The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1915-01-27

the scientific world was reached Mon
day afternoon when telephone CONVEX
sations were carried on between
Washington, New York, Boston and
San Francisco with as much east as
though those conversing were only a
few miles apart. This remarkable
achievement was enjoyed by President
Wilson of the United States, Profess
sor Alexander Graham Bell, the in
ventor of the telephone; Thomas A.
Watson, the first man to whom Mr..
Bell ever talked over the telephone;
President Moore of the Panama-Paci-
fic exposition, and many others. 1t
was the Inauguration of the trans
continental commercial telephone sys-
TEN and it required over 3,400 miles
of wire to connect the eastern with
the western coast. 1t was as though
the Atlantic had reached over in its
mighty splendor and shaken hands
with the peaceful Pacific. The con-
versations occurred about o'clock
eastern time, and o'clock San Fran
cisco time.
President Wilson was the first per-
son not connected with the telephone
company to enjoy the privilege of
hearing a human voice over 3,400
miles of wire. He stepped to the tel
ophone, and, placing the receiver to
lis ear, said, in very clear and inn
pressive manner to President Moore
oi the Panama and Pacific exposition;
1T appeals to the imagination to
speak across the continent. 1t is a
fine omen for the exposition that the
first thing it has done is to send its
voice from sea to sea. | congratulate
you on the prospects for a success
full exposition. ] am confidently hop
ing to take part in it after the adj
journment of congress. May not
send my greeting to the management
and to all whose work has made it
possible and has made it the great
event it promises to be, and to convey
my personal congratulations to you?
As the president finished, President
Moore of the great exposition re-
sponded: I'VE are looking forward to
your coming here. | think you will be
well pleased with what we have done.
| assure you, Mr.. President, that you
will never receive a wecome that will
be more cordial or more enthusiastic"
Thirty-four years ago when Alex
ander Graham Bell invented the tele-
phone, his first conversation was with
Mr.. Thomas A. Watson. They talked
over line two miles long. At the
close of President Wilson's talk with
President Moore, Mr.. Bell, who was in
New York, came in on the line, and
Mr.. Watson, who was in San Francis
co, was connected, and the three held
IA short conversation, conrgatulating
each other on the scientific achieve
ment. The President said: 81 consider
it an honor to be able to express my
admiration for the inventive genius
and scientific knowledge that has
made this possible, and my pride that
this vital cord should have been
stretched across America as a new
symbol of our unity and our enter
prise. Will you not convey my cor
dial congratulations to Mr.. Bell, and
| want to convey to you (meaning Mr..
Watson) my personal congratula-
tons"
1t is an interesting fact that DR..
Bell and Mr.. Watson used the same
instruments Monday in accomplishing
the transcontinentai conversation that
they used thirty-four years ago in
accomplishing their two-mile CONVEX
sation. They also used a part of the
same wire used then.
President Wilson also talked with
Theodore N. Vail, president of the
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company. who was at Jekyll Island,
off the coast of Georgia.
In each city from which the CONVEX
sations were held, the greatest prepar-
atoms had been arranged-prepara
lions that were never excelled in the
history of the cities. The city offic-
ials, state officials and others prom
inently connected with the public and
commercial life of each individual
community We're present and all en-