Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-08-22
A New Triumph In Telegraphy.

NEW YORK, (Special.-The Western
Union officials here are very much elated
over what they say is the success of a new
invention in telegraphy and of which the
world to this moment has heard nothing.
The experiments have been conducted in
the private Offices Of the Western Union
building upon the long circuit between
New York and Chicago. The result of
these experiments, as stated by one Of the
leading officials of the Western Union COM
pany; is this:
the most advanced of anything that has yet
been talked about in telegraph,c service.
We can send from New York to Chicago, in
quadruples over one wire, and have the copy
at each end produced upon a printed page,
and not upon a slip, $50 words a minute. I
say that we can do this because we have
done it. 1t IS not a system liable to be
INSTRUCTED by delicate and impossible mech
anism. 1t is not afancy or a fad which
can produce a result in an electrical labora-
tory, but be OF no service in a p~ratical opera
ton of daily life. The invention IS accomp-
lshed. 1t is practical. 1t will work. 1t is
a practical printing telegraph which will
give a result in page form like the page of a
book. 1t is the thing that electrical invent
ors have been striving for since the early
days of telegraphy. 1t is the Wheatstone
system very greatly modified and perfected,
SO that a single wire can be worked both
ways, and yield the result indicated. 1t
will be some time before these machines can
be put iuto practical operation, for a very
few have as yet been made. They are still
in the hands of inventors and constructors,
but the scheme is perfected and the fact is
accomplished"
II suppose" said the gentleman to whom
this statement was made, s'that the result
will be a considerable reduction in telegraph
tolls as soon as this new system can be put
into practical operation?"
SIN that" said the official, 'syou possibly
may be mistaken. The benefit for the
present certainly will be TO the advantage Of
the companies which owns and has perfected
the invention. There is no reason why te!e->
graphing should be any cheaper. 1t is in
many instances too cheap now. There are
certain kinds of messages which are sent for
less than the actual cost Of transmission. l
know Of no movement to reduce telegraph
tolls because of the invention / have de-
scribed, or of any other that is expected"
1t is understood that the Wheatstone de-
vice, which has been in use and has been
owned by the Western Union company for
some years, has been greatly improved
through the inventive and legal ability of a
patent attorney named Buckingham, who is
largely engaged in the Western Union
service.
1t is ascertained, also, that the Western
Union company has made arrangements to
use a newly patented typewriter machine
which is not yet on the maaket, but which
will soon be a commercial instrument, and
that an order has been given to equip the
Weseern Union Offices with this typewriter
at about one fifth the cost Of the various
typewriter machines, the prices Of which are
now regulated by a combination. Those
who have given this subject attention pre-
dict that the time is not far distant when the
typewriter, as we'll as the bicycle combina-
ton, will be broken, and when new machines
equal in the judgement of those who know
them. to those now on the market, will be
furnished At SO low a price as 10 be avail
able to all. II is said that mechanical ex-
Perts, who have recently investigated the
cost OF both typewriters and bicycles, report
that the actual cost Of these machines ought
not to be more than $2o.