The New York herald., 1878-07-11
IHE METROPOLITAN ELEVATED.
Professor Edison Investigates the Sounds
with His PhOnautOgraph.
SATISFACTORY RESULTS OBTAINED.
The Road Mortgaged at the Rate OF
$6oo.o 900 Per Mile.

For three hours last night Professor Edison
rode up and down the Metropolitan Elevated Railroad
experimenting on the with hts phonautograph.
He arrived at the Rector station At nine O'Clock
accompanied by his assistant, Mr. Baicholor and two
n his laboratory men, the latter carrying the instru
lqsnts, The party was welcomed oy superintendent
Van Bfocklin, who immediately conducted them to
.raia.
I Professor Edison looked fresh ana hearty, notwth-
standing he had spent several Of tho prevoos hours
In constant experimenting with the Instrument on
the Railroad 10 get It In perfect working
order he wore a long linen duster and his iavorite
ancient style OF straw hat, the latter we'll down on
his head.
somo Of tho passengers, who had heard tho whisper
lugs OF the station agents and conductors that no
vas on board, peered curousIy through the windows
TO catch q glimpse at him aud invariably fixed their
pyes in long and steady gaxc upon the wrong man.
After brict delay the signal 10 start was gwen and
the train began its northward trip. The Professor
took scat IN the last the door and
he men placed the instrument by his side. Mr.
Bachelor then bent over it, and with motherly
,nxlety touched up its delicate mechanism.
THE xxpERIMExT BEGUN
II guess she's all right" said Professor Edison, ad
lustinc minute screw ana .xamiping the small piece
Of horse hair that was 10 record The ampbIucked
paper the various sounds. .We'n start her OIL at
Tourtssnth street" One Of the workmen next got
himself IN readiness TO press the small key that
10 poiut out The particular sound 30 be ex-
perimented upon, and the Professor settled himself
and waited When Eighth street was announced BIO
said. snow, get ready" In moment EOurt9enth
street was reached, ana Mr. Batchelor began slswiy
turniDg the cyhudsr Vi tho phonauoyrpph. steady
!nore shouted the Professor TO .ne man a. tho key
We are all right, keep u cp," aud the cyltn-
der continued 10 turn while tho operator pro-
seeded with his indentatious oi the key. rhe
particular source OF sound under investigation was
that caused BY the passage Of the train over the
Joints OF tho rail. The large funnel attuchcd to the
ponAu tograph collected them aud all others and
senlraied them by means OF tho diaphr. gm
sheet. @ rns recording was continued 70
Forty second street. at which station Professor
kdison, who had been carefully wu.cning evsry
The sheet about three-iourlhs nisd with Tie re-
cord Of he vibrations Tne train continued IT'S course
10 The end OF the route aud, alter moments stop
page. proceeded 10 return Gu the other track.
DOWNWARD TRIP
On reaching Foity.sccobd street tho downward
trip Professor Edison signnod his desire 10 have the
tram rapidly from Tnirty-third 10 Twenty
third street, aud superintendent Fan Brocklin gave
the necessary orders. The cylinder again ievolved
ana more thv vibrations wsro recorded uat:l the
sheet was hicd
Arriving at Rector street party alighted pro-
cssdcd 10 the super cdcnts Office, where Professor
Eusoa maas an examination OF Tue result while Mr
Bachelor busted himself preparing another sheet tor
cy ltnder On Tue rded sheet were plainly vs
Bile tue various SOUND marks They were In the form
Oi d0ts running along In irregular sbapc Some
close tosethcr us ~ be taken at hrst glance
for straight line Others resemblcd u ne slightly
waving, while sliil others immature mounds
The result was evidsntly pleasing to the Professor.
He looked at them long and carefully aud said,
not Ysn giving few words
u direction US 10 more ansiy adjusting .no msm-
vcqpic examination At mis- laboratory
THE sKcOND TRIAL
The second trip began half ten O'Clock. Tho
In nnarf
car. While the tram was proce eediug TO Fity eighth
street tho Professor explained 10 the HERALD re-
porter, IN detail, the cnHacssr OF the phonauto.
"i he prucIple ,; ne said, .s the invention of Leon
Scott oI France but has horetoiere only
for recording sound waves. BY the additions which
have attached Tor this purpose we are enabled not
Only record all the sounds but TO anayze eacn par
ticular sound una tell the working condition
Of every sec,ion oi railroad. The Professor tnen
humorously cxplaincd It's WORKING on an imaginative
road where The ntcndeut WAS anxious 10 catch
OF his subordinaIes napping "rnis line SAID
he, describing an almost straight one, ais Browns
section. ,.rowu Keeps It In good condition
Prize mcaul This with ,he waving
move marked Is Robnson's. Hs gets the
s o s ySs
gives Jones u lecture Look 1t The iourtp Sec now
rough and ragged lis. 1t belongs TO the section o!
Smith. Smiih receives his discharge. The little
group hearers laughed and synpathixsd with
Smith, and tue conductor called out Fty eighth street.
''Now, gard the eProlessor, Frightening up aud go
Ing tho phonoeraph "et US take the record OF tho
sounds from rhntythird 10 rweniy.thrd street with
motion VI tue cviihusf.' statlou quickly
reached anu Mr. Batcheor began turning with more
rapdty than before BY the time Twenty third streot
was reached tue receiving sheet was completely
hiIed and the experiments ended. he second trip
proved more fruitful OF results than the hrst. Inc
sound waves we're much moro dist,ncl shortly before
O'Clock Professor Edison and his assistants 6ado
s.sood nigh 10 SupcrinteEd an Brockn and took
Ihe iraIn Tor MEMO Park. To-day will mainly
be occupied decipherpg record. The Professor
poinltdly illustrated it by saying, when askad what
thc result would probably be:-"u 10 now Ike
chaese puzz'e all there bu. you've got TO put 1t In
proper sLapc."