Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-04-26
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
The Telephone ana PhOnOgraPh-
POliIIeal-Summer ResOrts-FaAhiOua
THE TELEPHONE.

TIE TELEPHONE.
The wonders Of the telegram and nbo-
tograph twenty-five years ago are repeated
in the msrvsls of the telephone and pho
nograph. The former exhibits two or
three sets of green-wound wires with han
dies like those of an electrical machine
hang careleSSly from hooks in the wall,
one handle followed and bevsled to fit the
ear, the other a mouth-piece. The opera
tor speaks slowly and distinctly in the
tube, and the listener applying the other
handle to the ear. Where are youP'
was the first question asked of the cores
pOnding Office.
The answer came, far of and yet dis
tinct. as if heard from the depths Of a
speaking tube, 1889 Broadway" a good
three miles away. Other questions fol-
lowed, the answers coming with all the
variations Of tone.
TOY TELEPHONES.
If the telephone will convey sound three
miles off as plainly as a speaking tube
from parlor to kitchen, there is no reason
why it should not speok at greater distan-
ees. While sudIbls to the person holding
the handle to his ear, not sound was
heard by any one else IN the room, which
puts an end to the bad jokes about wife'S
Overhearing her husbands talk in his of
fee, and so forth. The principle of the
instrument is beyond dispute, and it is not
only working in Offices, but toy telephones
are sold on the street, by which persons
can talk IN a whisper at opposite ends of
long suite of rooms.
THE PHONOGRAPH,
Apparatus is very plain. crank and.f1sd
steel rod on which slides small brass cyl
inder turning as it goes, three inch disk
with thin plate of iron in the center that
vibrates at breath. and works an agate
point under it, is fixed on q movable bar
which brings it so close that the point
rests on the cylinder. A slip Of common
tin foil is laid smoothly round the middle
of the cylinder, the point is brought to
bear on it, a movable mouth-plecs set over
the vibrating plate, and the operator talks
into it, with full distinct voice while turn
ing the crank. When through talking,
the crank is reversed, till the agate point
which has been making rows Of dots and
dashss round the cylinder on the foil, is
brought back to where it started. A large
papier mache funnel is set over the disk,
the crank is turned, and as the point goes
over the dots and roughnsss it has made,
it gives the vibrating plate the same move
ments the voice made, and, how, can't
pretend to say, the sounds reappear, why
and wherefore. You won't believe it.
didn't till heard it. Reading the scien-
tifc explanations so far published only
makes the confusion worse. But, hearing
is believing, and you hear from the phono-
graph the self-sams words and tone spoken
into the mouth-piece, only fainter, by the
loss Of the original motive power of the
voice, the same loss that takes place in all
forms Of nature changed from one form to
another, like the waste in . ton of coal,
which is far from returning all the heat it
contains in the steam it makes. To tell
truth, the instrument Is far enough from
having pleasant voice at present, and
those who imagine they are to hear the
full rotund accents Of Cough or Phillips,
from its speaking trumpet, all over the
room, are wofully mistaken. At first, its
-. sDorffaulofa IrOninn lib.
bumble-bee in squash blossom, owing
TO the inarticulateness with which most
people talk. But out OF its bag-pips hum, !
the emphatic words come distinctly, q |
shout is answered briskly, and parts of |
soliloquy, spoken in a mod
crate deliberate voice. ] heard nearly ff- |
ty feet away. 1t is more Of a success in |
singing, put both speech and song have a |
far-of sound, as if deadened by walls be- |
tween. The great virtue of the phOnO- |
graph in my mind, is, that it will oblige |
people to talk distinctly, with full healthy |
uttersnee, the common hasty and imper- |
feet speech coming out of it q perfect blur
Of sounds. But as the instrument is i'm |
proved, daily its wonders will deYeloP.
POLITICAL.
The only political trouble now on the |
carpet is the fight in Tammany. The |
World is opposing Kelly and his wing,
and the Star and Express are defending |
him. The people have no cause to con-
gratulate themselves on this quarrel, for
it is not a fight Of honest men against
thieves. but simply one between thieves as
TO which shall have the plunder. II kel-
ly crushes his opponents he will have the
city to rob, and if his opponents crush
Kelly, they will have it. That is all there
is about it, which explains the indifference
of the people. 1t is merely the fight Of
two bandits over the PROSTATE body Of a
they have robbed. The rspubl-
cans of the city are very easy in their |
minds and satisfied with the situstlon.
They sustain the administration on gener-
al principles, though they eriticiss indi-
vidual acts with great severity. The pO-
Sition Of Secretary Sherman on the money /
question has strengthened the adminisTra
ton in this city, and while many of the |
ideas of the President are by no means en-
dorsed, the Objectionable points are not /
considered of enough importance to war
rant q split that will make the next Con-
Cress democratic, The next campaign
will be q very warm one, and these minor
matters will be completely ignored.
SUMNER PLANS
Long Island will be the popular resort |
the coming season for New Workers who |
find themselves ayerse to the expenses of |
fashionable places, and wish to be as near
their business as possible. It's south-sids |
beaches, s,-Rockaway, Woodsburg, Fire Is |
land, and the rest have been tor years, the |
resort of gay, good oompanyT and the pic
turesuue headlands of the north coast, |
like Northport and Greenport, are quiet |
family boarding places, where boating and |
shooting in season, offer diversion for all |
tastes. All these places are within daily |
reach of the city for business. What more
does a man want, than to slip down by |
early train, where cool piazzas, a seabath |
and drive or row can be had for asking
with the cozy comforts of home, and with
decided economy. even as compared. with
common housekeeping. Hotel rates along |
shore in attractive places are IS a week,
and at farm houses much cheaper. The |
spread of railroads, and the fast trains |
bring all Darts of the Island so near, that |