Evening star., 1938-07-03


DR.. Rogers established his laboratory
here in 1895 after he had resigned as
chief Capitol electrician at Washing
ton. 1t was during his sojourn in
Hysttsville that he made valuable con-
tributions to telephony. telegraphy,
electric lighting, high frequency cur
rents and the transmission of sounds
through metal pipes.
Forerunner Of Present Method.
Probably the most interesting and
valuable Of these inventions was his
system Of printing telesraphy and his
underground, subsea radio transmits
sion system. His printing telepraphy
was in many respects a forerunner of
the present day method It eliminated
the key operator. the messages being
written on q typewriter.
Most OF the inventions perfected
and patented by DR.. Rogers are given
special display place in the Smith
sonian Institution.
Under the agreement between the
town off1cials and the State Roads
Commission, the town will use the lot
until the State is able to sell it. Large
signs at the entrance advertise that it
can be bought.
But while buyers hold of, the town
is looking forward to its new expert
ment-segregation of parking and
clearing up of main streets for moving
tradic.
Hinges Have Rusted.
Wistaria and other climbing vines
have almost enshrouded the old
Rogers home and studio workshop.
Only ! caretaker lives in what was
once the servants quarters. The door
hinges have rusted until they squeak
an eerie protest when opened. and dust
has covered the intricate and delicate
instruments. left as they were when
DR.. Rogers walked out on the evening
Of December IL, 1929, to dress for q
dinner given to party of friends. He
was found dead in his bed the follow
ing morning.
Even the mansion-like old frame
house seldom is opened Like the
shrub and tree choked lot on which
they stand, the house and studio are
owned by the State. bought for q
right Of way for q proposed extension
Of Rhode Island avenue.
Hundreds Of pictures are piled high
on the hoors-reminders Of former
grandeur when Hyattsville was home
to one Of the country's most prolific
inventors. Most priced among the
pictures on the wall of the studio
Is one of DR.. James Webb Rogers,
faher OF J. G. and J. Harris Rogers.
First Taken by Light.
This picture, it was explained by
the brother Of the late inventor, Was
the first ever taken by electric light.
It was while DR.. J. Harris Rogers was
chief electrician at the Capitol that
c. NJ. Bell, internationally famous
photographer Of his day, came to
the Capitol At the request Of DR.. Rog-
ers, who said he had "a new system
Of taking pictures"
The system" was the fusion Of
four carbon fingers into an electric
light. It was about this time that
electric lights were first put In the
Capitol, under the supervision OF Dr.
Rogers.
In years to come, excavators may
| dig up long lines of wire cable from
beneath the streets Of Hyattsville. BY
then,. perhaps, their existence will
have been forgotten.
But If traced to their source, they
will be found to enter . 40-foot-deep
cistern under the old studio. It was
through this network Of wires that
DR.. Rogers received his underground,
subsea messages in the early days Of
his experiment.
The wires are laid out under ground
in the shape of the spokes of q wagon
wheel, the hub being in the cistern.
They run under streets and buildings
without the knowledge Of residents.
BY placing the hub Of the wheel,
. network Of wires called . loop by
DR.. Rogers, the scientist. could receive
messages from all parts Of the world.