Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-03-30
A WONDERFUL INVENTION.
An Invention Which Transmits
Handwriting by Wire.
Pictures and Sketches Can Alsp be Trans

Pictures and Sketches Can AiSp he Trans
mitted Accurately--A Very Successful
Test OF the Great Discovery.
New York World, March I'D.
The very latest thing in telegraph in
struments was shown at No. 80 Broad
way yesterday. 1t is called the telauto-
graph, or long distance writing machine.
All the afternoon business men, tele-
graph experts, newspaper folk and others
filled the rooms of the National Helauto-
graph Company and watched the re.
markably accurate records made by the
little machine.
IL consists of transmitter and re-
ceiTer associated for use ut one station,
The mechanism of the machine is cx-
tfenely simple and direct. An ordinary
lead pencil is used in transmitting. Near
lis point two silk cords are fastened at
right angles TO each other These con
meet with the instrument, and, follow
ing the motions of the pencil, regulate
the current impulses that control the re-
ceiving pen at the distant station.
The writing is done on ordinary paper
five inches wide, conveniently arranged
on roll attached to the machine. A
lever is SO moved by the hand as to
shift the paper forward mechanically at
the transmitter and electrically at the
| receiver. The receiving pen is capil-
larry glass tube placed at the junction Of
two aluminium arms.
II is supplied with ink, which flows
from reservoir, through small tube
| placed in one of the arms. The electri-
cal impulses, coming over the wire,
move the pen of the recorder simultane-
| q 10
i'll the hand of the sender. AS the pen
passes over the paper an ink tracing is
| left, which is always fac-simile of the
sender's motions, whether in the forma-
ton of letters, figures, signs or sketches.
"There is practically no limit to the
work that this machine will do said
Manager John IL. Bryant yesterday.
wherever record is required it is in.
valuable. From his office IL business
man can send instructions to the fac
tory, close by or many miles distant,
and have them delivered in his own
handwriting. A broker dealing by wire
can give quotations and execute orders
TO buy and sell securities without danger
of dispute. A physician may wire his
| prescription to a druggist, using the
| arbitrary code of the profession, con
| tident that no mistake will be made in
the transmission. A reporter, writing
up Il fire or an accident of any kind,
can send to his paper sketch of his
subject taken on the spot. Superin-
tendent Byrnes wishing to notify all
the police precincts at once of the escape
of burglar could not only do SO as
quickly as by telegraph, but he could be
sure that his orders were transmitted in
his own writing, and an accurate descrip-
ton of the man could be sketched at the
same time if necessary"
Speaking of the telephone, Mr.. Bryant
said that the telautograph would be.
come more popular than the former in
strumcnt, because there would be no
buzzing on the wires, and no questions
10 be asked and answered perhaps a
dozen times before getting a definite
| reply. "Ihis turtle Of ours" said he,
will keep moving along and have your
| message all recorded before the tele-
| phone is through buzzing. There will
| be no more strikes of messenger boys,
for while we are waiting for the boy to
come, the message, written on the ma
| chine, will be at its destination. Then,
again, man can go away and leave
his machine locked up in his desk.
When lie returns iii one, two or half a
dozen days, he will find the messages
sent to him by his friends all recorded
on the roll paper in his desk"
| In cities and towns the telautograph
will be operated on the exchange or
central station plan, in much the same
manner as the telephone is now worked.
Prof. Elisha Gray, the inventor of the
telautograph, has devoted his life to the
perfection Of communication by cleo
tricitY. He invented the musical tele-
phone, and history, his friends say, will
give him credit for inventirg the speak
ing telephone and the harmonic tele-
graph.