The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-04-19

l6b luJtTuhlly Ciuuub po VohAhuVVu' A"N
house is kept strictly quiet, the shutters
drawn close, and a notice on the front
door reads thus: "By order of the doc
tor, under no circumstances can any one
be admitted"
THE WORKINGS OF THE TELE
PHONE.
In New York, Saturday last, Mr.. Stra-
kosh, the we'll known opera manager, in
vited a number of ladies and gentlemen
to telephone concert at Steinway hall.
The New York Herald says Prof Gray,
of Chicago, inventor of the telephone,
assembled to the stage and began pulling
upon two pieces oftelegraph wire which
we're dangling down on the right, and
with the aid ofMT. Brown, attached them
to common Morse instrument. Com
munication having been established with
Philadelphia, the receiver was simply
brought forth and placed upon q closed
grand Steinway piano. This "receiver"
is simply an arrangement Of long, mar
row, hollow, closed boxes sixteen in
number, tapering from each end to the
centre, the end box being about two feet
long three inches deep and three inches
wide, the others tapering down to six
inches long in the centre--looking like
two cones of boxes with the apexes
meeting. A common mag1et joins the
two smallest or central boxes. The box
es are fastened together by two strips of
wood, with thumbsCrews to tighten them
at the pleasure of the person regulating
the apparatus, somewhat IS a violinist
will tune his instrument. The "receiV-
er" having been stood upon the narrow
end on the closed piano, the wires were
attached to the magnet and word was
transmitted to the player in Philadelphia
to proceed with the concert
In few seconds the prelude to "Home
Sweet Home" sounded--loW and soft at
first, then louder and sweeter in tone,
the notes gradually swelling into the
quality of those of the hageolet. Every
sound was clearly heard, and when the
prolonged note had ceased there was
Clapping of hands almost as heartily as
though some prima donna had been
there and had sung the grand old song,
After an interval of about minute the
opening notes of the Last Rose of Sum-
mer" were sounded. The air was some
what quicker, and the pauses were not
perfect in the first ten bars, but sudden
ly the higher notes of the score pealed
forth, strong, clear and pathetic, reveal
ing at once the tenderness and delicacy
of the new instrument, and its power in
transmitting melody in the most delight.
full form. Next an air from Balf's "Bo.
hemian Girl" was ordered by the opera
tor, and before the circuit could fairly be
completed, the opening strains of When
other lips and other hearts" were
filling the halls. This was rendered with
faultlesss precision, the highest and low
est notes being executed with special ac-
curacy. To use a simile, the impression
was as though stringed orchestra was
playing at distance, the waves of sound
following each other in regular, agreea-
BILE succession. 1t must not be under
stood that there was all the volume, the
variety, the grandeur of an orchestra,
but rather the echo of band stripped of
all the clashinR and extreme tone. There
is softness. fascinating medium in the
notes of the telephone which are as
pleasant as they are inexplicable. cyan
kee Doodle" and variety Of Scotch and
Irish airs were next played, much to the
qualification of those present, for it must
be said that many had expressed serious
fears that the performance would be a
failure.
A most important series of expert.
ments followed. Taking magnet with
two wires attached, the Professor placed
it upon small circular wooden "bar,"
then put both upon the sounding board
of the piano, to which reference is made
above. In few seconds the strains of
"Old Hundred" were heard all over the
hall like the lower notes of an organ,
re-echoing, as it were, the
sounds from Philadelphia. Another or.
der and the full chorus Of the "Doxolo.
gy" were plainly distinguishable, the
chords being as perfect as though the
performer had been on the stage with |
the apparatus, first two, then three, four
and five demonstrating the wonderful |
scope to which the instrument can be ad- |
apted, and the possibility of playing |
some very intricate music. This delight
ed the audience better than anything
that had been done previously. Hymns
we're then played, God Save the Queen
the "Conquering Hero" "We Won't go
Home till Morning" "Swanee River"
and numerous other pleasing airs,
Finally Mr.. Gray tested the audience
as a circuit. A common transmitter was
with the battery and held by
The Professor, who placed mis- forefnger
against a disk faced with zinc, shaped
like the human ear. The gentlemen
then assembled the stage and formed a
circle, one holding the wire, the others
all joining hands, and the last one of the
circle on the opposite side clasping the
wrist of the Professor. The disk was
started, and the air of Nicodemus was
produced through this human current,
starting from the one holding the wire |
and ending at the tip Of the Professors |
fingers from which the air was emitted,
clear and distinct. Although it may be
said that this new instrument, when op |
Grated with full battery, will repeat
melodies in the sweetest and softest |
manner. The rehearsal was most de-
Cided success.