Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-13
THE PH0N0GRAPH.
Another Electrical Invention, Still More
Wonderful Than the Telephone
The Tones OF the Human Voice
To BE Reproduced Years
After Death.

The Tones OF the Human Voice
To Be Reproduced Years
After Death.
tains the first announcement Of what may
be the most wonderful invention Of the
day.
Nothing could be more incredible than
the likelihood of once more hearing the
voice Of the dead, yet the invention Of the
new instrument is said to render this posi-
bic hereafter. 1t is true that the voices are
stilled, but whoever has spoken or whoever
may speak into the mouthpiece of the pho.
nograph, and whose words are recorded By
it. has the assurance that his speech may be
reproduced audibly in his own tones long
after he himself has turned to dust. A strip
of indented paper travels through little
machine. the sounds Of the latter are magni
fed, and poaterity centuries hence hear us as
plairly as if we were present. Speech has
become, as it were, immortal. The Scien-
tifc American says:
The possibilities Of the future are not
much more wonderful than those of the
present. The orator in Boston speaks, the
indented strip Of paper is the tangible re-
suit; but this travels under a second ma
chine which may connect with the telephone.
Not only is the speaker heard now in San
Francisco for example, but by passing the
strip again under the reproducer he may be
heard tomorrow. or next year, or next CEN
tury. His speech in the first instance is re-
corded and transmitted simultaneously, and
indefinite repetition is possible.
The new invention is purely mechanical
no electricity is involved. 1t is a simple
affair of vibrating plates, thrown in vibra-
lion by the human voice. 1t is crude yet
but the principle has been found, and modi.
fications and Improvements are only mat
ter Of time. So also are its possibilities
other than those already noted. Will letter.
writing be proceeding of The past? Why
not, if by simply talking into a mouthpiece
our speech is recorded on paper, and oul
correspondent can by the same paper hear
US speak? Are We to have new kind O
books? There is no reason why the ora
tions Of our modern Ciceros should not be
recorded and detachably bound, 80 that We
can run the indented slips through the ma
chine, and in the quiet Of our own apart
ments listen again, and az often as we will
to the eloquent wor:s. Nor are We restrict
ed to spoken words. Music may be crystal
lied az we'll. Imagine an opera or an ora
torio, sung by the greatest living vocalists
thus recorded, and capable Of being repeated
~ We desire.
A description Of the phonograph is con
tained in the following letter:
4, To the Editor Of The Scientific American
In your journal Of Nov. 8, page 27S, yo'
made the announcement that DR.. Rosapell,
and Prof. Marcy have succeeded in graph
ically recording the movements of the lips
Of the veil Of the palate, and the vibration
of the larynx, and you prophcsy that thi,
among other important results may lea,
possibly TO the application Of electricity 70
the purpose Of transferring these records /
distant points by wire.
Was this prophecy intuition! No
only has II been fulfilled 10 the letter. b,l
s,ill mo,c marvellous results achieved b,
Nj. Thomas A. Edison, the rcnowe'
electrician Of New Jersey. who h,s k!ndl!
: permitted me 10 make public not only III
feet. but the modus orefandi Mr., Edtsou
, II the course Of sesies of extended esorri
ments In the production of hts speaking
telephone, lately perfected. cnncsivcd d
highly bold asd oFigissl idsa of recordia
~ hussaa woke upon = ssip of pap