The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-24

como insoesabe nuisance. Its legitimate are
for fog signals and steamships. and possibly railroad
trains.
II IS said that the monograph was suggested to
Edison BY remark OF General Butler, who. examin-
ing telephone. said to the inventor:-
snow you must make something to record these
sounda"
Al the Smithsonian Institute the other day Edison
saw phonautograph machine used for delin eating
graphically the form OF the sound waves and examin
ing u curously moment he remarked to frieDd:--
"Wisc men, these were, 10 see that they could
put hard point and piece OF tinioii in front Of 1t
and there was the phonoarapn.'
Ho was asked by Southern Senator here whether
he could not invent machine TO pick cotton, and
plied that he 'rhought So" Later. tho same day.
a person watching the operation OF tho photograph
said:--
"Edison, l wonder II you couldn't talk q hole
through board"
"Of course could" was tho reply; and he took a
slip Of paper and rapidly stretched the point OF the
photograph In connection with . smul ratchet
wheel, which in It's turn by proper cogs connected
with Gmlct Thus every vibration OF tho mem
brans Of the photograph, instead Of propeling the
point against the tinfoIi would push the ratchet
wheel forward ana turn the gimIei, and man would
actually be able to talk holo through Pine board.
press,bity Of compressed carbon TO hOat has given
him the belief that he can detect and measure accu-
rately tho heat which reaches tho stars ana
telescope Is already under way for his for this
purpose he remarked here 20 friend that as tho
actop OF the photograph depends entrely
on the vibrations of the afr he thought
ho should DO able to reproduce any phe-
nomenou which is duo to vibration, ana that II
the received theory that heat Is only mode OF
ton and the undulat0ry theory OF light correct,
he would be able to catch and transmit both. His
mind seems TO be constantly engaged plans for the
and ingenious application OF natural forces
laws, and he gave the impression hore TO all who
him OF beng man OF extraordinary genius in this
direction, from whom, II he lives many wonderful
things may yet be expected.
The RIVER AND HARsoR BILL-A DISCUSSION
WHICH EXPOSED THE Dad FEATURES OF THE
MEASURE.
The House spent a useful and amusing day over tho
protest against tho River and Harbor bill The discus.
slon, In such cases, took wide range, and
beaten in tho Senate through the exposures Of
lew only orip bad features to-day Mr.. Caldwell, Of
Kentucky, remarked that he knew Of the
rivers proposed to be improved" and that tho
only way 10 improve It was 10 macadamize its bed
MI Wright, Of Pennsylvania, knew two of tho other
rivers ana told the house that their combined water
was about enough TO drive moderate sized grist
mill Mr.. Kenna, OF West Virginia. who is OF tho
authors or the bill, confessed that the committee
under his leadership had ordered surveys
wherever members desired them, without
any inquiry. Several members, conspicuously
Messrs Ellis, Hewitt aud Hamilton, protested against
voting away millions without discussion examina
ton, and Mr. Wright Of Psnnsylvan who Is known
to favor tho largest appropriations Tor internal I'M
provements OF all kiuds said he would votS grant Of
800 600 900 600 000 Tor proper Objects but ne
would not support this bill, which gavo money for
improper objects and mostly for ben CIT
Finally TIE speaker ruled that the House
NATTER but by this time tho real purpose OF the pro-
testants, have their protest read and bring
the bad features Of the bill gained, aud II prob
able that this 10 the last River and Harbor pill which
viii pass in the shape ana manner In which this
forced through
A POLITICAL coNUNDRuM BIZ REPUBLICAN
ORGAN.
The political gossips here engaged all day and
evening in effort to unravel mysterious conun-
drum which appeared incidentally In The political
notes Of the republican organ this morning The
organ ID anti-Hayes, and these are It's Words
We're Hayes and Wheeler both TO die Tho Office OF
President devolvs Senator Thomas w. Ferry,
OF Michigan, President pro tenn OF tho Senate