The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-06
A TELEPHONE TEST.
People in Three Cities Hear the Same
Songs and Speeches.

Songs, speeches. Instrumental music
and conversation heard over the tele-
phone entertained three audiences as one
last night. They were in Kansas City.
Atchison and Leavenworth, and from the
indications that came over the wires the
Atchison and Leavenworth people en-
Joyed the evening about as much as the
Kansas City people did, and that was
saying a good deal.
The Commercial club in its seven years
of activity never had just such an audi
ence. 1t was the first time that mem
bers had ever brought their wives and
sisters and daughters. Rarely, even
when there have been large bodies Of Wis
itors TO entertain, have more people
crowded into the club room, and never
has 1t held a more interested or inter
esting audience.
The occasion was the formal opening
Of the new all metallic telephone lines to
Leavenworth and Atchison. They are
built Of copper. with a return wire in
stead Of a ground return, and are built
according to the Specifications of the
New York and Chicago long-distance
line. A long distance transnitter had
been placed In each Of the connected
rooms last night. In the Commercial
club room series Of trumpets hung from
the ceiling. and twenty hand telephones.
the ordinary receivers, were suspend ed
by cords on the pillars. The club was
called to order by a bugle call sounded at
Leavenworth.
Some unimportant business was trans
acted, after which President James
turned the meeting over TO the tele-
phone company, introducing w. Wyley
Smith, the secretary and general man.
ager. Mr.. Smith, on behalf of the COM
pany, told the people that he wanted 10
show them what could be done with the
telephone He wants Kansas City people
to become better acquainted with ii and
regard the telephone as an article of
actual value and use. They appreciate
ii now TO a certain extent, and central
answers about $4,000 calls a day on an
average. He introduced T. d. Lockwood.
senior electrician of the American Bell
telephone company, who talked briefly
about the telephone. He called attention
to the fact that it will be fifty years
tomorrow since the first telegram, See
what God hath wrought" was sent from
Baltimore to Philadelphia. Mr.. Lock
wood stood near the transmitter and all
that he said was heard in Leavenworth
and Atchison. When he finished speak
ing the switches We're turned and the
Commercial club audience heard Super
intendent Charles McDaniels OF the CON-
pany making a. similar exp d 'ation to the
people at Leavenworth ] n mayors of
Atchison and LeavenworLn then ex-
changed greetings with President James.
Mr.. James interrupted himself occasion
ally by shouting did you hear that" 20
his friends further north. He had evil
IDENTIFY used the long-distance telephone
before when the conditions for transmits
sion were not so favorable. He was an
swered with applause both In the room
and over the wires. Miss Mabel Haas
sang The Last Rose of Summer" and in
response 20 an encore from Leavenworth
gave a pretty little German song, The
Zuyder Zee
Charles McDaniels of the telephone
company. who was in charge at LeaHen-
worth sang "Sewanee River" Mr.. Nc
Daniels is not a vocalist by profession,
and if the song has as many verses as he
sang it was the first time his friends here
ever heard of it. Half a dozen times
they applauded, supposing that he had
finished, and as often the song began
again. Secretary CleSdenning shouted
through the trumpets pathetically, Mac,
Mac. ring Off" but Mac" went on until
the song was finished. and then called
for Dent Yates who answered that he
would be mobbed If he ever came back
to Kansas City and tried the sopg at
home.
For the next half hour there was mu-
sic in first one city and then another.
Refreshments were served i'm the score
tarys roOm.-Kansas City Star.