The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-07-01
BY TELEPHONE TO
SAN FRANCISCO
Several Brattleboro Persons at Trans
continental Service Demonstration
in Keene, N. H.

Nearly 9o0 persons from Keene, y. H.,
and a few from neighboring towns en-
joyed "transcontinental telephone night
at City hall in Keene last evening
The affair was held under the auspices Of
the Keene Commercial club the telephone
company cooperating.
Nine hundred receivers were installed
at the seats in the hall and each person
! listened to the conversation between
keene and San Francisco This is believed
to be the first time that city the size q
keenc has ever had this telephone served
demonstration, and it is the first time that
IT has been conducted in New Hampshire.
The conversations OF the evening were
between President w. c. Coughlin of the
keene Commercial club and +. j. Bikker,
president of the Chamber of Commerce in
san Francisco: Acting Mayor G. Herbert
Eanes, jr., and James Rolfc, jr., mayor o.!
san Francisco; Mrs Martha s. Wentworth
to her son IN San Francisco, whom she has
not seen i'll Is years; Mrs. LaFell Dickin
son. president of the Kecne Federation Of
Womens clubs, and Mrs f. X. Black
president OF the similar organization in
San Francisco w. f. Holbrook, president
of the kcene Development company. and
the head of a wholesale grocery company.
TO Mcssrs. {. II. Bentley and Holbrook o.
the Fruit Gamers association in San
Francisco; Hon c. c. Shedd to John
Delhi. a former resident of Kecne. and
+. F. Stearns, president of the New Hamp
shire Jewellers association, to George
Daley. president of the Pacific Coast Jew
clcrs association. Other speakers on this
end were Fred Wentworth, Mrs G. NJ
Russman and F. W. Chiids Of Brattleboro
In addition to the transcontincntal con.
vcrsatiun the audience listened to talks
delivered by + X. Hall of Boston, presi,
dent Of the New England Telephone and
Telegraph company, and by p, j Feency
publicity manager of the y. f. T. and 7.
company
The first telephone was installed in
keene in 1879. and was a private line be
tween the studio of lothian French and hi
residence. 1t was set by the +. w Childs
company. and two of the surviving mem
bcis oI that firm. Maj. f. W Childs %
Blattlchoro and A. w. Chlds of Manchcs
ter. y. H.. were present last night.
BESIDES Major Childs there were presen.
from BrattIehoro, Mrs Alice Squires and
Miss Mabel r. Snow of the local telephone
office, and Fred w Hall.
The process of building the transconti
mental line was shown on a screen by
means of moving pictures. and at one time
when the pictures showed waves on the
Pacific coast a telephone connection was
made with a house on the coast and the
sound Of the waves was distinctly heard
\ closing feature Of the demonstration
was conversation between Charles X.
Field of San Francisco, editor of Sunset
magazine, and Maj F. w Childs Mr.
Field is a son OF the late Henry X. Field
Of Brattleboro. He spoke of his mother.
Mrs. Kate Daniels Field, whom he said
was in good health. and sent message
10 Judge j NJ Tyler of this town
/ In closing the audience sang America for
the benefit of the people listening in san
| Francisco. and in response came back over
the wire the song, The Star Spangled Ban
ner, from a victroa.
Mr.. Coughln extended vote of thanks
To the telephone company for its courtesy
and the audience responded by rising, At
| the request of Mr.. Sawyer secretary of the
Keene Commercial club, three hearty
| cheers were given for the telephone Off
GERS
One Of the honored guests Of the even
ing was Jasper n Keller, former presi-
dent Of the New England Telephone x
| Telegraph company, who sat on the stage
at his summer home in Surry. y. IT,