Antonio and the Electric Scream: The Man who Invented the TelephoneAntonio Meucci represents an unlikely story in American history. Having come of age in Florence, Italy, he immigrated to America by way of Cuba, where he lived for many years and where he worked with the Italian Opera Company. Familiar with telegraphy, wherein intelligence (information) was being transmitted through a wire, he proposed to transmit human voice through the same type of wire. Having come to New York, and having established several kinds of business, he experimented with his telettrofono (electric phone). Satisfied with the results of having transmitted voice intelligence from one end to the other end of copper wire, Meucci applied for a patent and received a caveat instead. A. Graham Bell, however, received a patent for a similar invention. Now, finally, after over 160 years, Meucci is being vindicated: 1) A Silver and Bronze Medal were struck by The Italian American Bicentennial Society. 2) The Meucci-Garibaldi Museum has been established in New York. 3) The US Postal Services has published a commemorative stamp, and 4) The 107th Congress of the United States resolved to recognise Meucci as the inventor of the telephone. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Accademia Alessandro Alessandro Volta Alexander Graham Bell Amatis Anto Antonio and Esterre Antonio Meucci Antonio Meucci USA applied arrived battery began Bell’s Bertu bobbin Brugnatelli building Buon Governo Callepi candles Captain Catania caveat chemical chemistry cited in Schiavo Coccodrillo conductor Cuba Cuban developed Don Francisco elec electric charge electric current electroplating Elisha Gray engine England Esterre’s experiments famous fireworks Florence France Galileo Galvani Giuseppe Garibaldi Globe Telephone Company Gran Teatro granted Havana humidity ibid Illustration by Shirley instrument invention inventor Italian Opera Italy laboratory Lanari later Leonardo Lorenzo Salvi Luigi Luigi Galvani magnetic Maria ments metallic tongue models O’Donnell opera company Opera Theater paper passengers police produced rockets sailing Samuel Morse ship ship’s Shirley Trievel Chapter slaves sound telegraph Stetson studies Tacon Theater Teatro de Tacon Teatro della Pergola tele telettrofono tion tonio took tricity Vinci Whereas Meucci wire wood pulp