Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-05-20
"Put them on now and

phone receivers from his ears. "Put them on now ana
get the answer" he laughed.
In about three seconds came back three little CHICKS
In the ears-the letter IS" in the Continental coue'
which is used in the Marconi system.
1t was perfectly plain. Anybody who knew the tele-
graph code could easily read any message coming IN.
Now l am thanking him." said Gilman, as he JOLT
ed out a few more blue sparks.
Then he put the receiver to his ears.
He's answering" laughed Gilman. He's saying:
Ha! hal"
But there were signs of business about the plant by
this time. The engineers and electricians were on
duty now, Mr.. Welby had come in to send out the
nights bulletins by long distance.
In his hands was a resume of the days news of the
United States sent there by land wire by the Associat-
ed Press. This was to be sent by long distance wire
less to all the ships at sea within a radius of 1900
miles. ....
with this news" explained Mr.. Welby, 1--WE are
going to reach the Regina dItalia, La Provence, the
Nieuw Amsterdam and the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria.
They are all within our zone"
Then he showed what is known among wireless men
as "The Communication Chart" Every steamer for
the month which is fitted with wireless is plotted on the
chart by straight lines, showing her position on every
given day, according to her average speed. The lines
which cross at the date show just which steamers are
within the radius of the long distance wireless.
"Of course" explained Mr.. Welby, 1--WE can't tell just
where they are, because no steamer could carry such a
powerful plant as we have here, so they cannot answer
us. But it is $3.50 p, m. here now, and they are all wait
ing to hear from us; while we can send, they cannot re-
ply, and this is the prearranged hour, no matter where
they may be at sea"
"All right" was the call to the engine room.
"All right" came back the answer.
start her up!" was the order.
Here's some cotton" said Mr.. Welby, better put it in
your ears. Most of us have to do it. 1t bores into your
ear drums pretty badly"
Suiting the action to the word, he plugged his own ears.
1--WE are going to have a little thunder storm close at
hand, laughed Gilman.
1t was almost uncanny-these men in rubber gloves,
sitting on stools placed on rubber mats, their ears pro-
tected with cotton, getting ready to flash their news
1900 miles to great ships on the bosom of the deep.
Then the great engines chugchugged and the dynamos
began kissing. The power was at hand. Everybody
was excluded from the room except the operator, Mr..
Welby. He began to send.
1t was like a cannonade. Great sparks lighted the
entire building as Mr.. Welby shot out his news-north,
east, south and west, The cracking of the electricity
was intense-no wonder the cotton in the ears. 1t
wauld have deafened a man not used to it. And this is
a sample of what is sent:
sentenced 20 years. Bail $4,000, each pending motion
set verdict aside, because announced disagreement Stop
Barrow-in-Furness Gangway connecting ~battleship Van
guard wharf collapsed under so worknen. Vickers Max
ime yards, three killed, 40 injured Stop Evansville:
Nearly all Of 81 miners Sunnyside Coal mine here be-
lieyed killed by explosions afternoon Stop Belgrade:
. Alarm over possibility war Austria subsiding rapidly.
Russian minister long conferences Milovanovich yester-
day, to-day. Nothing officially given out but reason be-
lieye peaceful settlement controversy now only question
hours. Stop"
The word "Stop" means the end of a news item and
that another is coming in. OF course, all these abbre-
waited wireless messages are filled out and published on
the various ships in more extended form, some as bulle-
tins and others as regular daily newspapers.