Sacramento Bee, April 3, 1912, page 16:
CONCERT SINGERS HEARD BY PHONE
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Women Hear Songs and Get News of Day While on Shopping Tour
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Women shoppers at the Weinstock, Lubin & Company store and a party of men on the top floor of Elk's Hall heard their favorite local musicians and the headline news of The Bee by wire Monday afternoon when the Central California Telephone Herald, introducing a unique news-amusement service, began a three months' public demonstration campaign.
The musicians and "stentor" gathered in a bare room at 823½ J Street and entertained an appreciative but, as far as they could tell, unresponsive audience. "Trying it on the dog" appeared to prove the feasibility of the enterprise for those familiar with voices had no difficulty in distinguishing who was singing even though sound did travel over a mile or two of wire. Robert Lloyd's deep voice sounded by wire just as it does when transmitted more directly.
The Entertainers.
Those who furnished the entertainment were Mrs. Frank Zimmerman, to whom the honor of being the first to sing by wire belongs. Mrs. John Madden, Miss McBride, Miss Nada Warrington, Miss Myrtle Heney, George Merrill and Robert Lloyd, vocalists; Miss Luella Martin, with the cello; Miss Imogen Peay, at the piano, and Harry Boswell, with the clarinet. Between musical selections F. M. Breese, a member of the company behind the enterprise, acted as "stentor" and read the heads on the first page of The Bee.
The Telephone Herald originated in Budapest where it is known as the Telefon Hirmondo and has been in use about ten years.
The local company was organized by S. H. Whisner, who had a part in the organization of the California State Life Insurance Company, and came from Kansas City, is President; C. J. Ward, formerly of San Francisco but who has been in Sacramento a year, is Vice President and General Manager and F. M. Bresee, formerly of Kansas City, Secretary. The local company plans to demonstrate for about three months before installing any receivers with patrons. The program will commence every morning after 10 o'clock and close at 4 o'clock.