Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1878-07-04

WILL Do NEXT SURPRISING EX-
PERTINENT BY EDISON.
The New York Graphic says:
1t was yesterday noon that a few
OF Mr.. Edison's enthusiastic assis-
tants and friends gathered around
him at Menlo Park to witness the
first trial, in the presence of wit
nesses, of the new ear trumpet which
the inventor had evolved from his
inner consciousness.
Mr.. Edison revealed to the
Graphic some two months ago the
fact that he was engaged in the
construction of a highly suscepti-
BILE ear-trumpet, aud our readers
will recall the letter i'll which ne
promised, without hesitation and
without reserve; that he would
make and ear=tube, by the use of
which the deaf could hear. As Mr..
Edison is himself so deaf that he
hears only when quito near and
with considerable vigilance, the ut
most confidence was reposed in his
purpose /; and his marvellous success
in developing the 160 inventions
which now stand in his name on the
books ct the Patent Office genera
ted wide belief that he conld real
~ do What he had set his hand to
do. This confidence seems now to
|, justified and realized.
As Mr.. Edison and his friends
stepped out Of the long laboratory
where his wonders are born TO the
open porch at its front, looking
south, they bore half a dozen ear
trumpets will, them. These ihstru
i,ients looked externally much like
the ordinary ear-trumpcts, only they
were five or six feet long.
81 stood here the other day. -
said Edison, turning his eager gray
eyes upon the Graphic, sand l put
one OF these TO my ear. | heard
several things very distinctly. |
heard "a child cry. ! heard the in
sfrument tick down at the station,
l .O00 feet away and one curious,
sott-grinding sound that l could
rot identify till l followed it uE and
toaHd it to be coW biting off and
chewing grass 1000 feet distant
Wo titths OF mile"
There were present on the porch,
Edison ; james Redpath, famous
for his Kansas and war letters !;
Ufiah Painter, noted ashington
journalist w. X. Applebaugh,
president Of the Phonograph Com-
pany ; Charles Bachelor, and sew
eral other gentlemen eager to see
the experiments. They had waited
for "a pleasant day.
They speedily arranged a series
of signals to express 81 hear" aud
and 81 do not hear by waving the
hands in a peculiar way.
Then Mr.. Bachelor and Uriah
Painter took one of the ear-trum-
pets and went forth across the field
to a store 600 feet distant.
One of them then said "Do
you hear me now g.
Yes = shouted they in the porch,
With a laughing accompaniment;
for the voice was distinctly audible
to all with the naked ear.
sDo you hear this % he repeated.
in a lower tohe, scarcely audible.
Again lie was answered in the
affirmative.
The question was repeated over
and over till the ear-trumpcts bad
to be used. At last came to the
ear Of the listeners, 81 am whisper
ing now +; do you hear me 2" Mr..
Painter was 600 feet distant, yet
his whispers were perfectly distinct.
Bachelor walked away from him
fifteen feet and sisnaled that be
could not, with the unaided car.
hear his companions whispers
which we're audible to us in the
porch. As 600 is to Is, SO is Edi
sons ear trumpet to the unaided
ear-20 to l.
But the experiments were starce-
ly begun.
Bachelor and Painter walked of
across the tiel,!s until they were &
mile distant. They crossed many
unduiations-up hill, down dale
now vanishing now reappearing
till they finally stood forth on :
hillock in plain sight, but diminu-
tive and bov-like in size.
Signals were exchanged. Gal
ready"
One a: each end put the trumpc
to his ear.
"Pcrfecrly distinct p said Rcd
path. "He says, "John Brown
0ody lies nouldering IN the grave.
Then lie spoke towards the fig
ures on the distant hill, "I hearc
that distinctly. How loud are yol
talking e.
I'm an ordinary tone of voice,
came in response to the man wit
the trumpet scarcely louder tha
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