The Renaissance Man

   I got back behind the microphone last
night. But this time it was as an Emcee
for the Luzerne County Historical
Society as it honored a real radio
pioneer, Father Joseph Murgas!
   Back in 1905 this Priest, artist, and
inventor was the first person to transmit
a wireless radio signal between Wilkes-
Barre and Scranton. (Probably the last
time the two cities really communicated!)
    Until that time it was thought to be
impossible to transmit over land!
    I figured they wanted me as MC
because most people thought I probably
worked with Father Murgas in my early
days in radio. Actually I came along a
little later.
    He truly was a Renaissance man. He
was an accomplished painter, invented
an anti backlash fishing reel that stopped
the line from getting tangled, and held
numerous radio patents.
    President Teddy Roosevelt came to
visit him in Wilkes-Barre to discuss his
success with sending signals using tones
instead of the dots and dashes used in
Morse code. The President had been
attending an anti drinking parade in
Scranton. That probably gave him plenty
of time to meet with Murgas!
    Since those tones represented letters
I suggest Father Murgas was really
the first texter in our area!
     He also collected and categorized
some 10,000 species of butterflies.
     People new to radio can still feel
those in their stomach the first time they
go on the air!
     I think I felt a couple last night when
the man I was suppose to introduce said
he'd rather introduce himself. So, I
introduced him to introduce himself!
     It's too bad so few people these days
realize the importance of the technology
Father Murgas invented right here in
northeastern Pennsylvania.
     Hope you give him a thought next
time you dial your cell phone.....and that
all your NEWS is good!