Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-02-04

talking from one part OF the room TO an
other. Faint as tie transmitted speech
was, II became ~ once the marvel of all
the world, causing scientists as well as
laymen TO eNclbiIn with wonder. Starting
with these feeble instruments only. The
Bell Company. by persistent study and in
cessant expenditures of immense sums of
money, created an entire new art, invent
ing, developing and perfecting. making
improvements. great and small i'm tele-
phone transmitter. line. cable, switch
board and every other piece OF apparatus
and plant required for the transmission
or speech. As the latest product Of this
unceasing organized effort there has been
dedicated To the service OF the public to-
day a tTanscontinental line 3.400 miles
long, joining the Atlantic and the Pacific
ana carrying the human voice instantly
and distinctly between San Francisco and
New York and Boston and Washington.
This telephone line is part OF the Bell
system OF u 900. 900 miles OF wire connect
ing 100000 telephone stations located ev-
erywhere throughout the United States
and giving To the American people tele-
phone service unparalleled among the ma
tons OF the earth"
On table in President Wallis office
In New York was replica OF the
first telephone transmitter to carry
the human voice. II looked TO be a
crude enough affair. Tie down a drum
head over wooden receiver ioin the
center OF the drum-head TO the free
end OF receiver spring, arrange a
mouthpiece over the drum-head-and
there you have it.
There was further reminder OF the
telephones babyhood in a coil of wire
connected with the transmitter. This
was part OF the original wire over
which DIR. Bell spoke the first words
ever uttered by telephone. in his
boarding house at 5 Exeter Place.
Boston.
J. J. Carly Greets Or. Bell.
one OF the first to greet DR.. Bell
as he entered was John joseph Carty.
CHIEF Engineer OF the American Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company, under
whose direction the transcontinental
line was built Mr.. Carly said.
This greatest Of telephone lines
which today has been dedicated to
the service of the public. must al
ways be distinguished because through
us copper wires the voice OF the Chief
Magistrate OF this nation has for the FIRST
time In our history been transmitted from
the seat or government at Washington
westward thirty-six hundred miles TO the
shores of the Pacific. over this line the
voice OF President Wilson was carried
with magic speed across rivers and plains
ana mountains. instantly reaching San
francisco where in clear tones IL spoke
ms message OF congratulation 10 men of
achievement.
Unable TO be present with us i'm per-
son. Mr.. Theodore y. Vail has neverthe-
less taken part in these ceremonies In a
manner that fills the mind with amaze
ment BY using his wonderful Bell svs-
tenn OF organized men and organized wires
he has talked to us here al New York
from an island eleven hundred miles to
me south, near the coast of Florida
FROM there he has spoken through the
length and breadth OF our land To the
state of California forty-four hundred
miles away thus attaining the longest
distance ever achieved by the voice or
man
We are filled with grateful feelings
that Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas
\. Nat-on have today talked To each 9TH
er over this now historic line Doctor
Bell was the first to conceive OF the true
method and apparatus for Transmitting
speech electrically and MIR Watson. fol-
lowing exactly the directions given To him
by Doctor Bell. constructed with his own
hands the first telephone. Bell was the
hrst among men To talk by the electric
telephone and Watson was the first to
hear
There is before US an exact reproduc-
ton OF this electric speaking tciephoue
employed by Bell and Watson when frst
they talked 20 each other by wire
Through thS instrument Doctor Bell has
again talked'to Mr. Watson. but This time
how vast Is the distance and how great
the triumph
"Of course he was not heard bv any
means as well as when he used our stand
ard transmitter but well enough to be un-
derstood. we may be sure and loud
enough To excite most pleasing senti-
ment This original type of telephone
talking over one Of our modern lines
spoke across the continent more distinct
~ than 1t ever did from one room To an
other over the best line OF former daVs
Thus does this homely first Instrument
give testimony 10 the marvellous improve
ments made I'm its plant by the Bell com
pany during these intense Intervening
years"
Mr.. Carly escorted DR.. Bell TO the
strange looking transmitter and its in
ventor pressed his lips TO the mouth
piece.
Bell and Watson Talk. q
Alloy Alloy Mr. Watson. are
you there? DO you hear me?" asked
Mr.. Bell in New York
Yes. Mr.. Bell. hear you perfectly.
Do you hear me well?" replied Mr..
Watson at his end OF the line in San
Francisco
Yes. your voice is perfectly dis
tinct. said Bell. 1T is as clear as II
you were here in New York instead
of being more than 5000 miles away
You remember. Mr. Watson that eve
ming. 80 years ago when we conversed
through the telephone on real line
for the first time?"
Yes. indeed answered Watson.
that line was two miles long. running
from Boston TO Cambridge. You we're
overjoyed the success of the exper-
iment"
We are talking over 3.4O0 miles as
easily and clearly as we talked over