Portland, Oregon, A.D. 1999, and other sketchesHayes, J. W. (Jeff W.)
Science
Portland, Oregon, A.D. 1999, and other sketches
Hayes, J. W. (Jeff W.)
American fiction -- 20th century; Portland (Or.) -- Fiction; Short stories, American
"The radical changes in the methods of railroading have caused a new
era in locomotion and rolling stock. Steam gave way to gasoline and that
energy to electricity which held sway for a long time only to be
replaced by a newer power, which is not as yet given out to the public.
"The O. W. R. & N. Company now occupy a building of their own, 20
stories high, and I notice the names of Cotton, Sutherland, O'Brien,
Campbell, Buckley, Klippel, are still on the official list, all of whom
are descendants of the officials who served the company earlier in the
century.
"The old Wells, Fargo & Company's building still stands and that express
company occupies the entire structure with no rooms to spare.
"The Hasty Messenger & Express Company, founded in 1899, is celebrating
its 100th anniversary, its manager being Napoleon Traverso, whose
progenitor was connected with the company in 1910.
"There has been a wonderful improvement in the present-day typewriters.
As I mentioned earlier in my story, there is now a universal language
with but 8,000 words. Of this number about 1,000 is all sufficient for
an ordinary person and the genius of the inventor has reduced to
a combination these 1,000 words in such a manner, that it is possible
for a good operator to copy a sermon, or lecture, with ease, on the
typewriter, from the most rapid talking orator.
"The sphere of usefulness of the phonograph has widened and it is now
'A thing of joy forever.' It seems that this splendid instrument is now
gifted with almost human intelligence. Take for instance, an item cut
from a daily paper and paste it on the cylinder, or disc, and without
further preparation, a voice will read off the item to you in a plain,
clear tone. Paste on the disc, the 'Index of today's news' from your
morning paper and start it going and the items are read off to you
correctly and in good voice. Do you wonder then that I call this a great
age?" and a pleased smile came to the old lady's countenance.
"Many splendid brains have been working to better the methods and
increase the value and usage of the telephone, and one must 'hit the
ball and hit it all the time' to be able to hold an official position
with a telephone company. The result of these efforts have put the
telephone to varied uses. You can now, not only talk to a person over a
wire, but you can actually see them, life size and just as they are,
exactly as if you were talking to them face to face.
"Telephones are everywhere, but there are no longer any 'Centrals' and
no more 'Number, please,' is heard, that system becoming unpopular about
1925. Public telephones are established on each street corner, where one
may call up, talk to and see the person who answers the phone.
"Much telephoning is now being done by wireless and that branch of the
service has developed greatly and is used to communicate with aerial
vehicles. This service has been perfected, many former objectionable
features being eliminated or overcome.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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