The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-21
RAILROAD NEWS.
Successful Test Of a New Santa
Fe Invention.
TeIephoning Over a Single TeIe-
graph Wire.
IN ASSURED SUCCESS
System Invented by C. 6. ShoIes
and L. IL. Jones.
VIII Be Used For Small Stations
on Branch Lines.

Hello.
Hello, Meridenl Can you hear me2"
Can hear you first rate Nothing
the matter with this kind Of a tele-
phone IS rhere2 DO you hear the tele-
graph instruments clicking2 That is
the noise OF the Instruments there in
your office There is a telegraph mes
sage to St Joe from Topeka going over
this wire we are using right now"
That is the substance of a. converse
ton which occurred yesterday between
a reporter for the State Journal, who
was in the Junction depot of the Santa
F'e in North Topeka, and Iineman
Walters who was at the depot in Ne
r1den. ten miles northeast of here. The
conversation took place BY means OF
the new system OF simultaneous teleg-
raphy and telephony over a single ordi-
nary telegraph wire. which has been in
vented and perfected by c. G. Sholes.
superintendent OF telegraph and L. n.
Jones chief clerk IN the telegraph de-
parunent OF the santa Fe.
It Is at last an assured fact that the
new invention VIII work, that not only
can a single wire be used simultan-
eOusly for telegraphing and telephon-
Ing but that telephone bells can be
rung without interfering in the least
with the working Of the telegraph In
strun enrS. The ringing of the tele-
phone bell was the hardest part Of the
test made yesterday by Mr. Jones and
his assistant at Meriden. Mr.. Walters,
was the first time z. successful test had
been made except between the depot
here and the depot at North Topeka,
a distance Of about one mile
Mr. Jones was able to say yesterday,
IT am altogether satisfied with the
test"
which the new invention has been sub
jected- Mr. Jones said, IN speaking Of
it:
IF we can telephone for ten miles
successfully. we can telephone for fifty
or a hundred However, ten miles is
about as far as it viii be necessary to
use the system in actual service"
Telephoning on telegraph wires is not
a new invention, but telephOning on A
single wire OF a telegraph line. with
the wire being used simultaneously for
relephOning and telegra.phing, is some
thing which has never before been &C
com plished in this country, SO far as
known here
Prof VanResselberghe Of Belgium in
vented a system by which a single wire
can be used for telephoning and tele-
era phing at the same time The Sys-
TEN has been carefully tested by the
Santa. E'e. but results obtained were
atisfactOry- Besides the Belgian's
scheme is very expensive Each Office
fitted with instruments for the work
costs about 500. which is 50 expensive
that IL IS prOhiDirive- The special ap-
paratus needed for the successful Op-
Grafton Of the ShOIes-Jones system
costs only about S14-
The telephone instruments are simply
tcut in on a telegraph wire When
set up, the telephone instruments are
used exactly the same as ordinary tele-
phones.
1t might be stated right here that it
was much easier to talk to Meriden
over the Santa Fe's telephone wires
than it Is to talk to the other end of
the block over the Topeka telephones
in comm on use, the induction being
much greater.
The santa Fe Will use the new inven-
ton on its branch lines especially.
where the company does not find it
profitable to keep a telegraph operator
BY having q telephone communication
with the small town, the advantages OF
a telegraph communication at little or
no expense can he secured The Santa
F'e win likely equip several stations
with the instruments. and try the in
vention in actual service for q while.
Mr.. Sholes and Mr.. Jones have been
working on the problem which they now
have solved. for over a year Not until
July % of this year did they hit upon
the system which they now are using