The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-07
THE BELL TELEPHONE.
The Original Patent TO Graham Bell FL
pires To-Day.


on the 9TH of March, 1893. that is TO
say to-day. the original patent granted
to Alexander Graham Bell for the In
vention Of the telephone will expire says
the Baltimore Sun The fact carries one
back TO the memory of the first little
Bell instrument exhibited in the gallery
of the main building Of the Centennial
Exhibition and forward TO the great fu-
ture which probably exists for that won
derful instrument When II was set up
for the first public exhibition 1t was
scoffed at by all who were at that time
slpposed to be the best qualified 10 know,
inst as they disregarded the conversion
OF electricity into force which was eX-
hibited on the floor Of the Machinery
Hall 10 all who were curious on the SUD-
ject.
II Is almost inconceivable that intelli-
gent. experienced business men coulu
have passed by these two inventions with
scarcely a careless glance, but IL Is
fact that both made narrow escape
from lapsIng into oblivion, and, Indeed
the idea OF transmitting power by means
of electricity is generally credited 10
the accidental observation OF a wrongly
connected dynamo at the Vienna EXPOSE
ton several years later than the Cen
tennial Exposition.
The idea Of telephone had existed
long before its creation by Bell Now
that much Of the acrimony OF dispute
and the incentive OF pecuniary gain Is
removed by the expiration Of the patent
which was so long disputed, 1t may be
assumed that everyone will agree that
the idea at least was not new one.
A French soldier Charles Bouisel. IN an
article published in 1884 In Paris jour
nal. suggested that the vibrations OF a
flexible disc might be transmitted by
means Of electricity TO another neXlbie
disc, which would thus reproduce the
speech which caused the first disc 10
vibrate This was pure speculation.
But there seems to be little doubt that
several men actually constructed IN
struments which. under certain circum-
stances. which the inventors themselves
could not at that time explain. would
reproduce speech An old instrument
was dragged from the rubbish heap Of
a scientific institution In England. IL
had been manufactured 20 reproduce
musical notes, which II did in an imper-
feet manner. The Introduction Of
single drop of salt water between the
noints OF contact converted II into
working telephone, but the idea OF trans
hitting speech. as the constructor honest
" confessed had never occurred TO him.
GRAY and Edison had also worked on
the subject the first with only the idea
Of Transmitting musical sounds, the lat
ter debarred by his deafness from recog-
nizing the value OF his first inventions.
Bell. attacking the subject from the side
of speech-for his primary object was 10
provide a means OF transmitting 10 the
deaf and dumb the great privilege or
hearinc-was led TO devise the first crude
telephone and to reap the rich reward OF
fame and fortune.
The example is remarkable one IN
many respects. Many minds had worked
Intellectually on the problem OF trans
hitting speech. but IL was reserved Tor
one working on another line or thought
and with quite different object 10 solve
n once solved. 1t was regarded at first
as merely n scientific toy. There was
mo money in Il" was the general verdict,
and the inventor might have passed into
oblivion with his invention, had not the
time been ripe for the Introduction ana
marvellous development OF the instru-
ment To-day the electrical modincatlon
Of the old and familiar lovers telegraph
az Il was described I'm one account or
the Centennial Exposition. is the founda-
ton OF one OF the greatest business enter
nr,ses I'm this country, or indeed, In the
World Millions Of dollars are invested
IN a. and its lines extend over hundreds
~ thousands OF miles Of territory.
The expiration OF the original patent
granted TO Bell will not throw open the
f,eId to all Corners but IT is expected that
II will greatly extend the development or
nriyate telephone lines. 1t can only be by
Great effort that successful competition
can be established In large centres OF
population already knitted together by
lines of established companies. The parent
company besides controls many OF the
later improvements in telephones. which
are OF value, and its control or these Will
not cease for many years. Nevertheless,
n will after tomorrow. no longer be
unlawful TO construct and sell apparatus
"for the transmission OF speech by means
OF electricity" and. as hundreds OF meth
DDS are now known by which this may be
done there will probably be large de-
yelopment Of local and special telephone
nIants not TO the damage OF the original
COMPANY. but actually TO its advantage.
indeed. Il is openly intimated In electrical
circles that the Bell Company itself will
take the lead selling outright certain
STYLES OF local and special circuit line in
struments.
The lesson OF the Centennial should not
be lost on the visitors 10 the Chicago
Worlds Fair. II Is not always safe TO
set down ths nav inyanuon - . fraud