Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1878-05-30
THE PHONOGRAPH.
A Section Of the Mystic Sound Writer Lies on
Our Desk-0ur Regret that we Have no
Machine to Unfold its Latent Eloquencs.

We are indebted to Mr.. H. r.
Brown, auctioneer, of this city,
who is at present at the Bugbee Ju-
bilee, San Francisco, for section
of photography, turned off fresh
from this mysterious machine, for
the entertainment of the Festival
Committee at Mechanics Hall, on
the 9th inst. AS we have no
proper machine to cause it to yield
forth its sounds, we can only look
upon it with admiration-an admi-
ration which is by no means so APP
preciative as it ought to be. Mr..
Brown tells us that tn is tin foil
contains friendly greetings and
patriotic songs. AS we can't hear
what is printed or stamped on it,
and it is for US only a piece of tin
or lead foil, very little distinguish
able from an ordinary tobacco
wrapper, except that it is ruled
very closely in pattern as inno-
cent, apparently, as that which
figures on a lady's gown, we sup
plement our own ignorance of the
photograph by the following from
the New York Tmes's Washing
ton specials:
Mr.. Edison, the Inventor of the
photograph, gave exhibitions with
the instrument at the Capitol in
the presence OF large number OF
Senators and Representatives.
Messrs. Garfield, Cox, of New
York, and others spoke in the pho
nograph, and their voices and
speeches were reprodu ,ed with re
markable accuracy, the volume
and popularity of sound and en-
phasis of each speaker being
plainly recognized. In an
interview published in the Star
Mr.. Edison describes mar
Vicious discovery recently made.
He says: "Night before last
found out some additional points
about the carbon which l use n my
car bon telephone. 1t may be used
as q heat measurer. 1t Will detect
one fifty-thousandth of a degree,
fahrenheit. l don't know but what
can make an arrangement by
which the heat of the stars will
close the circuit at the proper time
automatically and directly. 1t is
curious that the heat of star mil
lions of miles away should close a
circuit on this miserable little
earth, but do not think 1t is i'm
possible" OF the practical uses for
which the photograph may be
made available, Mr.. Edison says:
II expect to have my improved
phongraph ready in four or five
monthsr This will be useful for
many purposes, as business man
can speak letter to the machine,
and his office boy, who need not be
shorthand writer, can write it
down at any time, as rapidly or
slowly as he desires. Then we
mean to use it to enable persons to
enjoy good music at home. Say,
for instance, Adelina Patti sings
the Blue Danube into the phono-
graph, we will reproduce the perfo-
rated tin-foil on which her singing
is impressed, and sell it in sheets.
1t can be reproduced in any parlor
with equal fitness and about one
half tle original volume. In tile
same way the tones of q great elo-
cutionist Can he preserved and
heard. The President of the Amer
lean Pathological Society wants one
of my improved Photographs to
preserve the accents Of the Onon-
dagas and Tuscaroras, who are dy-
ing out. One old man speaks the
language fiuently and correctly,
and he is afraid that he will die.
The photograph will preserve the
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