The moving-picture business has taken a tremendous hold on the public all over the world. This is shown by the fact that in 1914 the distributers for three of the largest film makers handled 75 per cent. of the films released and are said to have received $15,000,000 for them. In 1915 the daily average attendance of moving-picture shows in the United States was about 5,000,000 people.
Fig. 125. THE COLLINS WIRELESS TELEPHONE. SHOWN AT THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, ELECTRICAL SHOW, OCTOBER, 1908
The Wireless Telegraph.—The wireless telegraph was invented by William Marconi, who showed a set in operation, in 1896, between the General Postoffice and the Thames embankment in London, the distance being about 300 feet. Since that time he has been almost constantly engaged in patent suits with infringers.
Since then the signaling range has been increased until now a regular telegraph service without wires is carried on across the Atlantic. I do not know how well the inventor fared financially but whatever the amount he got, it was not nearly enough for his great work.
The Wireless Telephone.—The wireless telephone was invented by the author of this book in 1899 when he telephoned without wires between two stations in Narberth, Pa., a distance of about three blocks. During the past year the human voice has been transmitted without wires from Arlington, near Washington, D. C., eastward to Paris, France, and from Arlington as far westward as Honolulu, Hawaii. Patent litigation, patent hold-ups and government persecution have been my lot. I know about the amount I made out of my invention but I won’t tell.
The Aeroplane.—The aeroplane was invented by the Wright Brothers, Wilbur and Orville. They began their experiments in flying on the sand-dunes of Kitty Hawk, N. C., in 1900. Their first efforts were made with a glider fitted with elevation planes and after having developed the balancing instinct they installed a gasoline motor in the glider and this drove two propellers at the rear of the machine.
With this new born aeroplane they made the first motor-driven, man-carrying flight in 1903—a flight that lasted a small fraction of a minute. From this time on records and necks were broken by other fliers who tried to outdo their rivals and undo themselves.