The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25
rELEpHoyINs WITHOUT 4 .pHoNE.
An Alleged Remarkable Discovery by "a
Young Bunsio Electrician.

FROM the Bufuio Courier.
Waiter Wilhelm Of this city. n young man not
more than Is or &c years of age. is developing
remarkable genius in mechanics, and has in
vented, among other useful things. a telephone
transmitter OF wonderful power. which is likely
To greatly increase the efficiency Of that most
useful instrument and make II more than ever
available for long-distance work. The great
power OF the instrument has been demonstrated
In a curious way. BY attaching his transmitter
to q telegraph wire he can make his voice heard
distinctly by an operator sitting beside his %instru-
ment. any ordinary soundpr. many miles distant.
This Is a great wonder to teleRranli operators,
and many Of them declare, until they have heard
the snunder talk. that such n thing Is iinpGssi-
BILE. None OF them ever knew anything lik. IL In
their experience. The discovery was made en-
tirely, by accident, as many, great, discoveries
proved until IL will be possible. by attaching n
good receiver To the line in. the place OF n telc-
graph sounder. to hll a large room with the
sounds OF q human voice whose owner is many
miles away at the time
Several years ago a few young fellows in an
uptown neighborhood. WHO desired t. learn
something OF teleeraphy and lind amusement Mt
the same time. put in u small teiegraphic sys-
several places Of abode. They did not dream 10
what magnitude the system would grow. The
has thirty or tihirty!dScs Members and about
thirty-fiye miles of wire touching nearly every
Rock to the Postal Telegraph ONCE at the cor.
ner Of Main and Niagara streets; The mem
bers intend that the COMPANY shall become
condition. and 1t uses the regular standard wire,
and No. % insulated wire where this is required
to conform to the city ORDINANCES. As the line
is connected with the Postal Telegraph office.
each member of the company can sit in his own
and transmit or receive messages to or from any
part OF the United States. The expense OF
maintaining the system Is small. IL Il used to
a considerable extent for commercial and bust
ness purposes "a well as for amusement. Indeed.
1t was on account OF its demonstrated useful
49,. To- .rz@-a .l.,. ,L. 49,. q I.--
ers that this class has been frozen out Of
its membership. On election night each MEM
own home. The wire is often used Tor a a ! game
of checkers between two players widely separ-
ated; The Officers Of the company are: William
President; :. Is. Brain, Secretary, and Walter
Wilhelm, Treasurer. There IL also an executive
Byron j. Tillman. The general manager is Mr..
Leon Woodward. who. with Mr.. wilhelm. has
worked hard TO perfect the system and brought
Now we come TO the starting point Of the
story. One of the members ~ the company was
sitting near his instrument at his home the
other day when he distinctly heard the call
An investigation convinced him that the calls
could have proceeded from no other source than
the sounder. Opening the key he began 20 in
auire who had called, and learned that young
Wilhelm had been calling through his trans
mitter. which was attached to the wire, to Mr..
Woodruff, this way OF communicating by means
OF and receivers icing an ordinary
one since telephones came in use. Hardly, able
to believe his senses. the man asked Wilhelm To
sing q song. which ne did, the tones of his voice
floating ont into the room easily through the
little instrument. Other persons have heard the
same phenomenon.
Yesterday IA reporter visited the residence on
North Pearl street for the purpose OF hearing a
few songs, modified somewhat by distance and
by passage through the little telegraphic instru-
meft. Six persons were IN. the room when the
experiment was tried. Wilhelm, at his home a
mile ar more away. sang THE Old Oaken
Bucket After the. Ball" Sweet .Narie.'
America and Old Black Joe" The tune
in each instance was easily distinguished, ard
the infection and m"dulations OF the sing
er's voice were accurately reproduced In
the snunder, whence they foated out to the
furthest corners Of the room. IL was
wonderful. and all present were much amused
as well as surprised. To get the best results in
receiving in this way the plate is adjusted close
TO the magnet In the instrument. That is all
that IL required. There was a large music box
in this house. and the host said be believed that
by the use Of one Of these transmitters he could
I'LL the house of every member of the line with
music at the same time.
BY the way. IL should be mentioned that the
operators voice did not come In a direct course
to the house by any means, but followed the
system OF wires for perhaps fifteen miles before
reaching there.