The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-09

ally known in Philadelphia during June,
1S76-100 years after the signing of the
Declaration of Independence, and at the
Centennial exposition which commem-
Grated that event. The story of the in
Vention of the telephone is, in many re-
spects. the most marvellous and interest
ing part Of this one of the worlds Won
ders.
Alexander Graham Bell, the genius who
gave it scientific birth. was born i'll Edin-
purgh, Scotland, in 1871 His father, Alex
ander Melville Bell, was the inventor of
what is known as visible speech IA
system of teaching deaf mutes how to
speak by indicating TO them through Visi-
bile characters the combinations of the
vocal chords necessary TO produce articu-
late sounds. To the life-WOrk of his
father young Bell decided to devote him
self After a preparatory training he
entered London university in 1861 but his
health failed him and he left shortly
afterward. In 1870, in company with his
parents, ne went to Canada c.
Realizing that the United States
offered a broader field for the work that
he had in view. young Bell in 1877 came
TO the United States and settled in Bos-
ton, where he introduced his fathers sYs-
TEN Of visible speech for the education
of deaf mutes. He supported himself at
first with private classes.
First Electrical Work.
Meanwhile, and even before he left
England. young Bell had commenced eX-
electricity which embraces sound. To the
task of an inventor in this line he brought
q lifelong training for the profession of
a teacher of vocal phESlOlOgy-d probes
sion involving a knowledge OF how to
produce and perceive articulate sounds
The groundwork OF the system which he
taught consisted in instructing deal mutes
10 recognize by sight the motions of the
organs which produce speech. and from
this 10 understand the meaning of spoken
words He became an expert in sound.
~ n ah OF
branches that of harmonicS. Some time
before he left England. Bel. Following
the natural bent of his genius commenced
experimenting in harmonlcs- The art OF
telegraphy then afforded an alluring field
for research. and about the time he came
10 this country he conceived the idea that
"A system of multiple biography might be
evolved from the principle that the
various chords of a musical instrument
are sensitive to sounds of different
pitch. While in Canada he worked out
a system of multiple biography on TINS
basis and upon locating in Boston he
interested Gardiner Hubbard and Ihomas
Sanders. two gentlemen of wealth, in his
experiments.
and the three entered partnership, 1t
being agreed that MeSSrs. Hubbard and
Sanders should defray the expenses of
the experiments necessary to complete
Bells system of biography and Tor tax
ing out-the necessary patents on II.
Teaching was absolutely his only means
OF support He spent all day in the class
room and when night came he devoted
his time TO study and experiment
As the young scientist proceeded win
his work he noted with eVer-increaslng
wonder the adaptability of the electric
current 10 the transmission of sound.
Some time in 1871 there occurred TO MIN
the idea that possibly the human voice
itself might be transmitted and repro
duced by means OF the electric current.
There are many persons now VINO re-
member with what incredulity they read
the first press accounts of Bells discoV-
cry of the telephone. Some people even
refused TO believe. after they had heard
spoken words issue from the receiver OF
the telephone. preferrIng rather to think
that their senses cheated them. or that
they were the victims of some clever ana
ingenious hoax.
But the idea of the telephone had been
born in the brain of young Bell. and come
veal or woe he was determined that 4
should be carried through to arl exhaust !
i've experimental conclusion. In the ran /
Of 1874 he communicated his elementary /
idea for a speaking telephone TO his /
friend DR.. Clarence j. Blake. an emf /
nent physician in Boston. and an author /
itv on acoustics.
Bell received from him some encourage
ment for the further prosecution OF TINS /
original idea. His partners. Messrs. hub I
hard and Sanders. preferred. however 4
haf the Young man should devote himself /
10 the completion of his system of multi /
nile telegraphy. aud rather discouraged
his seemingly impracticable idea for the