New-York tribune. [volume], November 28, 1909, Page 8, Image 52

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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The \e\polcon of the Future May Look Like
a Man Playinp, Upon an Organ.
R<r Hmthll Chapman.
A. transatlantic service I* to be the next
•tea) in wlr«iess telegraphy, according to
I»r. l>ee De Forest.
The Metropolitan Life tower rtatlon of
the Radio Telephone <"ompany in this city
lii now in operation. I' contains the most
modern hich power wireless equipment,
et socially constructed to span the thirty
eight hundred miles of land mml water
kjtMJ between New York and Paris.
Th© antennae in Paris which will grasp
out of th« ether the click of the instrument
In the 700-foot Metropolitan tower extend
high In th« air above the 900-foot Kiffel
Tower. The Klffel Tower station Is the
highest in the world and the Metropolitan
.if- th« second. De Forest Is soon to go to
Paris to Install the ran.c powerful erjulp
n.ent in that station which is now doing
duty in the Metropolitan station.
Previous attempts ban been made ay
other well known wireless experts to ac
complish this feat, but never, it is assert
«-d. under »=uch auspicious circumstances'.
Never have mm high towers or fuch pow
erful equipment been u«ed. 1". : .i.-:>
conducted experiments at Hrant K-i.k.
■MMB. from l>eceraber. U>or>. to Octo»«er.
■JSOT. In an effort to reach Machrihanish,
Scotland, but he. was unable to maintain a
uniform frequency of oscillations, which is
essential in long distance wireless.
The preatest success yet attained in this
direction > the *ervic« of the Marconi
company between t'lifdcn, Ireland, and
Glace Bay, Nova Bcotia. This distance,
however, is much less UMI that between
New York and Paris.
Dr. De Forest M April, ] 906. pent a mes
sage of eight hundred words to Ireland
from Manhattan Ileaoh. In this instance
tctrahedal kites were used to support the
antennae.
One reason for Dr. De Forest's MMMBMMt
lhat he can accomplish the feat of span
ning a space of nearly four thousand niles
Is the fact that while experimenting «t tlie
Kiffel Tower last summer he ••picked up"
wireless messages Cram t»:«- station at
«;iac»» Kay, Nova Scotia.
MAY CALL PARIS BY PHONE.
At tliut time the inventor also ♦■s-tab
lished oonaactJoa by means of l .is wire-
Jess, telephone with a vessel of the French
navy la t!;e Mediterranean, a distance of
six hundred mil.-s. All of the stations «>f
Ihe Kiidio T<lej>;ione <*mnpjiny art) i.|..\:.1
••U with this lat">t aerial marvel. r» well j>s
»he wireless telegraph. Dr. De Forent l>e.
'.icves that the day is not fur distant when
father in New York 'nay • all up mother
in Paris by ilie wireless telephone, decline
'■• give up fifty millions ■■!■ the honor of
ratline Ootmt Etazxa Maza^za n-law
«nd demand that t-he return with Muriel
by the ne\t transatlantic aeroplane.
Few jK-rsons ure aware that the Rndlo
i-Y.*tcm is already oi<erutiiig wireless tele
;<!)o:i«-s in l^nd i>t:iiions and on vessels of
tlie Great 1-ak. .v Tlse radiophone is simply
;iu outgrowth of the development of the
vireless. telegraph, und the prediction that
it will within a few years cover as great
•il^tances :.s the wireless telegraph now
tioes l- not at all far fetched. Indeed,
Mmml believe MM development of this
discovery has only fairly begun.
It Is averted that within the near future
wireless communication may be established
vith the most isolated corners of the earth.
that the. dt«tm«uikUeil hunter may take
with Mm into the African junele an ap
1-ura.tus which will permit him to cive to
the newepiipers prompt accounts of his
MMMI conquetit. MMI MMI is not J l l. though
l»r. De Forest has given much evidence of
Its probability.
Th* MMMi promises to ho extraordi
narily useful In the Held of humanitariim-
Jsm. Already dM wireless Las been the
ni«m of having hundro«J>* of precious
human lives at times of notable disasters
Ml Mm> The cane of th« Florida and t!i«
IlexmblJc ■ a rtriking example, tnd the un
told good It Ml done in warning vessels
at »«.a and en the. Grc&t I^ikcs of ai'H • ach-
Jnp Etorms n:ay r.ot bo measured.
[ TO BE USED IN AERONAUTICS.
1 Its Greatest work along this line in th«
yearn to come will be .'.. the field of aero
nautics. The future Mauritania of the air
i will carry in its equipment the radiophone.
;In Us forly-clght-hour flight across the
ooaan th« slant air MMMI may m any time
•ilrii-'i! the Metropolitan or Kiffel Tower, or
|a the event of accident to machinery, flash
, v C. Q. D. to the nearest vessel of the sea,
which would bring assistance and a possi
, lile "landing place" Bar passengers aud
crew.
A forecast of some fciich MM of tlse device
to had In ttM published pa,|MTs of A. 1..-.
KM . :>. th« well known aeronaut, »ho
■srerts that a wireless means of communi
cation Is MMMi to the development of
tl.e airship. Mr. Steveiis In I rt-e«-nt plea
i«r governmental regulation of ••■i.ii.« v
r<a:d:
• it should mi cumpulsory thut radiophone,
equlfttneot Jor uwnrniinlcatteg .»ith the
«:trth or nil thlps be installed. A lialtooa in
trouble wou'd simply tel«-phone its location
«ir general direction, and re«cu«; balloons
or automoMles would be tent to tiic scene.
Tl.e I'j.ited Si;. ■ army balloon cori«s has
.successfully «xi*-nm«tit«-d with *in instru
ment wvtehhig l»*s>* than uif > i Hired
jH)»::i'is. Huwevt-r. ili«re is> a new Itadio
.-liaikltfcs telegraph and wireless telephu:ie
*»t very Hull weight, whl« h any balionlM
can safely carry. The lladlo sparkless at
tachment d'wi» away with the daiiger of
t<<*ttini; the gnu bag on fire."
?»r. De IV.rol ;i:is also provide.! a <le\ ire
J.mdred to the r««li<:phone, to pr«-veM col
liKioti* of v«-*sti« Lt wa. and whi' h tuay
*t!»'i mi'n tho liTShrp. This is 1.r...m. uti
tiie aerojiJ.ore, and auto:nuti<^i!l> uariis ojie
\<sscl of th<: itp]>roa'ii of unoliicr, and iti
lonns the •'uatih" whether the n.j'proaOj
.i.i, vt-e^ti if etraiKiit <tl.«ud or to leewurd
«<r utai'board. With Kucli an equipment
abroad, the accident t<» 1-a Havoie or th«
norSda-BcpafcUc disaster wovM have beta
prt-n-ntod.
Prn'-ii< ally tl.e satite device nutj \*- ui<ed
to avert accidents tv tailroad trail. » The
npparatiih itlM* ■ lv the «i.£ii;<: cab will
nuti-inaii'-ally viujti the engineer of the ap
j roach of another locomotive «>r «>( any wj
ftructluu on the track, two miles dlstai.t
from tlie JsiiiFer |H»int. The l^etjefltj, w'hlcl*
»rl aeiTUfS to tr.iu. \ l!.:nii(rti tie BM
o: tb«*M- inv«utlou« r:iav not !•• iti^jtu:i-il
by dullare mi<i cri.ts. The UI. • f
hunmn llv«x lort nt t»n and in railroad dla
.sin? Wi'l be r> <!::< ••.! J.v nianj thousands.
taut I* *'*o in Uii* <JeJ%-lnj: Into the toys
ti//?£l£sS TO SPAN TOB OCgAAf
1 erica of MM wireless a tragic i«ide. It i.« im- |
aginable that a fleet of battleships In '■• ' '
Pacific may in some future day he niajMM- j
vred by a vtratepiFt fitting in hi* office, at |
Washington. This strategist might even j
aim and fire, the cuns on the other hide of '
! the. equator. If h« obtained th« secret ■>(" j
the enemy's wireless equipment, l:o could '
i perhaps reverse their propellers, explode
their magazines, or drive them altogether i
1 to be necked. This is simplified by the j
scientific fact that wiieless energy travels j
upon ether waves, which penetrate the I
most powerful armor plate as easily as they I
outer an aaaa window.
The Napoleon of th.' future, it is prophe- j
sied. will seem to be playing an or pan j
while lie In directiiiK the carnage of M •
army on a huge battlefield, with every bat- i
tery ail skirmish lliii in action plainly de- j
ricted on screens of white «)"th. He will j
probably Dot care, to hear the r« >erl>.'ru- j
tions of the cantun. the yells .it th* living ;
«n«l th«i groan? of th* dying, for thesa :
would distract his attention.
OPENING OF EUROPEAN SERVICE
The <>!»»'tiiiif: of thit> new transatlantic
vire].\-> service wi'l l.« attended by gr-at
ofllcial cer< mony— t'ven more elaborate than
that wuich attended the opening of the •
lirsr. Atlantic cable. According to proposed I
; ! i: -. l*resld»nt Taft win touch a gold key !
in the Washington station; th»» click will
bo heard in the Metropolitan Life station,
where l»r. ]•< Forest will be stationed at j
the key. The apparatus will already be. at- j
tuned with the BMM Tower apparatus. The
Inventor will then stait UM electric waves i
across the ocean at the rate of IS6.<>») miles
a second, bearing th«> greeting* of"Th" Ires
Mead of the I'nlted Mat»*s to the President
Of Kn»iice, and declaring these tv« great
repul lies joined together more securely
than mi by this marvellous means. Then
will come the reply of President Failures, '.
.trans-nilttei l»y Dr. Gf-orge S< i»>t. the tier- ;
man wireless expert, now assisting I»• For- !
eel.
Wireless MMM »••»■ travel daily from ■
the Metropolitan radio station a thousand
miles overland to the Chicago radio KB- .
lion, on the Majestic Theatre building. All !
imerm'-diate stations dotting the great j
lakes are now furnishing a wireless service j
hi it rate, of from I. to '<■ per cent below >
tiM of the wire lines. It is said that the j
, transatlantic toils of this system will Ml j
i approximately M per cent below the cable
rates now prevailing This should result in
the wireless coming Into more general use. j
Wires for the transmission of telegraphic '
and telephonic messages will within the
present decade become obsolete. The city
! of the future will know no such thing as :
; the unsightly overhead cable or the ex- j
| pensive string of wires M underground con- |
I «iults. It is not more than ten years since '
| Marconi and De Forest announced the
| wireless telegraph, and to-day .■■..■ . .-,;.
i vessel of any >•">*■ I- able at all times to !
k«fp in touch with land. Three yean ago I
■ the latter Inventor eMM forward with j
j tiie statement that he was prepared to j
I provide the world with a devioo for the !
j' wireless transmission of the human voice, j
In this sJiort space of time the radiophone !
I MM come into use in the navies of the ]
! United States, <;reat Britain, Italy, and
| France. J
It mm been demonstrated beyond doul.t '
that uirt-li-Kj« telephony is as available over
land us over tea. Trains and boats on in-
I land waterways have been equipped and
communication has been established for |
I treat distance*. <>mv»THatioTis have t»«-n
j exchanged between widely separated cities.
I Automobiles have been equipped as well as
; Kinships, and th«: radiophone h:is been
j found practical in either case.
Some day. it is predicted, we shall see in
| the pilot house of every ship that floats
j wireless MMMMJ tor talking by word of i
mouth with fii.tiri,, across oceans. A bu«l- j
; ness* man will 1« üb!e to Ml In I railway i
I train rushing MWMJ «t sixty miles an hour |
j and talk to a clerk in his office hundred* •
j '•; miles away. Kvery day. from house to
| house., from land to land, Mmml may call
to MmmL not m ■• noisy, confusing babble, '
hut M h< ientitically adjusted accents, «M» !
i call ■ hlmm to him for whom it id intended, '
, client to him for whom it Is not
If bo much can be accomplished, why is it j
i MM ]K»ss:ble t.. provide a device for trans- .
i milting Hie image 'i the sj«-aker. bringing j
j l:lm into the very Mm of another ihon- !
I Bands of ttOea away? If J can talk to my j
i frlen.l for a limited distance with thr pr.-s- |
I« M vm-.;. -- telephone, why should it not .
| b.. possible for in— to «c« him as well? \
' Perhaps the inventor of the future will de- >
: vise a way of bringing M) fri'ij.l Into my J
I very presence I >y« showing me his Iniagf; at I
i tLe momrai. '
SENT WIRELESS PORTRAITS
A forecast of Home such device is cm- j
l«<i;<-i la the apparatus with which Hans
Kii'i.lmiii, a iMM inventor rflji in
JJnglan.l. i>t:trtl«-d luloi, a f « « months
ago. He Kucce«-d»-d in transmitting por- :
traits tflJ a distance with astonishing rapid
ity and without .*.-■• iiy utilizing the
I l«fuliar iuo|>^rti»-s «..f the metal • mum. j
i a • tul which varies in electrical conduc
j tlvity with the amount of light by which
I*. is illuminated at the moment, it ought to
I* possible to exhibit one to another not in
i the form ol a photograph but Ml a living |
though impalpable present-*. In other
i words, the inventor of the future will
! magicuiiy transport MM - body M another
: — aa latasstbto body, perhaps, but Mill
! M4BCtJi.lt*' tliUt can be sou to move, gest
ure, BQUs suid no<>, «>v«*n thougli one may
l^o In New YorK .ii, . l the other in San Fran
. clsco.
Without going inti. i he U-chni<*al intrlca
! cicti of tl.« radiophulie, v<>t:>e Ix>ilits or m*>
j ular intt-ifst may l«- rin^lcd out. ljovvn
; from the loof »h»-rr the r«-crlvlr<i; wlr«—
Lcechnleelljr tfrnjt«i the .u.i. i.nu ,~ stnutc
I coizn:» a relay wire, ronnacttng eventually
I with the box, from which nang v n-oiier
and ■ transmitter, the formrr flUlns; to
| both '-at.- r.ii'i th-> latti r himllar I, tti«
! ordinary «it:.-> m everyday use. Th«
1 iratittiiimr is Urge. However, MM] it is
| warm, t-ven hot, nit if it J<ud N-en long li,
midsummer sunshine. That is the effect if
' Urn rich power induction used.
Defora ii . wire reaches ill- transmitter
: MM its <'.M-'i> •- »•' iiiroush a MMHI
glar* ij'jlii. IN api-ciraii'.*e llko an ordinary j
lr< an-lcsi . lit light, wlileh J» " filled with ;
vapor from th«- flame if.' mttured .. ! olml, j
liie oflice « t whit i. la to li« ir'ht.n the fre
quency of the rtectrla current employed.
Nothing Hue Is .'I - n to the view. ' ,. d
A man mt* before me upparmtuii. adjust*
the receiver to his cars *ud walls, Nu •
0
NEW-YORK DAILY TRIBUNE, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28. 1000.
sound come« to him . from the thin wire
groping aki«iii>t th. eky. He hears only
th« throbbing of the blood In his head.
Nevertheless, the ether Is turbulent with
pound waves.
There is a little pointer that a thumb
screw tea move aver ■ dial. The. man
turns Tin- pointer past the I.MI mark, past
the UN mark, past the LJOO mark, and
then stops.
A oil ■>■ bursts upon his WW, calling out
of the emptiness:
•Hello: He 11.." ■'
The instrument is "in LMM with MM
other instrument, perhaps far below tiM
horizon, ami the waxes of ether, surging
across the charged wire l!iat reaches tow
ard the sky. :r» of the. frequency to which
the listener's instrument has been "tuned"
by turning the pointer across th. .li .1. The
two Instruments, many miles distant from
PORTABLE WIRELESS FIELD SER
VICE FOR ARMY USE.
ea-'b other, are vibrating m unison, and
now the ebnversitlon can k'> on.
The days of the "wigwag" in the navy
are numbered, as the admiral of to-day
issues orders to his captains by word of
mouth from the bridge of his battleship
and confers as to the di'jf-osition of the
ci.etny, real or imaginary, In the sumo
ZShe Invasion of Germany.
< ..ntinueU from »«<oiui pace.
realizing by that time that proper prepa
ration would probably mean an operatic
career. Under Mine. i'orelli bh.- de
veloped her voice into a tine coloratura,
and learned in German all th. big roles.
■arty last spring Miss Gates sang for
the head stage director, Herr Druscher,
«nd he said at MM • "We haw no need
for a coloratura soprano just now, but
1 like your voice and the way you as*
it. We have so many foreign singers
now, however, that there was but 03*
Oilman singer in th. cast of a recent
performance of 'Tannliauscr,' and there
is beginning to he . a cry against it."
Mmm OaretU here <i..,k.- of Miss
Gatcs's thorough musicianship, and Jl< i r
Druscher aaid he would bare her sing
for Conductor Blech, and no this was ar
ranged. II ir 1-ibM h was very pleased
and paid i.. would arrange at one* for
her to sing for Inlendant Graf yon Hiil
sen.
On the date set for this* hearing Miss
Gates was ill, however, and couldn't
sing. Fortunately she received another
chance* when she sang (MM tile BBUJJ
for Graf yon Hiilsen and the rest of
tl!.« powers th. • I H.ts ■" aria from -The
Marriage of Figaro." the waltz song from
"Romeo .i Juliette." th. mad scene from
"Lucia," the "Huguenotten" aria, the
• 1..-« kin.- "■ "Heir mmc and then was
aaked to repeat the "Rose • aria.
Here Herr Blech called to her and
asked her what she wanted. "An en
gagement." was tlie o.uick and pointed
response. Th. Pach is til' d. Have
you erw been oa the atac«T' "Tea, in
America In li^ht opera.* "Then you
kn'.w if you can net?" She gave «*on
lM.-nt answer In the affirmative.
Wh. I. i asked her :it this iH.int if nho
«■!■■ nervous, >),.■ answered la her naive
way. "I nearly died of fright."
She was then dismissed, but v• nt
METROPOLITAN TOWER OPERAT
ING ROOM.
manner. He does not Mad a Jackie out
to cut strips out of the atmosphere or run
un signal flags to the masthead. Instead,
he. for example, puts Ml mouth t.i the
transmitter beside him on his desk and
calls, • Hello. Smith, where are you now?"
and i.;.; of the receiver at his gar come
Smith's voice and the words, "Five mites
astern, sir " And the admiral-pays, "Would
like you to come Bad fßive a bite with me
at neon," or "Report on board the flagship
with the least possible delay." A 1 1 . 1 over
the surging waters, on th* wings of Urn
wind, '11111. the taawer, in cither cuse,
"All ri«ht. sir."
"Flphting Hob" bad the honor of being
the first naval commander in the world to
speak In this way with his captains,
whether they were two cable lengths away
or live or twenty miles, and to the Ameri
can navy belongs the honor of having been
! the. tlr*t in the world to be equipped with a
system .if wireless telephony.
To An ■ r l. win belong also the honor of
I opening the first transatlantic wv*l«aa ser
j vice, anil to an American will go the honor
j of having originated the system which
makes aaeh a marvellous achleVemnt pos
sible.
t
BWaj with rais.-d hopes. \Vhil~ waiting
for the final MCMM af Oral" yon Hul
■ ii Miss QatMffl agent offered her a
Very K.«>d engagement at Kranktort-on-
UM Main, which MM accept. ••!. one is al
ways ir-e to break such an eti«agement
within twmty-four hours after sign
it, -ri. ami twenty-two of those precious
lioiirs had alaaaad, wh.n OT*r the "phono
came the message that little Miss Oat<»* '
was saMnuwi lar Urn luqral Oaara, ami
the Frankfort aajaBVMMNM was (ailed
off. This in. ant th* possibility of liv
ir.^' with and harMMj daily IMMMM from
Mm-. Coi-.Hi. which is what Miss
\;«lu. s particularly in baMMJ aMMMjai M
iseriin. an iwiWa. t«> th.- terms of her
contract, which far .xce.-d her esnecta
lions, BBC is BBMJMWJ POT live years, b •-
gliinir.^ ieptember 1 UUs year, with a
salary on i. sliding scale, and though
Jio strit-.l i.umb.-r of p<-rformaiues is*
guaiant. -.-d the first year she will have
a hun.lr. .1 a |.i..-ar.mc. ; , aach follow mi;
aeaaon.
A TYPICAL WESTERN GIRL.
1 ask.-.! Miss Oat** how ah* MJMMIt her '
tun.- :niii what she liked best to do. "< »b.
1 love to rook and MJM B»4 swim and
■ ns.lii.-k and r..w. i..v 1 havi-n't
MMM now for anything but studvinj; and
atteadhMjf reheajnaaJs aai m> daily walk
of an lour. At BMBM t. v call MM a
typical MTestern ctrl htu bimm at my lav* '
af ommmbt aporta 1 bbjm went or: a
bear hunt out Weal with my father,
which was great sport- though W* didn't
shoot any l>< ars!" th.s last ruefully.
"I" I , is summer in Switzerland, at Vi> r
walilslailter Se--. I dM .1 Rieaf deal of
EIFFEL TOWER OPERATING ROOM.
mountain climbing with a lot of the
otlier girl students. Shaking of attend
ing rehearsals. I've b**M at them twelve
SMI of UM first fourteen of this
season, and I try besides to attend all
thfl p« rform.i ;i Mi BBM
1 aakad her If sir- ummjM Influence
helped to advan c .j singer, and she re
piit ii "i if MMMMh Urn mbmmmm of my
ttacher helj>ed HM*ta get a hearing, but
I see now that if one mn 'deliver the
eaadaf mm aadl thafa all there
!- M it."
I learned that Miss <;ate«i made her
first appearance (it takes two successes
out of three appearances to ratif
contract, as a ruU i on April 17 as Aenn
chen in 'T>er t~l*Mi hajl l." receiving seven
PORTABLE RADIOPHONE IN AUTO
MOBILE.
favorable criticisms out of eight. I asked
her it fh" was nervous that night.
"Well, I cuess! Being an American
and a beginner, there was the real
thing before me for the first time, and I
had to get used to the footlights and the
great audience! I knew I could do it,
though: When I first heard that Aenn
chen had a lot of dialogue, I expressed
frar that I couldn't do it. but Herr Rlech
said: 'You speak ■ beautiful German;
you need not fear that!' So I said that
if - he. thought so it would surely be all
right. So I learned it. but I had dla
lorue for breakfast, dinner and supper
and even in my sleep, and every day
when I walked out with the girls they
heard me repeat it."
So far so good. She was then to make
her second "guest" appearance in May
as (i Hint- in "Don Juan," but was asked
suddenly if she knew the role of Phllina
in "Mlgnon." She said, "No, but I could
learn It." There were only eight days
to September 2<>, when it was to be
given.
"Cut they all ft It that I was helping
them out." Miss Qat— said, "as Fran
leln Dietrich, who sings that part, was
ill, M that they need not send for a
•guest' from another city, and I had
all the rehearsals i wanted— a day
sometimes. I just told them I couldn't
do It without lots of help, and that they
must realize that my contract hung
upon my success, and so every one was
perfectly lovely to in.-, and I got through
beautifully and my contract was ratified.
After that I was given the part of the
page in 'Huguenotten,* to learn In eight
days, but I learned it in two and sang it
on May 15 without a scenic rehearsal,
and every one was gracious anil lovely,
even the chorus prompting and helping
me.
"In this part I l.aye to ride ■ horse
on to the stage, and they said I was the
first one who had ever galloped on, I
went to the royal stables twice before
the performance to practise, and th- ft I
found a groom with my horse ready sad
dled, punctual ti> the minute, and a
dresser to dress MM In tho jockey trou
sers an! boots, and I. practised in the
riding MMI where the princes and prin
cesses are given thf ir lessons. The groom
was so tickled over my Western riding,
and said it was easy to see. that 1 had
ridden on ■ man's saddle before.
"After that I sang Phllina twice more.
Aennehen twice again and the Pago
once, mor • before tho opera closed on
June 11. getting paid Tor each perform
nnco the name as any other 'guest.*
Since the opera opened again I sang on
August L'.'t as r.irbchen In 'Figaro's
Hochzelt,' and on the -_ M .ftt\ I'hilina again
as •gu:\;t.' and now my regular en
gagement starts."
H.-16 I inttrruiited with a qu
about her impression of the Koyal < ■
DR. LEE DE FOREST IN HIS LAO
ORATORY.
Marvellous Achievements Expected from This
Compa.raLtively New Discovery.
"It seems to me a wonderful music
• rv— il«cipl.ne. like the military.
MmM I MMTMj before appreciated.
hing goes off to the minute—
you're fined if you're late, and there Is
absolutely .no nonsense going on in th^
The stage hands alone ar: mar
vellous. Everything is businesslike, and
people scarcely get to kno-v each other
personally "
Shaking hands in cordial "auf wieder
sehen," I cam > away with the impres
sion of a Quick witted. sparkling, natu
ral American girl, unspoiled, yet pleased
as Punch with starting her career at the
Kaiserllche-Kdnigliche Hot Oper of
the most musical country in the world.
At th« BMMMMHM OBM there are two
Americans engaged. Helen Allyn, a
Chicago girl, i- about to make her debut
as lyric noprano, having a five years'
, contract. She will sing such roles as
two at th* sweethearts in Jacques Offen
bach "Tales of Hoffmann"— the Doll,
which m a coloratura role, and Antonio,
which is a lyric part. Th • Julietta is
dramatic, and this she will not attempt.
"The Tales of Hoffmann" la one of the
great standbys of this house, and has
already passed its .VXrth performance.
Miss Allyn says that she felt that good
acting would, count for even more than
good singing in obtaining her a con
tract here, and so she acted and sang
first the Marguerite aria for the direc
ton«, and followed tliis by the "Barbi'T
de Seville" and "Romeo et Juliette"
arias, after which sh-_- came away with
her contract signed. She has high D-»,
E's and F*s in her voice, with a big mid
dle range, and great facility in the use
mi the organ. I asked if she did not
find German more difficult to sing than
the French or Italian. "No, not after
I learned to darken the tone as the Ger
mun requires. After Kinging German
for ■ while I find it difficult to go back
to the other languages.
OF NO MEAN CITIES
Though Miss Allyn was born in Phila
delphia and her parents now live in <
Chicago, which city she therefore calls '
"home," she attended boarding school
and received so much also of her musi
cal education in New York that MM feels
herself a New York girl. She studied
voice placement with the late William
Castle, the Chicago tenor, of whose work
she was a great admirer. Of this teacher
Miss Allyn says:
"His voice was of the most beautiful
quality, and I felt that lie would never
:.y voice harm, for under, no condi
tions wo aid he force. He did me a great
deal of good, and though I'v<- studied a
great deal since I feel that he laid the
foundation for me In such a way that it
has never been necessary to change my
placement.
"In New York I studied for two years
under Frau Professor Jaeger at the
Metropolitan Opera School, where I
learned roles and acting, so that when I
came abroad a year ago I had only to
learn my roles in (Jerman. I sang last
v. inter a few 'guest' appearances in Nu
remberg, thinking to sing there a year
perhaps] If I liked it before taking a
regular contract. But oh: if you ever
want to have a hard time just 'volun
teer* somewhere in a small place. You
have no standing in the company, and
are looked upon as a stranger and in
truder, and being American makes It
hard anyway, though you know th. Ger
mans like us:
"So i gave up my idea of 'volunteer-
Ing' and was glad to mm my regular en
gagement in Berlin, where I have now
Ktandlng in the company, and where
there are more Americans and they are
better understood, and where it is so al
together delightful to live and work. I
work every day with my Kapelmeister,
Lowe, who helped place me. in Chicago
they wonder why 1 want to live away
from my lovely home and family and
friends, but the operatic stage drew me
irresistibly. Mother wants me to go
home every summer, lit the seasick
ness I mm subject to would mmm ail the
good of the holiday, so I am planning to
visit next year the performances at
Oberammergau and I'ayreuth."
I asked how MM had spent the last
summer. and she laughingly answered:
"Oh. I learned to row scientifically in a
boat with a sliding swat on the lake in
the Thlergarten (the beautiful large park
"' which Berlin has reason to be proud).
I took mmm) walks m the country, too.
Yon know. I believe beefsteak, milk and
eggs and fresh air are the best things a
singer can Indulge in. Just now I am
having a lesson every day, learning role*
as quickly as I can. and spending a great
deal of time at the opera house, attend
ing rehearsals daytimes and p, rform
•" •- In mm evenings. You know, one
has to grow Into MM work and live tn It
as much as possible."
Helen Wetmore. a Boston woman, who
in private life is Mrs. Neumann. I* also
engaged at this op,ra house. In her
native city .she studied with Mrs. Etta
Kdwartis. always looking toward un
•»•»«' career, I* She had a coloratura
woprnno volco of great promise. Mrs.
Edwards "placed" her xolc», and M!s 4
« MBtaT »ansr much In her operatic
class. Sh« oi so w nt through tho
dramatic version of every operatic role
ehe learned with Rachel Nouh. tho well
known actress, who played much with
Edwin Booth, in order to develop her
histrionic ability, She song much In
concert in and around Boston. \% U s Bo Uw
Ist In. the k>k Street Congregational
Church, at Law*||. Mas*., und went on
tour several times through the West und
South und Canada. The lust t ,f her Ca
nadian toura was with Klllaun Van
Hoose, who is now singing principal
ttnor roles at Maycnce.
Miss Wetmore wan bookM for another
Canadian tour with Mme. Schumann-
Helnk two years ago. when 3h«s decided
to come abroad and be coached by ilme.
Nikisch fcr opera. Last summer ah«
went home far a visit, was married, es
tablished her home In New York, and re
turned to continue her work with Mm*.
Nikisch.
Last spring Miss "Wetmore. desiring
an unbiassed opinion of her nines* for
the career she was undertaking beyond
her teacher's — for Mme. Nlldsc'n had pre
dicted big things for her— obtained tha
tatter's permission to sing before an
agent, not expecting to get an engage
ment until another year had b^n spent
in preparation. The agent, however.
thought differently, and at once ar
ranged for her to sing for the directors
of the MMMMJ Oper. For ttiem ai)«
sang the "Travlata" aria and Strauss'a
"Prlma Vera" waltz. She was at onca
engaged. Within one week she had sung
for her first agent, had been heard at a
great opera house, had her contract
signed and was on her way to America.
Miss Wetmore said: "Mr. Gregor is a
great friend of Mme. Nkiaeh, and took
a kind interest in me. saying; *I hope you
will have great success.* I answered: 'I
realize that three things are necessary
for success— first, the voice: second, tha
temperament for acting, ant!, third, tho
musical intelligence.' To which he re
plied: 'You have shown that you have
the first requirement; it remains to b«
seen If you have the second: being an
American, I give you credit for havin?
the intelligence"
I asked Miss Wetmor* how she felt
i bout the acting, to which sht replied:
"Singers coming from America are likely
to be unconsciously bound by the Puri
tanism which still prevails there ■ little.
The world has had a reaction from th*
time when the opera singer need hava
only a few stock gestures, so that b*
sang v.-ii. People now care almost more
for the acting than for the singing, and
there are people on the operatic stage to
day who, might better be on the legiti
mate stage, so much histrionic ability
have they and so little voice. If it got*
much further there will have to conn
another readjustment, v. hen the balance
between the two sides of the operatic art
will be better maintained."
Mi?* Wet more sing 3 all the coloratura
roles, such as Rosina in "Barbi.-r da
Seville," Vloletta in "Travhtta." toe
Que.Jn of tho Night in "The Magic
Flute." Gilda in "Rigoletto." Marguerite
in "Faust" and many others. She has
not yet made her debut here. Mr.
Gregor advises 1. r la go slowly, and sh*
values greatly the opportunity to re
main under Mine. MHMMMi eye while
gaining her first experience.
. The latest addition to the operatic
field in Berlin is th ■ Yolks Oper. pre
viously known as the Lortzing Theatre,
which is run on the popular priced seat*.
Here, on September •". Mrs. Rachel
Frease-Green. the American soprano
who made such a remarkable success at
Covent Card last January, when she
made her operatic debut mm Sieglinde.
made her Berlin debut as Violetta ia
"Traviata" with even greater success.
Mrs. Frease-Green sings the yueen '•
the "Hugenotten." Lucia. Juliette. D«S
demona, GUda In "Risoletto." Mar
guerite in "Faust " and Mathild* in Will
lam T. i! " She also does all th 9
"JugendU.-h" dramatic rolt-a. such as Et»
i.i "Die Meistersinger. Elsa in "Lohen
grin." Elisabeth in -Tannhauscr. 1 * Sl«t*
hnii-- in "Die Walkiire. " etc, but Jeaa
de Reszke. with whom she studied, ha*
always encouraged her i» make the
coloratura roles her specialty,
Airs. Frease-Green is a Canton. Ohio.
woman, who received early training i*
her home town, and later in New Torß
studied under John Dennis mmbi a*
that time doing much concert work ia
the Midi!!.- West. In June. ■"" *•
came abroad, and after a short MMi «*
study with Mm. M.itluKle MarvnM*
tcok up serious operatic preparation with
Jean de Keszk.- who has shown great in
terest in her work throughout havio;
last winter Journeyed from Paris M
London t'» witness her t'..\ent uaraea
performances,
This singer is the daughter of the &**
Judge Joseph Frease. of Canton, senior
mtmber of the Stark County bar •»■ .
predecessor of William ..Kin ley a*
partner Of her grandfather. Judse **'
W. Keldon. who was I'nited States Du*
trlct Attorney tor the Northern District,
of Ohio. Judge Frease was intensely ■
terested In his daughter's career, <*
sympathy and encouragement ■••• £ e^
work with a determination that M
j no doubl been a great factor "^IHimP
cent success, together with the •***"'
Idealism aMi enthusiasm with whfcM s
regards her art. Even though In a *
vunced ago and delicate 'aealUwJWM^
Frtase would not bear of his I**"A 
irrupting her work to return *^«
and because of this close *- vtnp^,.
MM existed between them Mr*. VT\J
Green was visibly affected on the ,„" »
o* her lUrlln debut, tMMMj "j^,,,
heary strain on account of h<rr &
111 health— only to find by wire t ** m *
»»ay that her cable dispatch aa|sM*JJj^
it ton tif^
her MMmI hero had arrlveu «w „
her father had passed away «*« n *
THEY LOOK IT
Mr*. reokdeiiler-J> hnny J«*< s P |:l "
ink bott!« over my illaiy- B , ot jt up
Mr. Kw>Udwa!er^N*v«r mind. **' , tor »
and 111 take the book ,l luw " ".rou* *>»••
and aell tt a* «>»* «« tht !, h Ji by tt« •**■
day volume* with Illustrations *>