The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-20
TELEPHONE SOON
ACROSS ATLANTIC
BY HOLLAND

by HOLLAND
New York, September 19.-(Special AL
most the first comment made by Dr. Peter
Cooper Hewitt after his arrival in New
YORK from a sojourn in Europe was
the prediction that teIepnonic communica-
ton across the Atlantic will be COM
mercially established within the next two
years or three at the utmost. Dr.
Hewitt has already gained high reputa-
tion IN the United States and Europe as
man of science some of whose achieve
ments rank with the best that have been
secured by American inventors within
the past 20 years. DR.. Hewitt undoubt-
eddy inherts his ability as a man of
science and master in some depart
ments OF original research from his
grandfather. Peter Cooper perhaps in
some measure also from his father,
Abram s. Hewitt, who was master
mind in the field Of iron and steel produce
ton In the United States and also an
able public servant having served many
years nj Congress and afterwards as
mayor of New York
1T has already been observed that Dr.
Hewitt never ventures a statement which
relates to scientific achievement unless
he is sure that it cannot be controvert-
ed. AS the inventor of mercury vapSr
electric light he took such rank as
brought to him recognition from the uni
versities not only in this country but
in Europe.
Therefore, it NAV reasonably he ar
copied as a fact that Translate tele-
phonic communications will be CONNER
cially established within the next two
or three years. DR.. Hewitt would not
have made the prediction were he not
certain that it would be justified. How
ever. he does not say whether this teie-
phonic communication is to be made by
M fro cot lov, IL
utilization of the Hertizian waves upon
which wireless telegraphing depends. DIR.
Hewitt invented one of the important
factors which made transcontinental tele-
phoning commercially practicable for he
devised the so-called relay system.
AIR OR CABLES
There are several reasons for presum-
ing that DR.. Hewitt may have the wire
less system Of telephoning across the
ocean in mind. year or two ago DR..
Lee de Forrest felt confident that he
was far on the way to the perfecting of
apparatus which would make it possible
to utilize the Hertzian waves so that
wireless telephone communication across
the Atlantic could be secured. There was
only one factor to be worked out, and
DR.. de Forrest felt confident that he would
succeed in doing this. and when he had
achieved success then wireless telephon-
ing across the ocean would be estab-
iiShed. He went so far as to say that
he was certain that communication OF
| that kind would be in use within four or
five years. 1t may be that DR.. Hewitt
has some knowledge Of DR.. de Forests
progress in solving the problem which
when answered will make 1t possible
conveniently and easily to send tele-
phone messages back and forth between
Europe and the United States as 1t is
now to use the long-distant telephone for
transcontinental communication.
FLOATING ON THE MISSISSIPPI
Much has been reported in the past
year or two of the progress which has
| already been made in utilizing the Mis-
, sissippi river for transporting commodi-
ties from the upper reaches of that river
to St Louis and even to New Orleans.
Recently, however. a concrete fact has
served striking to demonstrate this mod
ern utilization of the Mississippi cor
poration which is ready to expend &c.
900 900 in manufacturing coke and coko
chemicals and also in producing pig iron
near St. Louis Is now we'll along towards
organization. This corporation. whose
Influential character Is made clear by
the fact that George w. Niederinghouse
of St. Louis is prominently associated
with it intends to float iron ore to st.
Louis by barges on the Mississippi. The
plants of the new corporation are to
be very extensive The barges will take
on the iron ore from the Lake Superior
mining district. transport 1t to st. Louis,
and the estimate is now made that the
corporation will by means Of this cheap
transportation and other facilities be able
to produce iron at cost of 81 less per
ton than the standard cost OF like pro-
duction in the Pittsburg district. AS
many as 5000 men will be employed by
this corporation. Within few months
it will be possible for any one who stands
near the shore of the Mississippi river
anywhere between st. Louis and ST. Paul
to see many barges loaded with Lake
Superior iron ore on their way to this
new and what is to be a very great Amer
lean industry
She Does It
Josephine Story. in the Christian Her
aid.
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