Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-08-01
SOME OF IT'S ADVANTAGES
TO THE BUSY MAN.
Its Origin Due to the Inventive Genius
of Phillip Refs, Born in q Small
Town in Germany in 1884.
A Spoke in the Great
Wheel of Prog
1T HIS COME TO SHY
Contributed by a Citizen.)

Contributed by a Citizen.)
Probably no invention, within
the last thirty years, has had
more claimants and been the
subject of more disputes and
lawsuits, carried to the highest
courts, than the invention of the
electric telephone. 1t is com
monty attributed to Thomas A.
Edison. the electrical wizard, in
this country; in Canada it is
attributed to Alexander Graham
Bell, who, indeed, invented the
first practical commercial tele-
phone now in use, and showed
the shrewd Yankee the advant-
ages of possessing an education
of hard work with few advan-
tages by way of books. But to
neither of these brilliant inven-
tors does the honor of the first
discovery belong.
In 1884 Phillip Refs first saw
the light in a small town in
Germ any. He received a good
elementary education, and when
grown up attended lectures on
chemistry and physics at an in
stitute in Frankfort. It was
here that he got his first ideas
on sound and light; and a few
years after we find him expert
menting on an instrument for the
transmission of sound to a dis
lance. A short time prior to this
it was discovered by Page that
an iron bar, when magnetized
and demagnetized by means of
an electric current, emits sound;
and on the basis of this, Refs
constructed his first telephone.
He carved two pieces of wood
to resemble human ears, about
two inches long and one-half
inch thick. In the opening of
the ear, or oriface, he placed an
animal membrane upon which a
small platinum strip or wire was
fastened by sealing wax. Fast
ened close beside this strip, and
so arranged that the strip
would touch it when the mem
brane vibrated, was a wire
which led to the receiver. This,
with the wire attached to the
platinum strip, constituted a
circuit breaker" In the other
"ear' was a similar membrane,
near which was fastened a small
piece of iron, wound with insu-
lated wire, the two ends of
which were attached to the two
ends of the sending ear. Into
this circuit was introduced a
small primary battery. and the
instrument was complete. When
one spoke into the sending ear
the membrane would vibrate in
the orifce, and this would cause |
the small platinum strip to come
in contact with the suspended |
wire; this would complete the |
circuit and the current would
flow through the wire around the
piece of iron, causing it to sound.
Ii the sending voice were low,
the sound would be low. and by
suitable adjusting the voice
could be distinctly heard several
hundred yards.
This instrument, however, is |
a toy compared with modern i'm
proved telephones. These are
composed of a transmitter, a re-
ceiver, a magnetic bell and ma
chine for ringing up" The
transmitter is the mouth piece, |
the receiver is the ear piece, and
both Ire SO finely adjusted in
modern instruments that a
in Chicago can be dis
heard and recognized as
if it we're only six or eight feet
off by the receiver in New York.
telephones is done
means of an exchange. In an
exchange there is a large switch
composed of hundreds of
small holes and to the operators
head is attached a receiver.
Above these holes are small
the dropping of which
calls the operators attention to
it that a subscriber wants some
one. She, (the operator is gen
a girl, opens the shutter
and calls hello" and receiving
the number, she joins Mr.. A. to
his grocerman, Mr. B., whose
number is, say SO, and ringing
Mr.. B. up, she leaves them to
at their pleasure. When
conversation is through, either
Or B. ring to signify that
their talk is oyer. She then dis
connects and is ready for the
next call from either, or from
others in the system.
The advantages of a telephone
exchange cannot be overestiS
mated. In the above case the
benefit to both is readily appar-
ent. Mr.. A is saved a long walk
down town and Mr.. B, the gro
German receives his order earlier
and has more time to deliver it.
Should he fail to do so he will
be compelled to explain on the
phone" why those groceries
ordered haven't come"
To the doctor a telephone, on
an exchange is virtually a me-
cessity. He can inquire each
morning how his patients arei
without leaving his office. and in