The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-01-26
TALKED ACROSS
THE CONTINENT
Direct Line From New York 10
San Francisco Proves Most
Successful.
ONE OF THE WORLD WONDERS

1t Is now possible TO talk from New
losE 10 San Francisco over ono Ill
rect telephone wire, without the
necessity OF relaylng the message one
or more times, as has always been
done In the past
Universal telephone service under
the leadership of President Theodore
" Vail OF the American Telephone and
Telegraph company has connected the
Atlantic with the Pacific coast New
York, Washington, Boston and Jekyll'
Island, one thousand miles down the
coast from New York, talked with Sau
Francisco today, marking the opening
OF the new trans continental line Vi
the Bell system.
The line was opened by talk be
tween DIR. Bell the inventor Of the
telephone, and Thomas Watson, his as
slstant, who sent and heard the first
telephone message at the time Of tn,
experiment In 1879. DR.. Bell talket
from New York and Mr. Watson from
San Francisco.
/. After the talk from New York
President Theodore N. Vail, who II
spending the winter at Jekyll- Island
off the coast OF Florida, was switched
on TO the line and he too talked viii
San Francisco, distance Of 4,40l
miles. President Wilson was switChe,
on To the line from Washington an,
he addressed the enthusiastic gather
ing ut San Francisco In praise Of tn,
development Of the Trans Continenta
line. later talking TO DR.. Bell In New
York.
From Ocean TO Ocean.
Mayor Curley Of Boston wa
switched on and he talked with
number Of prominent citizens, amOnI
them Major Higginson of Boston nm,
Elmer j. Bliss president OF the Bos
ton Chamber Of Commerce
While the conversations were bein
held 1900 men were posted along IN
route Of the line across the contlnen
10 guard against sudden storms or az
cldcnts
The offices Of the telephone con
pOny In New York and IN San Erar
cisco were crowded with represents
tlyes Of civic organizations, engineer
scientists, leaders In the commercis
aud financial world prominent jou
nallsts and telephone officials.
In New York among those seated q
the table with Or Bell were MayC
Mitchell, L. n, Bethcl. senior vic
president Of the American Telephor
and Telegraph company, and John
Carly chief engineer
In Sun Francisco President G. NJ
Farlnnd, Thomas Watson, Preside
Moore of the Panama Pacific expos
tion, Mayor Rolph and Chairma
Scott sat at the table while there wa
a large attendance Of prominent cit
1ens aud officials
Mayor Mitchell In his statemel
said 81 feel that you aud can ioI
In congratulating the officials Nh
engineers ~ the telephone compar
whose genius and work have mac
means of communication"
President Wilson Talked.
Vice President Bethel read a lett,
Ia the New York gathering from Pre-
ldent Vail In which he praised Chi,
Engineer J. J. Carly, saying that u
world owed Mr. Carly n debt for III
triumph of science Mr.. Carly delive
cd nm Informal address, saying thi
there Is no section on the line thi
cannot be- reached by n telephone ms
within two hours, since 500 men n
now guarding IT, lie gave great rr,,
II 10 the work NJ the men In the o
ganlgatOn
After President Wilson. Vice Pre-,
dent kingshury NJ the American r,
ephone and Telegraph company spol
; from Washington 10 President Charl
:. Moore Of the Panama Pacific 9
position.
II Is but forty years ago that 4
first sentence was carried over Il
wire Of the eNpcrimeUters, Dr. Graha
BELL AMI Thomas Watson aud no
men have talked to each other aero
continent as easily M though s.
ting together In the same room.
America lends the world In te
phouy. The telephone Is not only
the city, office aud the mansion, b
b out on the farm II stretches nj
Q away up the mountain side I'll
. entire country may hold conyersatl
] instantly, however distant one p-ti
+ may bc from the other.
A presIdput Nuu savp TINT tha u.nrL