Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-03-13
EdisOn'S Photograph.

Edison's Phonograph, which arrests and
returns fugitive sounds, So that they can be
reproduced and repeated at any future
time, or in any distant place, is marvel
not less than the photograph, which catch
es and perpetuates fleeing visions.
The phonograph which d oes these Won
ders is even more simple than the speak
ing telephone, and both of these great
discoveries are entirely American, crown
ing the first two years of our new century,
We were recently introdu ced to Mr. L.
II. johnson of New York, Mr.. Edison s
associate. He was sitting befor an in
strument, of which the most prominent
feature was wooden cylind er, four inches
in diameter and II foot or M ore in length,
with II crank at one end. (Readers not
mechanically disposed may skip the re-
mainder of this paragraph Round this
cylinder strip of tinfoil was fastened .and
against this tinfoil pressed II little pointed
rod, or style, proectin from the center of
of II thin metallic plate or disc, which
formed the bottom of Il short tube or
mouthpiece. The mouthpiece and plate
are in the same relative positions us in the
telephone. Any word spoken into the
mouthpiece OF the phonograph would there,
fore set the plate and style vibrating and
ndent the tipfoil This is the whole
instrument, except that the axes of the
when it levolves, the point of the style
therefore necessarily describes II spiral on
tie tinfoil, mpressIng on 1t n shallow
groove, precisely corresponding to the
track of the style or pitch of the screw
70 facilitate this action II spiral groove is
permanently inscribed on the surface OF
the wooden cylinder. The tinfoi, under
the style, is therefore without solid sup
port, and easily yields, When the cylinder
is turned, to the constant pressure Of the
>tvle,or to any sound vibrations commune
Gated to it,
To come back from this depression, Mr..
johnson responded to the introduction by
turning the crank to the cylinder, and. at
the same time, talking into the mouthpiece
as follows: " How do you do,--?
How are all the people in Providence? !?
Mary had II little lamb; its f1ece was white
us snow, and everywhere that Mary went,
the lamb was sure to 90. Ha! ha! ha
(cough), (cough), (congh). lla! ha! han
The latter is high key, and then. is con-
clusion, Mr.. johnson sung II verse oil
" Uncle Ned" The cylinder was turned
about sixty times during this rigmarole,
and about four inches of the tinfoil were
spirally and regularly grooved by the
style. If the grooves were closely exam
ined, they were found to be filled with
elevations and depressons. representing
the sound vibrations of the plate and
style.
Mr.. johnson next moved the cylinder
back to the sitting point, and readjusted
the style of the tinfoil. He then held Il
rough pasteboard trumpet, or cornucopii.
to the mouthpiece. to throw out the sound,
and turned the crank. The identical words
spoken and sung by him into the mouth
piece, were said and sung over again by
the machine. with every tune and cadence,
and the quality of the voice well rendered
The machine laughed and eoughed also
perfectly. Our friendly exhibitor then ran
the cylinder back to the starting point u
second time, and turned The crank very
fast. The same words now ratified out
with explosive rapidity. The laughing
was hysterical, und the cough splsmodir,
to the last degree. Then, II third time
Mr.. johnson ran the cylinder back, and
turned the crank, this time, slowly. The
same words drawled out hoarsely, the
laughing was very sad, and the cough
lingering " Uncle Ned" was struck ON Il
lower key and was very lugubrious.
The articulation and quality in this per-
folmance was full as good as the teleahonU
six months ago. us good us much OF the
telephone talking to-day, while it was saw
eral times as loud. The words could be
heard throughout II noisy lront-room on IL
New York street. Yet the apparatus was
of the simplest and rudesL kind. The
phonograph accomplishes what has thus
been described in its babyhood. The in
strument perfected and moved hy clock
work will undoubtedly reproduce every
condition of the human voice, including
the whole world of expression iu speech
and song.
Now, what applications can We antici
pateP Clearly these: The sheet of tin
loil or other plastic material receiving the
impressions of sound will be stereotyped
or electrotyped so rs to be multiplied and
made durable. Or the cylinder will be
made of IA material plastic when used, and
hardening afterward. Thin sheets Of
papier mache or of various substances
which soften by heat would be of this
character. Having provided thus for the
DURABILITY of the phonotype plate, (a better
name than photography it will be very
easy to make it separable from the cylin-
der producing it, and altachable to cor
responding cylinder anywhere or at any
time. There will doubtless be n standard
of diameter and pitch of screw for phono-