Alexander G. Bell, Graphic Biography

Alexander Graham Bell

Saddleback’s Graphic Biographies Copyright © 2008 by Saddleback Educational Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher. ISBN-10: 1-59905-213-X ISBN-13: 978-1-59905-213-7 eBook: 978-1-60291-576-3

ALexander GRAHAM BELL  In 1876 a great centennial talk was held in Philadelphia. The guest of honor was Dom Pedro, Emperor of Brazil. Dom Pedro tried a new invention by which the human voice could be carried over a wire. Dom Pedro thought it was the most remarkable thing in America. But most people thought it only a toy without any useful purpose.

Or the Corliss engine, the greatest steam engine ever built. The crowds would rather look at the hand of the Statue of Liberty. President Grant The statue was not finished, but the will now open French sent the hand on ahead. the Exposition by starting the Corliss engine. Alexander Young Aleck had piano lessons from Signor Graham Bell Auguste Benoit Bertini. was born in Edinburgh, The boy has Scotland, 29 talent, a fine years before ear! Perhaps on March 3, he will become 1847. All his a musician. family had a great interest in sound and the human voice.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL  From his To be or not to No, no, my boy. Feel father, be, that is the the vowel sounds. who was question! Use your lungs. to become professor of elocution at the University of London, Aleck had lessons in speaking. Baron Von Kempelen had built The Baron’s machine will be shown an artificial figure that could here. Would you like to see it? speak. The voice is not a Very fake! The Baron much. has written a book, The Mechanism of Human Speech, explaining how it works. The day How-do-you-do? It really does came. I-hope-you-are-well. work!

At home, Mr. Bell made his older We don’t know how the Baron’s sons an offer. figure works, but we can figure out from father’s books how a person My boys, if Great! talks. We’ll make it that way! you can make We’ll do it! a figure that talks, I’ll give you a prize! You make the throat with the larynx and vocal cords. I’ll make the head of gutta-percha*, with the mouth and tongue. The boys Maaa- It works! Blow worked maaaa. hard, Melville! for days. At last the time came for a trial. Melville blew air into the throat. * a tough plastic substance from the latex of several Malaysian trees that resembles rubber

ALexander GRAHAM BELL  Mr. Bell Boys, I am proud of Aleck and both his brothers grew was you. You could not up to become teachers of speech. pleased. have done it without Then within a short time, both understanding the brothers died. principle of human speech! Both boys Someday we lost to us so doctors will suddenly from conquer the tuberculosis. disease. But now, we know very little about it. Yes, what He is thin and As a young man, I was sent to of our one pale. I am Newfoundland to recover my health. remaining son? afraid he is It was a fine place, fine air. I was dangerously cured! We must take Aleck there at ill. once.

They reached Quebec on August 1, 1870. So Mr. Bell gave up his London career, and they sailed for Smell that air! I’m sure America. Aleck performed at the You’ll be well in you’re ship’s concert. no time! right. Will ye no come back again? They A perfect spot And with pillows and settled to rest. We’ll a blanket, this will near hang a hammock make a perfect sofa Brantford, here, Aleck. seat! a town in Ontario. Aleck did a lot of resting there. Also a lot of studying and thinking.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL  During the winter, he felt well I hope to work out a That would enough to try to work out some harmonic telegraph be of great of his idea. system so that value to the Listen to the vibration several messages telegraph of the strings. I am could be sent at companies. using them as tuning. once over one wire. Mr. Bell I’ve promised to teach I certainly feel was asked and lecture in Canada well enough! to go to at that time. Perhaps Boston you could go to Boston in April in my place, Aleck. to teach and give lectures to other teachers of the deaf. And you know Thank you, father. I would my theories, my like to go to Boston. methods, and my alphabet of visible speech as well as I do.

Now that I am well again, I can get back to work. I have So it was that so many ideas! in April 1871, 24-year-old Alexander Graham Bell traveled to Boston. Aleck went Come in, Mr. Bell. We to the Boston need your knowledge School for in Boston. the Deaf. He was welcomed by the principal, Miss Sarah Fuller. Soon Aleck began his The great roar lectures. of the lion is produced by the same vocal cords that sound the meow of the house cat. The actions that produce all sounds can be shown by symbols.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL  These symbols make up the He held classes for deaf alphabet of visible speech children. as developed by my father. Feel what my lips do to make that sound. Copy it with your own lips. But he spent his nights working on One day he spoke of his his own experiments in an attic. inventions to Thomas Sanders, I use electromagnets the father of one of his pupils. to vibrate my tuning forks, and adjust the Western Union Yes, sir! Right ones at the other would pay a lot for now I need end of the wire. such a device! If money to have you need money for models made, your experiments, in order to I’ll be glad to back apply for a you. patent. Thomas Sanders became one of Aleck’s chief backers.

10 Gardiner Greene Hubbard, a wealthy Boston lawyer, consulted Aleck about his 16-year-old daughter. Mabel has been deaf Perhaps I could since a childhood illness. advise her present She reads lips well, but teacher. needs help in speaking. Hubbard, too, wanted to invest in Aleck’s inventions. And soon Aleck was visiting the Charles Williams’ Electrical Shop Hubbard’s every week, not to teach was a place where inventors but because he and Mabel were in could have working models love. made. As soon as I am It wouldn’t This is not earning enough, take so quite right. I we can be married. very much, will talk to the would it? workman. Aleck went This part, it I made it that way to the isn’t the way I because, from my workbench wanted it. study of electricity, it of Thomas A. would seem … Watson.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL 11 You’ve studied electricity? Then The two men talked for hours. perhaps you can tell me … Ever ybody’s Come back to leaving. It my board- must be inghouse and supper time. have supper with me. Soon they It should work! It’s just a That’s it, were spending matter of getting each all right! most evenings part to work perfectly together all at the same time. It might be working possible! to perfect Aleck’s multiple telegraph in the attic over Williams’ shop. There’s another idea I want to try. If we could get the right kind of current—one that changes as sound waves change—we could send human speech over a wire instead of dots and dashes.

12 Mr. Hubbard felt the same. But Aleck’s backers were not Your father thinks No one can interested in this new idea. my telephone idea prevent No, my boy, is foolish. If I stick two people forget this with it, he may from telephone idea. forbid us to marry! marrying if Hurry and patent they want your multiple telegraph before to badly someone else enough! beats you to it! So Aleck went to Washington and on March 6, 1875, applied for a patent on his telegraph instrument. Then he visited the Smithsonian Institution. I have a letter of introduction to Joseph Henry, the director. But perhaps such a great scientist won’t bother to see me. But Henry Come in, Mr. Bell! welcomed Sit down. Excuse Aleck. me, I have a very bad cold, but I am always glad to meet young inventors.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL 13 Mr. Henry Should I publish my You have the germ of a heard Aleck’s ideas and let others great invention. Work it ideas for the work it out? Or should telegraph. I try to do it myself? out yourself. He was so interested that Aleck told him his ideas for a telephone. But back in Boston, he went on You stay here. Start the reeds working on the telegraph. vibrating and tune them. I’ll listen Let’s try something new, using steel on the receiving end. reeds instead of tuning forks. All spring What did you do? Why, one of the they worked Don’t change a thing! reeds was stuck. I that way and Let me see!. plucked it to loosen into June. the end. Then one evening …

14 They repeated it over and over with the same results. But that’s it—what we need for the telephone! I heard a current You hear? It’s There’s that varies and undulates like sound like a voice no doubt waves of a human voice! without words! of it! They had brought about something new in electricity, an undulating current. Could you make-up That shouldn’t Much work some simple models be hard to do. lay ahead. tomorrow, like this? Aleck gave We can mount a small up his classes drumhead. for awhile. Watson gave I’ve brought you up his other a gift—your work. They portrait. tested one model after another. Do you like it? A night owl! Well, I won’t always be one.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL 15 As the hot summer wore on, Aleck He rested and thought out his seldom slept and forgot to eat. One problems. night he fainted. Watson rushed for a doctor. My telephone He needs country works, but the air, good food, voices are not and plenty of loud and clear. To rest. succeed it must be better. So once again Aleck went to Canada to get his health back. At least I have the time now to get my papers in order to apply for a patent. The following March 1876, he was granted a patent on the first telephone.

16 Go to the far room and listen while I try to talk to you. The same month he returned to Boston. I have a new idea to try: a battery to give more power to the voice. Watson put the receiver to his He rushed to the other room. ear. Suddenly … Mr. Watson, I spilled the battery Never mind come here! I acid! that! I heard want to see you. It was clear—every you. sound!

ALexander GRAHAM BELL 17 They changed Aleck quickly told Mabel. places. They Oh, Aleck! You tried it again must show it at the and again Centennial Fair in with the Philadelphia. same results. It was the world’s first successful telephone talk. It was Look! Here come The crowds have paid June. In the judges! no attention to the Philadelphia, telephone. Let’s hope the heat the judges will. was terrible. The judges came to the next Well, that’s it! I And I can’t exhibit. must return to show the Boston tonight. telephone This heat is A fine by myself. too much! Let idea! us put off the rest until tomorrow.

18 One of the judges was Dom Pedro, Then we must see it now! Lord the Emperor of Brazil. He saw Kelvin, Mr. Henry, there is one Aleck. more exhibit we must see today, Mr. Bell’s telephone. Why, Mr. Bell! I Why, sir, a met you in Boston. new invention, What are you a telephone. showing here? But tonight I must return to Boston. Aleck went Hold it close to your ear! My God, it talks! to the far end of the hall where wires were strung up. Dom Pedro listened. Everybody I congratulate you! tried it. It You will win the worked! The prize, of course. judges were It is the most pleased and impressed. remarkable thing Aleck was I have seen in pleased and America. happy.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL 19 Aleck did win the I went to Western Union prize. Scientists and offered to sell them the thought his patent. They didn’t even look telephone was at it before turning it down! great. But businessmen and ordinary people were not interested. If the scientists But that Perhaps the If it’s a success, think so much doesn’t give talk you’ve been I might give of it, it must be us an income asked to give in other talks worthwhile. so we can be Salem will stir up and charge married. uinpteinrteesrte. st. admission. On February The telephone is 12, Aleck faced connected by wire a full house in with my laboratory Salem. in Boston. Mr. Watson will speak to you from there.

20 Will you Should auld Hurray! sing for acquaintance be Bravo! He’s Ahoy, Mr. Bell! It us? forgot and auld singing! gives me great lang syne? pleasure to talk to Salem, twenty miles away. Aleck gave I’ve been asked to go to That’s fine! Why do other talks. England to help form an you look unhappy? Then something English telephone company. new came along. It’s too far away. Well, you’ve We’ll have a wedding here, I don’t want to been engaged and I’ll send Mabel to England leave Mabel. a long time with you as a wedding gift! now.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL 21 The wedding was held on July 11, 1877. Aleck gave Mabel a wedding gift. They went to Canada to see Aleck’s parents. Oh, Aleck, you’ve It’s not given me all your worth interest in the much now, telephone! but maybe someday … Then they Two weeks in Scotland, The whole world will be different sailed on then on to London! because of your telephone! the S.S. Anchoria.

22 In London they rented a house and We can hear Mr. Bell’s piano entertained guests. playing! Wonderful! Could we We have a wire strung hear your up below, between telephone? here and my study. If you will go with Mabel … Mabel took care of all the letters. The Society of Arts They want you Oh, Aleck! You are asks you to give to show the invited to show the another talk, the first telephone at the telephone to Queen was so successful. Crystal Palace, fifty Victoria! thousand people might see it!

ALexander GRAHAM BELL 23 In May You have a fine daughter, Mabel Mr. Bell. Mother and baby had to are doing well. take time off from her letter writing. Later there was news from Then the bad news … That’s America. First the good news … A cable from Boston! silly. Many people are putting in Western Union telephones. The linesmen has started selling are stringing miles of wire. telephones. They Business is good. claim they invented it first! The Bells I’m sick of the We’ll sailed back telephone. I’ll go back to see … to America teaching. so that Aleck could defend his rights.

24 I’ve come to No, I’m going take you to back to teaching. In Canada, Boston. If those men are Watson dishonest enough met them to lie about the at the telephone, let ship. them have it! But it wouldn’t be right You’re right. It wouldn’t be The telephone … it wouldn’t be fair to fair to you or to my backers was so valuable let those people steal or Mabel. I’ll go with you! that more than your invention. six hundred lawsuits were filed to try to take it away from Bell. He won every case, and at last made money from his invention. In 1880 The Volta Prize was set I am greatly the French up by Napoleon I and has honored. government been given to only a few awarded him since! the Volta Prize of $10,000.

ALexander GRAHAM BELL 25 In 1915 the last connection was made that joined the telephone lines from coast to coast. To celebrate, President Woodrow Wilson spoke to the governor of California. Hello! I greet the great state of California from Washington, D.C. And on an Mr. Watson, come exact copy of here! I want to see the original you! telephone, Aleck spoke from New York to Thomas Watson in California. Alexander Graham Bell never stopped inventing things. He died on August 2, 1922, after a long and happy life with his family and many accomplishments.