Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-01

The first direct inklinR OF the birth Of
the telephone infant was impaired to the
people of Omaha when toy device, con-
nected by a string was operated from the
roof Of the old Grand Central hotel where
the Paxton now stands to the intersection
of Fourteenth and Douglas streets, along
about 1875. At each end Of the string was
piece of tin shaped like the cover OF a
small soda can, both serving as receiver
and transpitter. The curiosity was oper-
ated free for day or two. then the scent
rate was put in by the owners, and the
line was kept busy afternoons and even
ings until the towns curiosity was thor
oughly satisfied.
The coming Of the real telephone to
Omaha and the development OF the infant
of yesterday into the giant Of today is told
in paper read before the Telephone society
Of Dallas, Tex, by Frank b. Mcknight,
manager of the Western Union Telegraph
office In this city from 1876 to 1850. Mr..
Mcknight says:
1T was during the early part OF the year
1878, l think. that the first Bell magnetic
receivers reached Omaha these having
been procured by ]. J. Dickey, at that time
superintendent of telegraph of the Union
Pacific railroad and who afterwards asso-
ciated with himself a few other venture
some spirits and organized the Nebraska
Telephone company. we had just begun
to hear of the Blake transmitter. but none
OF us had yet seen one of these instru-
ments, although we were pretty well in
formed as to its reported marvellous per-
formances and the promise it gave of revo-
lutionizing the telephone industry, which
mr. vua chO arda
"Soon after these Bell receivers came into
Mr.. Dickey's possession l assisted him in
making some interesting experiments-be-
tween Omaha and Fort Omaha, the United
States army post, a distance of three and
one half miles, where was an iron grounded
circuit used for telegraph purposes. The
city end of this circuit was carried into
the residence of General George Crook,
then in command of the Military Depart
ment of the Platte, and who became IA
nous as the subjugator of the blood-thirsty
and warlike Indians who infested that
region and made life a burden to the brave
men and women who were seeking to
establish for themselves homes among
these savages, who were hostile to any
thing that meant peace and order.
ION the night of our first denomination
the Crooks invited in several members of
the generals staff with their wives, like
wise a few OF the towns-people to witness
the exhibition.
There were ten of the receivers at either
end of the line, connected up in series and
with these simple magnetic devices con-
versation was carried on and music trans
mitted with the utmost facility. The event
was considered of such Importance chat
the band at the post was ordered out to
furnish the music at that terminal and
the music, softened and modulated in its
journey over the wire, floated In in a most
pleasing manner. Pianos were also EN-
ployed with satisfactory results. 1t is my
impression that this was the first public
exhibition Of the telephone in Omaha
THE newspapers on the day following
printed extended notices of the happening,
which indicated that 1t was regarded by
them as one of more than ordinary impor-
lance. Demonstrations of like character
we're continued over greater distances but
successfully until the limit was reached.