections and other work Incl
dental to the completeness of the
mechanical part of the lecture were
under the supervision of George w.
Coy, manager of the Atlantic and
Pacific company.
The lecture was not Il financial sue
cess, though it created no little inter
est among those who attended The
talking between Professor Bell and
Mr.. Cover did not work very well.
A strong battery was placed on the
wire and occasionally faint sounds
could be heard over it, and words
were not very ineligible. During
the evening President Porter, of Yale
college, who was on the stage, to-
gether with other Yale professors
and other celebrities, tried to talk
with General Hawley III Hartford,
but they failed. There was tele-
graphic communication between the
two theaters, SO that in case the tele-
phone would not work they would
not be groping absolutely in the dark.
The instrument was resorted to fire
quently The best communication
between Hartford and New Haven
was obtained by sending the Morse
telegraph code through the telephone.
But most successful of all was the
organ playing at Middletown. This
could be heard distinctly over the
phone. The next day Professor Bel
and Mr.. Coy had long talk about
the telephone. 1t was then seen that
Mr., Bells idea of putting the tele
phone to use was in his lectures tC
the public. He expected to make his
money out of the venture in this
way. He had no idea of establishing
a central system of exchanges; il
fact, he said it could never be done
because it would be necessary at al
times to have the wires a good dea
apart from each other. The idea OF
conducting the wires into a switch
board he did not consider feasible
All the men of the Atlantic an(
Pacific company were enthusiastic
over the telephone.
In the next few days announce
ment was made that the Western
Union Telegraph and the Bell com
pany had united.
Professor Bell did not linger long
in his lecture tour. The lectures
while interesting to a few, were no
so to the general public, and besides
the expense Of arranging wires, etc.
was very great.-New Haven Regis
ter.