Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-11
LONGDISTANCE PHONE.
THE LOCAL OFFICE OF TIE AMERICAN CON-
PANY FORMALLY OPENED.
Mayor Caldwell Sends a Message to Chicago, and
Talks 10 Other Oidss-Ths Test a
Complete Success

The American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company formally opened its
local Office, in the Peoples Bank build
ing, yesterday afternoon. Over one
thousand invitations were issued to bus
mess men, and between the hours Of
three and six o'clock the Office was at
all times we'll filed. II. E. Willard,
Superintendent Of the operating depart
ment of the company, and b. j. Curl,
w. A. Vail and John Cross, trio Of
genial representatives OF the canvassing
department, were on hand to make
everything pleasant for the guests Of the
company.
The test was a complete success, in
every sense of the word.
At three o'clock Mayor B. F. Cald-
we'll was connected with the central
office in New York The company had
made an arrangement by which forty
persons listened to the conversation at
one time. After talking to persons in
several Eastern cities, the Mayor was
connected with Chicago. He sent the
following greeting TO the Windy City:
"Wheeling, the metropolis Of West Vir-
rlnia. greets the village by the Lake, and
wishes 10 say that whatever differences
there may have been between us in the
past, are healed, and for the future we will
be on speaking terms, not only with the
great metropolis of the West, but with all
world beside This great work has been
ha NAi of
American Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany."
When the Mayor had finished speak
ing, several other gen:lapen were con-
nected with friends in the east and
west. Every word could be, heard dis
tinctly, and the voice Of the speaker
could be- recognized. Morris Hork-
heimer talked to Boston about the price
OF wool; Hon. A. w. Campbell had q
conversation with his sou in New Work;
and COL Sam b. Harrison was given
dead away" by his brother, speaking
from New York. concerning several
matters connected with Mr.. Harrison's
recent visit TO the metropolis. Several
Eastern gentlemen told amusing stories
over the wires, and all in all, the ex-
perience was a novel and very interest
ing one for the guests Of the Company.
After six o'clock number Of ladies
called at the Office, and through the
courtesy of the officials OF the Com pany,
were permitted TO converse with friends
at distance.
The American Company has connect
ed all the Eastern cities with its lines,
and is now reaching out toward the
west. A map OF the lines shows that all
the principal cities east Of the Missis-
sipui river, except in the southern
States, are connected. The line pass
ing through Wheeling, after leaving
Pttsburg, runs directly to Chicago.
About two hundred tests, similar to
that of yesterday, have been made, and
more than one thousand offices have
beer established.
The Company's lines in this city are
underground from Tenth street to the
Peoples Bank building. An arrange
ment has been made by the G. D. & P.
Tel. Co., by which all connections are
made through its local office. The
charges are reasonable, and the advan-
tage Of the system obvious.
Superintendent M. +. Wolf, Of the
G., d. 81 p. Telegraph Company, show
ed the visitors through the new central
Office and there were many expressions
of surprise concerning the admirable
system now in use. The new multiple
switch board system by which each line
watch enters the Office may be controlled
by any single opera or, was entirely
new TO most of the visitors and the eX-
UllnaIious of Mr. Wolff and his assist
ants were very interesting.