Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-18
BANANA PEN
.STREET m ST. LUCIA

is limited only by the capacity OF the
operators, sender and receiver, and speed,
even more than labor-saving, is the thing
the telegraph companies are seeking. For
the last three years one company has been
experimenting on two circuits between
New York and Chicago and New York and
Buffalo with an automatic system called
the Buckingham. This is not strictly a
combination of telegraph and typewriter.
The typewriter is a perforating instrument
which punches holes in sheets Of paper
which are fed into the sending instrument
and are sent and received automatically.
BY this system from fifty to sixty messages
Of an average OF thirty words each can be
sent an hour. The trouble about this is
that two or three men are required to pre-
pare the messages. There is an instrument
already invented and now being perfected
and developed for commercial use which
may be brought into practical use before
automatic telegraphy comes to pass. This
is the Poulson telephonograph, invented by
a Dane. In this instrument words spoken
into a photograph combined with a tele-
phone are reproduced on patent tape at the
other end of the wire. Should this be de-
veloped cheaply and universally 1t may
revolutionize telegraphy.
Suit for Time Lost at Telephone.
The rapid increase in the number of tele-
phones in use in northwestern cities has
caused the demand of patrons for conneo-
tions to grow almost faster than the facili-
ties for taking care of the increase can be
provided. 1t thus happens that many per-
sons have gained the idea that the service
is not as satisfactory as when the systems
were much smaller than at present. These
people are much interested In a novel suit,
for which papers are being drawn at Ia
coma.
The prospective plaintiff is a Whatcom
business man and his object will be to re-
cover from the telephone company for the
time lost in trying to attract the attention
Of the central telephone ONCE in order TO
secure connections with his business
patrons. Recovery will be sought on that
portion Of his contract which provides that
he snail receive prompt and effective sery-
ice.
His complaint as drawn declares that
through the inattention or Overworking Of
the telephone employees he is compelled to
spend long periods Of time, ranging from
three to fifteen minutes, in obtaining the
necessary switches. He alleges that 80
much Of his working time Is lost in this
manner that his business is financially dam
aged.
Third Rail In Funnel.
The Baltimore e. Ohio Railroad company
on March 25 put into active service the
third rail system installed on the belt line
between Camden station and Wayerly
through its tunnels under Baltimore. Final
tests we're made and one Of the electric
locomotives was regularly using the third
rail. The other two locomotives will follow
suit as soon as they are equipped for the
purpose. Baltimore & Ohio engineers re-
gard the system as a complete success. and
the entire overhead electric conduits and
supports will be torn down. The belt line
has been fenced in for its entire length
where the third rail is used to keep persons
from walking on the tracks. The third rail
Is charged over the whole route to Wav-
erly. except at Camden and Mount Royal
stations. In Baltimore the device used
keeps the third rail dead" until II is au-
tomatieally cut In by the electric loco-
motive in passing over the surface. 1t IL
cut out by the same method. The re-
mainder of the third rail is protected by
wooden guards. The system Will prevent
smoke and gases in the tunnel.
Electrical Navigation I'm Russia.
To the EFFORTS OF a person named jacob
who Lived In ST. Petersburg is credited