Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-10
The FIELD OF ELECTRICITY
Tests Of the Rowland System Of Multiplsz
Printing Telegraph,
MANY ADVANTAGES CLAIMED FOR IT
Expansion of Interurhan Trolley
Lines I'm the Central Wcst-Ceic-
bration of the Centennial Of
Electricity.
MANY ADVANTAGES CLAIMED FOR IT

The multiplex printing telegraph appa-
ratus, invented by Prof Henry a. Rowland
OF Johns Hopkins university was give1S an
extended test recently over the telegraph
dimes between Philadelphia and Jersey City
n distance OF ninety miles. The apparatus
tested was of an experimental character, but
closely approximated 10 the proposed com
mercial form Alternating current is used
and the machines at eau station are in 40
soute synchronism. The means for attain
ing synchronism have not been divuged a.
patents on the apparatus are still pending
The apparatus was arranged for eight
Tnessagec four each way. the instruments
being duplexed in the usual manner. The
messages are printed on either tape or
page like an ordinary typewriter. except
that in the latter case an endless roll is
used Each page printer is under more pei
feet control than an ordinary typewriter, as
the depression of key at any moment will
send the carriage back to commence new
line or drop directly to a new line at any
point. At present the number of characters
used is thirty seven, which includes the
ordinary alphabet, as well as numerals. The
printing is clear and perfect generally and
eycels most typewriting in these respects,
although some improvements are yet TO be
made
II is claimed to have been demonstrated
that this system will signal a longer dis
tance than any other and Prof. Rowland has
worked his instrument through an artihcial
line equivalent in resistance and capacity
20 800 miles of land lines the total dis
tributed capacity being twenty three micro
farads This is equivalent to sixty miles
of cable or more.
The messages are sent from keyboards
similar to a typewriters, to which latter 1t
can be attached Each message can be sent
at the rate of forty words per minute, al
though in some experiments it has been
raised to sixty words per minute. The
highest limit possible has not yet been
reached, nor the limit to the number OF
messages
Advantages of the system.
The advantages OF the system are claimed
20 be follows:
l. The immense increase in the telegraph
capacity OF telegraph lines which are thus
enabled to do from two to three times the
business they can now accomplish between
the main points by means Of the quadrupleX
and four times that by the duplex.
2 The saving Of half the men employed,
as only a sender is needed, whereas both a
sender and receiver are needed on the Morse
system. Any typewriter can print slowly
on the Rowland system in few minutes
and can print thirty-fve or forty words per
minute in a week or a month, according to
brightness.
g. 1t is well known that the Morse system
soon develops a disease in the telegraphers
known as losing their grip" which is
similar to writer's cramp. This diminishes
their speed and often dishabilitates them
entirely, so that it is often stated that the
life OF a telegrapher when he can do his best
l. -o5 ,a,, md ma
so who retains his grip is a great rarity.
The keyboard never develops this disease,
and indeed. is often cure for IL.
4. The system is more accurate than the
Morse, as in each message there is only one
person to make an error, whereas in the
Morse system there are two. In case of any
words about which there is doubt, bell or
other means warns the sender to repeat the
message.
5. The system works better in bad weather
than the quadruplex, which is out of order
often half the time. Furthermore it works
at a greater distance than any known sys-
TEN: the distance from Chicago to New
York without relaying, being much within
its limit.
C. There is no other multiplex printing
system sending from a keyboard and receiv-
ing on a page in existence today. There is
also simpler page printer having such
speed and such perfect control over page
and line as is here secured.
Making Temperature Audible.
An electrical instrument has been in
vented by which il is sought to make the
various ranges Of temperature audible il
an ordinary telephone receiver. The appa-
ratus resembles an ordinary electric battery
box. From one side extends long insu'
lated wire. carrying a small coil of bare
wire. On the other side is the telephone re-
ceiver II the temperature Of a pail of water
is TO be tested the coil of bare wire is thrus
into the pail and the observer with the tel
ephono TO his ear. proceeds to turn the
pointer on dial in front of him lout
buzzing is heard in the receiver This Is
caused by the fact that the pointer is not
yet at the figure representing the tempera'
ture of the water. AS the indicator near
This frr-n the hIzzinr slnnd in the receiYnl