The state herald., 1897-06-25
TELEPHONE WONDERS
HowrHE INSTRUMENT IS USED
Anecdotes by the Manager Of the Chicago
Omce-Great Value Of tho Long Dis
= tance Wires.
Somebody already had told hunting

Somebody already had told n hunting
story.
Last fall l went duck shooting in
Wisconsin," said the Chicago man.
unfortunately, just before 1 went my
retriever raced out into the street and
got mixed up with Il dray. When l
left he had one leg in splints. and sew
eral patches of hairless skin on him are
not grown over now.
But had to go without him, and
you don't know how missed him. He
broke his heart almost when carried
out my gun case, and l could hear him
yelping after me for two blocks.
Il was worried over leaving him, and
anxious about him, too, and one night
away up In Wisconsin, 200 miles from
Chicago, l whistled and called to the
dog, just rs have done thousand
times. May be you won't believe me,
but the next instant l heard that dog
give yelp of delight, bounding and
barking as naturally as ever heard
him do in the flesh"
Twenty-nine seconds of silence fol-
lowed, broken at last by a heavy sigh.
Don't you believe it," insisted the
Chicago man.
Two of his listeners sighed for an
swer.
Then the Chicago man sneeringly
wrinkled his nose and admitted that all
of this was by means of a lOng-dis-
tance telephone; that he had gone into
Stevens Point and called up his wife
at home; that she had suggested put
ting the receiver to the dogs ear, and
nat at his first word the dog recognized
his voice. capering about and yelping
till he walked the baby.
Manager Brooks of the central office
of the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company in Chicago vouches for
this story as truth. His company
charged the man 50 for the privilege
and he ought to know. As Mr.. Brooks
has often heard New York operator
sneeZe In the general offices, $50 miles
away, he doesn't take kindly to any
doubt expressed regarding this dog
story.
with 10000 miles of our own wires
connecting with 536, 6,S45 miles of local
telephone lines, 1t would be odd If we
didn't hook some oddities among our
259, 1856 subscribers" said Mr.. Brooks,
reminiscently.
about the funniest thing I've seen.
though" continued Mr.. Brooks, soc
Cured here one evening last summer.
A big, pOrtly, smiling but excited man
rushed in and asked If he could reach
Evansville, Indiana. by phone. He
was assured that he could. and in about
two minutes he disappeared in a booth
to talk to his wife.
well, he talked about fifteen min
utes. Finally bounced out OF the box,
slapping his thigh.
They're on me. gentlemen, he said.
III be right back
He darted out, and in two minutes
was back with a box of as good cigars
as | ever smoked.
ITS boy" he exclaimed, and he's
got about as good lungs as ever heard
at'close range"'
Then he told the story. He had to
he absent from home. and n telegram
had Just come. notifying him Of the new
arrival. He had rushed into the office.
called up his residence and insisted
that the nurse bring the baby to the
phone and make 1t laugh or cry. 1t
cried, and he had heard II 800 miles
away"
The long distance telephone between
distant points differs from the dime-ln-
the-slot phone of the corner drug store
In that you don't pay till you get the
person wanted at the other end. Then.
you hear better after you do get him.
And you always get him. 1t doesn't
matter whether he has n telephone or
not II the man is In New York, three
blocks or three miles from the tele.
phone. the company fastens him to n
New York receiver before 1t begins to
figure costs against the customer ut the
rate of 81. IL ppr minute.