New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-16
CITY ITEMS.

A WALKING AND SPEAKING AUroMAToS.-We wit
messed yesterday at No. 3js Broadway, up stairs,
exhibition of an automaton which is said to walk and
speak by means of internal mechanism Ii is about
seven feet high, looks like halfhogshead on legs,
with gutta- pecha head, enormous tin-whistle in
stead of mouth, and pair OF very big and awk-
ward arms that motonless. After reading vague
and general account of the machinery locomotive dad
vocal the exhibitor proceeded to wind it up. Then
he pulled spring and sure enough the great, awk-
ward thing did forward, lifting foot after the
other and shutting along six inches At time for three
quarters of the distance the room. Then the
spring was pulled and it stopped Another wind at
the clock-work and another pull of spring and It
went back by a retrograde movement OF an equally
graceess character. There seemed to be some danger
of its tumbling over and the exhibitor kept hold to
steady it. Next came the speaking. An air-pumP
fixed on the breast charged the apparatus, and then
by touching certain springs a succession OF sounds
were calculated, and occasionally could distinguish
syllable in the discourse, such as "shali, at,
I" but" and the like. The voice exceedingly bu-
man and by no means dissgreeabe but we cannot say
much in praise of the eIocution. 1t is certainly curl
Gus afrair but when we told that the maker he's
been fifteen years in perfecting the vocal apparatus,
the DtuOlCcT ID HlCu VIII az SNSh u'SsN8o -
penditure of talent and labor. Mr. Barnum was pres
ent and scrunized the automaton very closely, evil
IDENTIFY suspecting there person concealed inside.
By way of proving that such is not the the cen
structor has disposed three four windows with open
ings looking clear through the eutomaton, but not
hibang anything Of the peculiar mechanism by which
it acts 1t would very difficult if not impossible
for any one to be within and not be seen through these
a Oh cfrc n.rfh
to the suspicion is the voice; the walking too awk
ward for any man to have part in IL.
Wallack's Theater will be reopened on Tuesday nen
with the German Opera which will continue during
II e season. The company intend bringing out Bee
thoven's master-work Of Fideo, and after that the
Prophet The first Performance viii be La File du
Regiment.
The CoNPLAIsT BooK.-During the past forty day.
$50 complaints have been taken at the Mayors office
being an average nearly per day. Yesterday, how
ever the City not much inclined to PLAIN s.
usual only II complaints being taken This generelmi
nicipaI satisfaction perhaps owing to the iactthss
the weather preserved the most admirable equilibrium
between the two extremes of heat and cold. The geh
eral dissemination also to commence any great wonA
on Friday may have contributed to this so desiraDe
result. At all events there were but II complains
Loaierdom takes the lead among the annoyances con.
planned Of; against oaferdom there are four sverA
complaints. Congregations Of loaiers create great az
tmbarce at the corner Of Avenue and Seyentb-'l
in front of No n Center-st, where they psrtake o
the innocent amusement of throwing stones; in NOV
ST. below Houston; and in the vacant lots betWee'
Avenues c and ID and Twelfth and ThiIteento-'D'
"Boys" who seem to be a species Of the genus osH'
are specifically complained of in OF these Place:
but the species by which the aforementioned LOCALITY
infested is particularly defined. II is that royal o''s
who bears the palm for laziness through u
the loungipg realm-the swine There al
two sanitary complants-heaIth is of only ban y,
much Importance good breeding; we do not " %.
to intimate that the aforementioned subjects OF cou'
plant were not perfectly well-brsd-two sanitary CO...
plants, one of a pool at the corner OF horauo
West-sts.. which il NOT recommended as a BethesaS