In the Year 2889 | Page 2

been wrought by the accumulator and the
transformer. And can we not to them also trace, indirectly, this latest
wonder of all, the great "Earth Chronicle" building in 253d Avenue,
which was dedicated the other day? If George Washington Smith, the
founder of the Manhattan "Chronicle", should come back to life to-day,
what would he think were he to be told that this palace of marble and
gold belongs to his remote descendant, Fritz Napoleon Smith, who,
after thirty generations have come and gone, is owner of the same
newspaper which his ancestor established!
For George Washington Smith's newspaper has lived generation after
generation, now passing out of the family, anon coming back to it.

When, 200 years ago, the political center of the United States was
transferred from Washington to Centropolis, the newspaper followed
the government and assumed the name of Earth Chronicle.
Unfortunately, it was unable to maintain itself at the high level of its
name. Pressed on all sides by rival journals of a more modern type, it
was continually in danger of collapse. Twenty years ago its
subscription list contained but a few hundred thousand names, and then
Mr. Fritz Napoleon Smith bought it for a mere trifle, and originated
telephonic journalism.
Every one is familiar with Fritz Napoleon Smith's system--a system
made possible by the enormous development of telephony during the
last hundred years. Instead of being printed, the Earth Chronicle is
every morning spoken to subscribers, who, in interesting conversations
with reporters, statesmen, and scientists, learn the news of the day.
Furthermore, each subscriber owns a phonograph, and to this
instrument he leaves the task of gathering the news whenever he
happens not to be in a mood to listen directly himself. As for
purchasers of single copies, they can at a very trifling cost learn all that
is in the paper of the day at any of the innumerable phonographs set up
nearly everywhere.
Fritz Napoleon Smith's innovation galvanized the old newspaper. In the
course of a few years the number of subscribers grew to be 80,000,000,
and Smith's wealth went on growing, till now it reaches the almost
unimaginable figure of $10,000,000,000. This lucky hit has enabled
him to erect his new building, a vast edifice with four façades each
3,250 feet in length, over which proudly floats the hundred-starred flag
of the Union. Thanks to the same lucky hit, he is to-day king of
newspaperdom; indeed, he would be king of all the Americans, too, if
Americans could ever accept a king. You do not believe it? Well, then,
look at the plenipotentiaries of all nations and our own ministers
themselves crowding about his door, entreating his counsels, begging
for his approbation, imploring the aid of his all-powerful organ. Reckon
up the number of scientists and artists that he supports, of inventors that
he has under his pay.

Yes, a king is he. And in truth his is a royalty full of burdens. His
labors are incessant, and there is no doubt at all that in earlier times any
man would have succumbed under the overpowering stress of the toil
which Mr. Smith has to perform. Very fortunately for him, thanks to
the progress of hygiene, which, abating all the old sources of
unhealthfulness, has lifted the mean of human life from 37 up to 52
years, men have stronger constitutions now than heretofore. The
discovery of nutritive air is still in the future, but in the meantime men
today consume food that is compounded and prepared according to
scientific principles, and they breathe an atmosphere freed from the
micro-organisms that formerly used to swarm in it; hence they live
longer than their forefathers and know nothing of the innumerable
diseases of olden times.
Nevertheless, and notwithstanding these considerations, Fritz Napoleon
Smith's mode of life may well astonish one. His iron constitution is
taxed to the utmost by the heavy strain that is put upon it. Vain the
attempt to estimate the amount of labor he undergoes; an example
alone can give an idea of it. Let us then go about with him for one day
as he attends to his multifarious concernments. What day? That matters
little; it is the same every day. Let us then take at random September
25th of this present year 2889.
This morning Mr. Fritz Napoleon Smith awoke in very bad humor. His
wife having left for France eight days ago, he was feeling disconsolate.
Incredible though it seems, in all the ten years since their marriage, this
is the first time that Mrs. Edith Smith, the professional beauty, has been
so long absent from home; two or three days usually suffice for her
frequent trips to Europe. The first thing that Mr. Smith does is to
connect his phonotelephote, the wires of which communicate with his