The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-11
The Telephone When 1t
 Was First Put Into Use

.sThe telephone is fake"such wasthe characterization commonly given the then new invention In the late 70's The information that persons several miles apart could talk with each other as easily as if they were but few feet apart was received with skepti- cism. The idea of transmitting the sound of a persons voice over piece of common fence wire was. to great majority of people. unworthy or ser ious consideration. It was freely pre- dicted that this vagary of an unbaianc- cd mind. would soon be with Gllroy's 2 balloon. % @ e 3e
 The, earth is populated with skeptics 1t would seem. It Is only three or four years since we were doubting the worth of wireless telegraphy and pre- dieting 1t would never develop into an important commercial factor. The demonstrations of it's efficiency given short time ago. when 1t was instru- mental in saving the lives of upwards of 5000 passengers of two transatlan- tic liners that accidently collided In the fog, has convinced the last doubter that during the next thirty years or 80 it's development and progress will be as wonderful as the progress of the tele- phone An the last thirty odd years.
 To tell how the telephone has aa- vanced from the days of the old Gilli- land, which were first put in use. up to the present time when Western Elec- tric boards represent the acme of the switchboard making art. would make an interesting story. But particularly interesting are the "reminiscences ot pioneer teleph one man told as follows. They serve to exemplify the stories that will be told half century hence by pioneers in wireless telegraphy:
 "While in St. Louis in the fall of 1877. on my way to Europe, l learned that some new fake" had been brought west. An old telegraph line was run hing from 6 manufacturing company's esta blishment' to the St. Louis Fair Grounds, oyer which. it was claimed people could talk and understand each other. was not one of the persons privileged to talk over the line. but took considerable interest in the so- called fake"
 'In Europe I met two Bostonians who were on a patent mission In Der lin and on my return h6dne to Missouri I corresponded with them. with the result was made distributing agent for the telephone as it was called for the middle west
 ''I received my first instrument. con sisting of two receivers and two Gil- Hand call bells In June, 1S7S In order to give demonstration built line from Springfield to North Springfield. a distance of Q mile. The line was ot common fence wire, attached to. house tops, barns and trees and fastened by bureau knobs.
 The Widows House.
 About midway between Springfield and North Springfield there was scar city of houses. barns or large trees. and 1t was necessary to span about 500 feet over a smali one-story frame house, which was occupied by widow and her daughter. A "two-by four was nailed to the gable of the house and the wires suspended therefrom. Whenever cold evening set in the wires would hum. This.is where my first trouble runners were not invented in those days. The widow went to her landlord and con- plained that the saloon keeper, whose Mace was the terminal for one end of the wire. and the livery man, at whose place the other end of the wire terminated. annoyed her and her dauRh- ter at night by saying all kinds of of nasty things and swearing over the wire. She stated that she would have to vacate the place unless these peo- ple were compelled to use more decent language. The landlord, a council member, brought the matter up in the council with the result that l was no" tifed to move the wire.
 "In fact the fall of 1873 associated myself with a doctor and a druggist at Springfield, to build an exchange as 1t was already known, and give 1t the name of the Springfield District Tele- phone Company No switchboard be- ing available 1t was necessary for the individual subscriber to make his own connection.
 "Soon after the installation of the telephone the doctor mentioned want ed to call his residence and have the hostier bring his buggy to the drug store The drug clerk could not ring the bell. I was called and with my assistance and tool and wire equip ment immediately went over the wire. We found 1t was broken between two barns, the, wire lying kinked in the barn lots. We quickly made splice n... ata ..ok L..vo annstcTa rnrfrfk n afrr