The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-03-23
HEARD WIRELESS IN KANSAS.
Long Distance Telephone Lines Have
Trouble From Them.

Long Distance Telephone Lines Have
Trouble From Them.
The telephone systems Of the
northeastern part OF Kansas were in
terfeTed with by fragments Of wire
less telegraph messages on Thursday
and Friday OF last week. Bell long
distance lines around Topeka 50 plain
" intercepted the vibrations that a
Morris code reader could -decipher Oc-
casiOnal words.
The phenomenon is extremely pc
culiar, and is the first time that 1t
has been noted on telephone wires in
this part Of the country In exPlana-
ton the experts offer the exceedingly
damp conditions OF the atmosphere.
When the air is heavy with moisture,
wireless messages are said to trans
NIT themselves with much greater
ease than during dry weather. An
operator at Salina, who was called by
the Bell company to its headquart-
erS to note the phenomenon, thinks
from the fragments which he inter
ceDted. that the message was being
sent from Denver to Kansas City.
There are no wireless stations at
either of these cities. but there is one
at St Louis, and It IS possible that the
vibrations received here were induc-
tiOns from some coast station to St
Louis. It is mere guess work, how
ever, to try and figure out the points
between which the message was sent.
It is hardly believed to have been
a sea message which not only reached
its designation but Travelled this lar
inland because Of the peculiarly TT
ting condition Of the atmosphere
But those who noticed it are sure
that it was wireless photography. They
describe the sound as different from
the sharp, metallic clicking common
to telegraph wires, but on the con-
trary very much like the vibrations
of a piano, soft. buzzing and musical.
Wire Chief Hamilton OF the Topeka
III
company, noted the phenomenon and
said to a Topeka reporter: The vi
bratiOnS were distinct on our long
distance lines on Thursday and Fri
day Of last week Some disturbance
occurred on one Of two previous days
but not so distinct as on the latter
The sound was soft and buZZing, with
a vibration like striking a musical in
strument- A good reader Of the Nor
TiS telegraph code could have deciph-
cred quite a good deal Of that was
heard on our wires, but we did not
have an expert try it. It caused no
serious annoyance on our long dis
lance wires Takers could hear each
other plainly. though OF course they
had TO contend with the intermittent
buzzing. I do not know where the
message was sent from or to what
place it was going. whether il was in
land or from the sea I'm not an ex-
pert in that line"
The Salina Journal has this to say
about the effect created there:
Bruce Gemmfl, formerly Of Sa-
lima. but now superintendent Of the
Bell exchange at Abilene. called UP
Ben Pearl, manager Of the Western
UniOnOfice at Salina. and connected
him with the Topeka line, when the
clicking Of the wireless mesa es could
be plainly heard over the wires The
long distance line from Abilene to
Salina returned no messages, but from
Abilene east the message was perfect
" distinct
The sound said Mr.. Pearl, was
not like the metallic clicking sent
by the ordinary telegraph instrument
but was like a musical note, very
similar 20 the sound Of a piano I
could only read few letters at a
time, and then something would in
terfere. but in a few minutes il was
there again. as distinctly as before"