Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-02-13

orators there find the number of the
man in their directories, IL there be
an instrument in his place of business,
or send for him If he be not patron.
AS soon as he is ready to take his place
at the wire the attendant in Chicago
indicates a certain booth to which the
patron may retire, and as he closes the
door and takes the transmitter he hears
the voice of his friend.
Between Chicago and New York the
line is $50 miles long. The poles are
Of cedar and chestnut, thirty-fiye feet
in length, and average forty-five to
the mile. The use Of cables is avoided
as much as possible, as the wrapping
diminishes the effectiveness Of the serv-
ice. Leave the hard-drawn copper
wire absolutely free and It will Bring
together the most distant points. This
rule has to find some exceptions in
cities, and one of the common sights
is the drawing of cables through con-
Quits by number of men working II
MINDLESS above one of the openings in
the street. Yet once away from the
trammels of the town the line is car
ried high and free, unprotected from
weather and unshielded from attack.
Even the chance Of accident is not great
enough to warrant inclosing the line.
One of the incidents to the service
Is the "niclel-in -the-slot" arrangement.
There are booths in depots and hotels,
and even in big office buildings, where
no attendant is present to collect the
fee. In such cases little slot at the
side Of the instrument awaits payment.
The operator at the central receives
the call. gets the person desired, and
then, when the voices have been recog-
nized and the connection is complete,
but before another word has been said
that same operator will tell the user
to drop the fee into the slot. This ar
rangement in Chicago costs the regular
10 cents. Outside the city the rate will
be the schedule, depending on the dis
lance. But so delicate is the mechan-
ism, and so acute Is the ear Of the
operator, that the fec must be exact,
or there will be an instantaneous cut
off," and that will be the extent of the
interview.
There seems really to be no limit in
point of distance, as there was none
for the telegraph. Whether in time IA
telephone cable may be laid under the
ocean, that princes abroad may court
rich American heiresses without the
annoyance of q trip to the States" is
a question which only time may solve.
Drvt hn hoe vt arfo ~ In
problem Is thing Of present demon
stration. There is no doubt wires will
be stretched all over the country, and
that the Atlantic and the Pacific may
soon be nearer neighbors than they
have been in the past. There are spec
ulative possibilities without limit.
When the "long-distance" shall have
penetrated the wilds of Africa, then
Bishop Taylor, of that diocese, may sit
In his home at Nyack, n. Y, and preach
to the kings of the jungle. Missionaries
who feel called upon to speak to the
Arabs In Asia Minor may fill all the
requirements Of their call and run
small risk Of a Mussulman uprising.
One is permitted to fancy congrega-
ton of Armenians listening with re-
ceivers pressed to their ears while fer
vid proselyters address them from the
comfort and security Of a study in
Chicago. Our ambassadors may listen
to the directions Of the President of
the United States or the Secretary of
State, and our Consuls may receive
without a moments delay the COM
plant of American merchants for a
failure to bolster up business enter
prises. The Marquis of Salisbury may