The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-07-07
NEW USES OF TELEPHONE.

In reading the following from the
New York Tribune one seems to be
reading chapter from Looking
Backward" and he will recall the
story of the first Sunday in the new
and strange life into which its prin.
cipal character was so suddenly pre-.
cipitated. Looking forward, as in
vision is seen the possible fulflment
of the writer's backward prophecy,
and the hope comes that still other of
these beneficent developments of the
relations of mankind so oleverly de-
scribed by the writer are soon to be.
Clearly and sweetly the words of
the famous old hymn, How firm
foundation" came to the ears of the
patients in the Samaritan Hospital,
Philadelphia, on recent Sunday.
DR.. Russell Oonwell had caused the
hospital to be connected with the
Baptist Temple by means of tele-
phones, and, with megaphones strung
in front OF the pulpit and receivers in
the hospital wards, the singing of the
chorus and the words of the sermon
we're distinctly heard by the patients
The telephone company undertook
the contract to place telephones in all
the wards of the Samaritan Hospital,
of which DR.. Conwell is the president,
and to hang string of megaphones
il front of the platform at the church.
For those patients who were too weak
to hold the receiver to the ear head
attachments were provided so that
without the slightest exertion on their
part the services at the Temple could
be heard almost as plainly as though
they occupied seats in the church.
The voice of the preacher came
strongly and clearly over the wire,
every word caught by the megaphones
and carried to the delighted patients
at the hospital, The singing to the
accompaniment of the great organ was
so realistically close to the ears of the
hospital inmates that many joined in
voluntarily in the exercises, scarcely
realizing that they were long dis
lance from the scene of the services.
Another innovation in telephone
usage is the communication between
conductor and engine driver on NOV
ing trains and the connection of the
train with business houses in places
where temporary stop is made, so
that passengers may talk to friends or
customers without the necessity of
leaving the train at all This idea,
tried as an experiment. on Western
course of recent trip of officials of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, promises
to come into general use on the rail-
roads of the country.
The advantage of telephone means
of converting with the engineer in
his cab, instead of reaching him by a
slow and ponderous system of signals,
is too obvious to need comment. The
great advantage that will appeal to
the general public is the possibility
of saving time by telephoning from
the train to business or private houses
when the cars are at standstill in
stations along the line.
Still another new idea in telephone
business is the calling of early toiers
and those who wish to catch trains in
the small hours. There is no alarm
clock to beat the telephone, for it
continues ringing until the sleepy one
gets out of bed and lis its voice by
removing the receiver from the hook.
Then the operator knows that his duty
is done and stops ringing. One of
the telephone companies has found
this branch of the business so profit
able that regular department has
been organized for the express pur-
pose of calling customers in the morn
ing. A telephone of the ordinary
kind is placed at the bedside, and the
simple process of calling" is to keep
ringing at the hour agreed until the
response shows that the alarm has