Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-04-02
THE FIRST TELEPHONE.
Professor Dell Used 1t es Toy Without
Knowing Its Possibilities.

Knowing Its Possibilities.
In the winter of 1876 and early part
Of 1877 the newspapers contained
much about the new invention called
q telephone, and most of it was writ
ten in a vein describing the telc-
phone as a curiosity and toy. In
the month of April, 1877. George Il.
Coe, manager of Skitf's opera house,
and w. J. Howey, an operator in the
Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph COM
pany, joined in an endeavor to get
Professor Bell to lecture on the telc-
phone at tho opera house.
They were successful in arranging
an elaborate programme for tho
evening of April 81, 1877. Professor
Bell lectured at the opera house,
while Frederick A. Cover, Bell;
special agent, lcctured 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 tho
mechanical part of the lecture were
under the supervision of George ".
Coy, manager of the Atlantic and
Pacific company.
The lecture was not 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 tho
wire and occasionally faint sounds
could be heard over it, and words
were not very ineligible. During
the evening President Porter, of Yalo
college, who was on the stage, to-
gether with other Yale professors
and other celebrities, tried to talk
with General Hawley in Hartford,
but they failed. There was tele-
graphic communication between the
two theaters, so that in case the telc.
phone would not work they would
not be cropping 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 tho
organ playing at Middletown. This
could be heard distinctly over the
phone. The next day Professor Bel
and Mr.. Coy had a long talk about
the telephone. 1t was then seen that
MIR. Bells idea of putting the tele-
phone to use was in his lectures to
the public. He expected to make his
money out Of the venture in this
way. He had no idea of establishing
q central system of exchange; in
fact, he said it could never be done,
because it would be necessary at all
times to have the wires good deal
apart from each other The idea Of
conducting the wires into switch
board he did not consider feasible.
All the men of the Atlantic and
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 few, were not
so to the general public, and besides,
the expense of arranging wires, etc.,
was very great-Ncw Haven Regis
L..