Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-23
TALKED At LONG RANGE
Opening of Long Distance rsuephoa;e
mmantcostoo.

Opening OF Long Distance fsseDhea,e
Commanscsssos.
Responding to the invitation Of W.
A. Vail. Of New York. representing
the American Telephone and Tele-
graph company. a number Of repre-
.eutatives Of the press OF Rock Island
and Moline assem- bled at the Office
OF the Central District Telephone
company last evening on the occas-
ion Of the opening Of the wires
in the long distance system. Besides
Mr.. Vail there were present on be-
half Of the telephone company,
Messrs. Brooks, OF Chicago. and
Waterman, OF New York. together
with Manager Huntoon. Of the Rock
Island and Moline exchange. IL was
the first formal test Of the wires
which connect Rock leland with
the great cities OF the east. this city
being the western terminus cf the
great system OF transmission Of con.
versation now just completed.
The local Office was connected in
turn with Chicago. Nashville. Pitts
burg, New York and Boston. Com.
munication with all the long die
lance points must be made through
Chicago. which is the only interru pit.
ing station to any place east or south
OF there. IL 'eouires out an instant
to connect up with any city in the
long distance circuit d;strict-it be-
ing necessary to fret call Chicag
and through IL the desired couuec.
tons farther AVA, aud the entire
operation consumes scarcely more
tine than to talk to some.
body ia Davenport As far rs tn.
means OF trsusmi sion IL concerned
IL Is perfect, almost incredibly so
One may converse ss distinctly with
a voice At the Chicago end ~ II Their.
we're no intervening spsce in.trsd NJ
1876 miles. And communication with
places farther away. even rs far ss
New York. 1.l0s miles. and Boston.
l 400 miles. is attended bv no greater
difficulty. Miss Hall, o lady in the
Office 1t Pittsburg last night, was in.
troduced by Mr.. Val to his guests.
and she sang Loves Old Swee,
Song" and the air came as distinct
ly from the sweet voice 65D miles
away rs IL the possessor were
In the presence OF those for whose
eiification she sang. At the New
fork Office the operator proved to be
Samuel Arthur Brown, con of the
late 5. +. Brown. q former wealthy
attorney Of Davenport, aud who
moved to New York with his family
~ years ago and where he afterward
died. The son. though o mere boy
when the family moved away. still
remembered much OF the locality and
was deli! hted with the opportunity
to learn from the lips OF those stand.
Jog on the banks Of the great river
which was familiar to his boyhood
OF the changing scenes and the move.
ments OF once familiar names to him.
Connection with Boston was equally
as clear and satisfactory as il was
with New York.
Saturday afternoon in the parlors
OF the Harper the public opening OF
the wires Of the long distance ser.
vice is to occur, and q large mum Der
Of invitations have been sent out to
people in the three cities to be pres.
ent at the innovation. The long dis.
lance telephone company has con
clusively demonstrated the advan'.
age OF Its means Of instantaneous
conversation over all others, and
when it is taken into consideration
the unavoidable delay that musi
occur when the individual sought Is
not brought into direct and immedi.
ate communication. the schedule
rate cannot be considered exorbi.
tant.
| Mr.. Vail in addition to giving the
members Of the press such q delight.
fully novel entertainment last night,
presented each Of his guests viii
neat and useful souvenirs of the oc.
casiou.
To Cure . Cosa - sD.s Osy
/ TaEn L. n