The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-08-03
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Alexander Graham Bell Dies
on Estate in Novia Scotia
Won Fame and Riches
by Invention.
Patents Holly Contested

Sidney, N. s., Aug. Z-AIex-
ander Graham Bell. inventor OF the
telephone, died at 2 o'clock this
morning II Benin Breagh, his estate
near Baddeek.
Although the inventor had been 10
failing health for several months ne
had not been confined to bed, and
the end was unexpected. Late yes
tcrday afternoon his condition be-
came serious and DR.. Kerr OF WASH
ington, a cousin OF Mrs. BelA house
guest, and a Sydney physician at
tended him.
With Mr.. Bell when he died were
Mrs. Bell, a daughter, Mrs. Marian
Hubbard Fairchild and her husband,
David G. Fairchild of Washington.
The inventor leaves another daugh-
ter, Mrs. Elise M. Grosvenor, vile
of a Washington magazine editor.
DR.. Bell will be buried on top OF
Mt. Benin Bresgh, spot chosen BY
himself.
Death Shocks Frienda
Washington, Aug. News OF the
death of Dr.. Alexander Graham Bell
at his summer place and Laboratories
at Baddeck, Nova Scotia, came as
shock to thascientist many friends
in Washington, although they knew
he had been failing for several
months. At birthday luncheon
some months ago DR.. Bells friend:
were surprised to see that he had
become feeble from age during the
last year and that his remarkable
vigor was fast disappearing.
: Officials OF the National Geo
graphic society, in which DR.. Bell
was prominent, received word OF, his
death in private advices from Bad
deck.
President Thayer Of the American
Telephone and Telegraph company
on hearing of Mr.. Bells death Or
dered all the subsidiary corporations
of the Bell system throughout the
United States to haif-mast flags on
their buildings.
Worldfamous as Inventor.
Alexander Graham Bell, world
famous as the inventor of the tele-
phone, was born in Edinburgh, Scot
landa, on March :. 1847. the son of
Alexander M. Bel, a distinguished
Scotch scientist and educator. The
Bell received his education
at the Edinburgh High school and the
Edinburgh university. and in 1867 en-
tered the University Of London. In |
1870 his health having become I'M
paired by overstudy, he removed with
his father to Canada, and two years
later settled in the United States, be-
coming first a teacher of deaf nnutes |
and subsequently professor of vocal
physiology in the University of Bos-
ton. ". 3D. 81"
In 1867 ne began to study the
problem of carrying articulate sound
by means of electric currents, and
after nine years of research and ex-
periments completed tie first tele- t
phone early in 1876. In that year it
was exhibited at the Centennial ex-
hibition in Philadelphia, where it at
tracted universal attention, although
its possibilities and commercial inn
portance were by no means realized
at that time.
Nh. Bell filed his application for
a patent at the patent Office in Wash
ington February IA, 1876, and it is a
singular fact tkat an application for
a patent for speaking telephone
was received from Elisha Gray OF
Chicago on the same day, but a few
hours later. The patent was granted
to Mr.. Bell on the ground of priority |
Of the time of filing and not because
of any difference in the merits of the
claims. /.
The Bell Telephone company was
organized in 1877 and in the follow
year the first telephone exchanges
lished. In 1879 the new method of
communication became firmly estab-
under the Bell patents were estab-
lished as a commercial and social ne
cessity, and since that time it has
come into use in all parts of the
world. In the first eight years OF
the Bell Telephone company's ex-
istence, $4,0O0,O00 in dividends were
paid to the 10 stockholders.
Patents Contested.
The validity of the Bell patents
has been fercely contested in the
courts by rival inventors. The first
important litigation by the Bell COM
pany to defend its rights and protect |,
its patents was in the suit of the
American Bell Telephone company
against Dowd. The latter was sup
ported and defended by the Western
Union company, owning the patents
of Edison and others, but was de-
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