Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-26
INTERESTING and INSTRUCTIVE
REVIEW OF DEVEL 0PMENTS THE
TELEPHONE SINCE ITS DISCOVERY

of the copper wire over which were
transmitted the first words ever heard
by telephone. This copper wire connected
two rooms in Professor Bells house at
Exeter Place, Boston, and it was on
March 10. 1876. that Watson heard Bell
say over this wire, "Mr. Watson, please
come here, 1 want YOU Without hav-
ing any particular reason in mind for sc
doing at the time, Mr.. Watson preserved
this stretch of copper wire and recently
& Telegraph Co.
Perfecting Equipment
Vail and Carly entered the telephone
business-Vail coming from Washington
where he had been directing the railway
mail service, and Carly from a school ir
Cambridge to the operating room Of the
old Telephone Despatch Co.-the field OF
electrical science, with references to tel
ephone transmission, was absolutely un-
explored. They took up the work where
Bell left it, and he left it practically with
the demonstration of the basic principle
of the telephone. They and their asso.
ciates had to develop an art, so to speak
to perfect equipment, overcome Undue
ton troubles, develop transmission from
such rough beginnings as the old ground
ed iron wires, hung from rooftops, vi
through copper circuits and lead-coveret
cables 1t was the cumulative effect OF
these various improvements which con
tributed to an extension OF the radius
of effective telephone communication
In 1879 the opening of a toll line between
Boston and Lowell was hailed as dis
tinct achievement. In 1898 Chicago came
within calling distance of Boston by tel
ephone; then Omaha, and then Denver il
1913.
The connection of the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts by telephone, however, has
that attached to the linking of these two
oceans by the Panama Canal. 1t serves
to emphasize anew the unity O. this
country, and quite apart from the fact
that no such length of communication
by telephone is possible on any other
continent. it is further significant be-
cause the study and development that
enabled this extension, pioneers the way
for further extensions of the telephone
talking radius to all parts of the United
States.
Time Comparison
An odd feature OF the evening was the
comparison of watches by some of the
guests who were invited to try this line
to San Francisco. 1t sounds paradoxical
to have a man in Boston told that the
words he uttered were heard in Sar
Francisco three hours before he uttered
them but. according to standard time
such is the simple fact. Eight O'Clock
Boston time is five o'clock San Francisco
time.
AS nearly as it can be figured, the
actual elapsed time for the voice - trav'
ell by telephone from Boston TO San Fran.
cisco is one fifteenth of a second sc
fast do electric waves travel, as com
pared with sound waves. If giant
with voice strong enough to carry
across tia continent were to stand or
Boston common. it would take his roal
four hours to reach the Golden Gate.
The Boston San Francisco circuits are
2505 miles long. There are two of these
circuits, and, by means of an interesting
scientific formula, these two circuits are
so lransposcd that third circuit, called
a phantom circuit, is created. Thu!
It is possible for three persons to tall
at the same time by means Of these two
circuits.
Interesting Statistics
In hese two circuits there are 1402
miles of hard-drawn copper wire. Eacl
circuit mile CT this wire weighs 81
pounds: the entire weight of both o
these circuits, therefore, is something
over 1880 tons, ami this tremendous
weight is supported by 10000 poles.
The Boston line runs direct to Buffalo
i65 miles; thence to Chicago COS miles
to Omaha, 500 miles; to Denver, $50 miles
to Salt Lake City. $50 miles: and theme,
to San Francisco, 40 miles, The linz
from San Francisco east branches a
Chicago, where a spur runs from Chicago
to New York by Pittsburg, and another
spur from. Chicago to New York by
Buffalo
This new line will not be ready fol
months hence. These preliminary test.
were in the nature of an engineering
demonstration Considerable tuning VI
and adjustment will be necessary before
the telephone management will feel jus
titid in Offering this service for conmer
demonstrated and the every day reality
soon will become matter of daily rou
tine.