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In the operation of trains； the railroads have waited thirty years before they dared to trust the telephone； just as they waited fifteen years before they dared to trust the telegraph。 In 1883 a few railways used the telephone in a small way； but in 1907； when a law was passed that made telegraphers highly expensive； there was a general swing to the telephone。 Several dozen roads have now put it in use； some employing it as an associate of the Morse method and others as a complete substitute。 It has already been found to be the quickest way of despatching trains。 It will do in five minutes what the telegraph did in ten。 And it has enabled railroads to hire more suitable men for the smaller offices。
In news…gathering； too； much more than in railroading； the day of the telephone has arrived。 The Boston Globe was the first paper to receive news by telephone。 Later came The Washington Star； which had a wire strung to the Capitol； and thereby gained an hour over its competitors。 To…day the evening papers receive most of their news over the wire a la Bell instead of a la Morse。 This has resulted in a specialization of reporters one man runs for the news and another man writes it。 Some of the runners never come to the office。 They receive their assignments by telephone； and their salaries by mail。 There are even a few who are allowed to telephone their news directly to a swift linotype operator； who clicks it into type on his machine； without the scratch of a pencil。 This； of course； is the ideal method of news…gathering； which is rarely possible。
A paper of the first class； such as The New York World； has now an outfit of twenty trunk lines and eighty telephones。 Its outgoing calls are two hundred thousand a year and its incoming calls three hundred thousand； which means that for every morning； evening； or Sunday edition； there has been an average of seven hundred and fifty messages。 The ordinary newspaper in a small town cannot afford such a service； but recently the United Press has originated a cooperative method。 It telephones the news over one wire to ten or twelve newspapers at one time。 In ten minutes a thousand words can in this way be flung out to a dozen towns； as quickly as by telegraph and much cheaper。
But it is in a dangerous crisis； when safety seems to hang upon a second； that the telephone is at its best。 It is the instrument of emergencies； a sort of ubiquitous watchman。 When the girl operator in the exchange hears a cry for help〃Quick！ The hospital！〃 〃The fire department！〃 〃The police！〃 she seldom waits to hear the number。 She knows it。 She is trained to save half…seconds。 And it is at such moments； if ever； that the users of a telephone can appreciate its insurance value。 No doubt； if a King Richard III were worsted on a modern battlefield； his instinctive cry would be； 〃My Kingdom for a telephone！〃
When instant action is needed in the city of New York； a General Alarm can in five minutes be sent by the police wires over its whole vast area of three hundred square miles。 When； recently； a gas main broke in Brooklyn； sixty girls were at once called to the centrals in that part of the city to warn the ten thousand families who had been placed in danger。 When the ill…fated General Slocum caught fire； a mechanic in a factory on the water…front saw the blaze； and had the presence of mind to telephone the newspapers； the hospitals； and the police。 When a small child is lost； or a convict has escaped from prison； or the forest is on fire； or some menace from the weather is at hand； the telephone bells clang out the news； just as the nerves jangle the bells of pain when the body is in danger。 In one tragic case； the operator in Folsom； New Mexico； refused to quit her post until she had warned her people of a flood that had broken loose in the hills above the village。 Because of her courage； nearly all were saved； though she herself was drowned at the switchboard。 Her nameMrs。 S。 J。 Rookedeserves to be remembered。
If a disaster cannot be prevented； it is the telephone； usually； that brings first aid to the injured。 After the destruction of San Francisco； Governor Guild； of Massachusetts； sent an appeal for the stricken city to the three hundred and fifty…four mayors of his State； and by the courtesy of the Bell Company； which carried the messages free； they were delivered to the last and furthermost mayors in less than five hours。 After the destruction of Messina； an order for enough lumber to build ten thousand new houses was cabled to New York and telephoned to Western lumbermen。 So quickly was this order filled that on the twelfth day after the arrival of the cablegram； the ships were on their way to Messina with the lumber。 After the Kansas City flood of 1903； when the drenched city was without railways or street…cars or electric lights； it was the telephone that held the city together and brought help to the danger…spots。 And after the Baltimore fire； the telephone exchange was the last force to quit and the first to recover。 Its girls sat on their stools at the switchboard until the window…panes were broken by the heat。 Then they pulled the covers over the board and walked out。 Two hours later the building was in ashes。 Three hours later another building was rented on the unburned rim of the city； and the wire chiefs were at work。 In one day there was a system of wires for the use of the city officials。 In two days these were linked to long… distance wires； and in eleven days a two…thousand… line switchboard was in full working trim。 This feat still stands as the record in rebuilding。
In the supreme emergency of war； the telephone is as indispensable； very nearly； as the cannon。 This； at least； is the belief of the Japanese； who handled their armies by telephone when they drove back the Russians。 Each body of Japanese troops moved forward like a silkworm； leaving behind it a glistening strand of red copper wire。 At the decisive battle of Mukden； the silk…worm army； with a million legs； crept against the Russian hosts in a vast crescent； a hundred miles from end to end。 By means of this glistening red wire； the various batteries and regiments were organized into fifteen divisions。 Each group of three divisions was wired to a general； and the five generals were wired to the great Oyama himself； who sat ten miles back of the firing…line and sent his orders。 Whenever a regiment lunged forward； one of the soldiers carried a telephone set。 If they held their position； two other soldiers ran forward with a spool of wire。 In this way and under fire of the Russian cannon； one hundred and fifty miles of wire were strung across the battlefield。 As the Japanese said； it was this 〃flying telephone〃 that enabled Oyama to manipulate his forces as handily as though he were playing a game of chess。 It was in this war； too； that the Mikado's soldiers strung the costliest of all telephone lines； at 203 Metre Hill。 When the wire had been basted up this hill to the summit； the fortress of Port Arthur lay at their mercy。 But the climb had cost them twenty… four thousand lives。
Of the seven million telephones in the United States； about two million are now in farmhouses。 Every fourth American farmer is in telephone touc