The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-04-04
miscellaneous.
THR MOST WONDERFUL INVEN-
TION OF THE AGE.
How to Stereotype Oral UtterAnces, and Repro
duce Them When You Are In the Grave.

THE WONDERS OF THh fhONOuhhrh'
Cincinnati Commerclal.l
The experiments made with Prof. Ed
ison's Recording Phopograph are some
thing wonderful. The instrument itself
is said to be of very simple construction,
and does net occupy more space than a
volume of Webster's Unabridged. A thin
diaphragm, made of type metal, is insert
ed in a gutta. percha mouth'piece. The
vibrations of the voice jar the diaphragm,
which has in its center, on the inner
side, fine steel point. Around finely
grooved brass cylinder is wrapped sheet
Of tin foil. Turning the cylinder with a
crank, the operator talks into the mouth
piece, and the vibrations caused are re-
corded by the steel point upon the re-
volviDg tin foil, in series of dots like
those made by the old Morse recording
telegraph. After the sentences are COM
pleted the operator turns the cylinder
back to the starting point. The steel
point kept down by rubber spring, trips
from hole to hole in the tin foil, causing
the diaphragm to vibrate just as it did
when the operator was talking. Their
vibrations causes a corresponding open
ing and closing of the valves of the dia-
phragm, and reproduces the words, into
nations and accents of the speaker with
perfect accuracy. 1t is said that no MINI
ic could do so well. There is in it the
accuracy of mechanism. Matrices in
sulphur of the indented tin foil are cas-
lily made and can be indefinitely multi
piled. So that it is possible to reproduce
not only the language, but the tones and
accents OF speaker as often as one may
desire. Simple as the Contrivance is, it
is marvellous in its results. Like other
inventions, it is doubtless capable of i'm.
provements. Its sensitiveness to sound,
for example, will be so refined as not to
make It necessary to speak into the tube
in order to set the diaphragm and the
steel point in motion. 1t will become
like the human ear in it's acute reception
and transmission of sounds. All that
will then be necessary will be to possess
a photographic instrument, and turn the
crank when speaking is in order, to have
it accurately recorded. Already one in.
strument has been constructed capable of
recording $4,000 words.
Now, with one of these instruments
land they are of portable size) under his
arm, one can attend lecture or public
meeting, and not only enjoy it himself,
but take 30 faithful record of it that he
can reproduce not only word for word,
but tone for tone. The audiences of the
future will present curious spectacle
each auditor not only listening bat turn
ing the crank of phonograph instru.
ment with the motion of the grinders of
a hurdy.gurdy, that he may have it for
reproduction in the home circle.
Such an instrument must prove inval-
liable in Courts of law. For example, if
there have been matrimonial difficulties
leading to divorce suits, the domestic
phonograph will be called for as the best
form Of evidence, and the exact words of
husband and wife be reproduced in the
hearing of Court and jury. For we take
it for granted that every prudent hus'
band and faithful wife will be provided
with one of these little instruments, to
take down words that may pass between
them, which may have bearing on the
case. Even the Courts will need them
to take the evidence of witnesses. They
cannot err, and even short hand report
ers may do that But the monographs
will be as faithful as the photographs,
and if disputes arise, as they frequently
do between opposing counsel, all the
Court will need to do will be to call for
the sheet of tinfoil on which Bill Jones's
or John Smiths testimony is recorded,
and have it repeated. This will end the
dispute.
Indeed there is hardly a conceivable
circumstance in human life where the
photograph will not be invaluable. In
verbal transactions between merchants
and business men, in intercourse with
distinguished people, all that is said and
done may be put on record, and in such
a way that whenever required, either in
business or pleasure, it may be repro
duced with absolute accuracy. The notes
of Patti, of Nilsson, of Cary and all the
great singers, and dramatists may be
bottled up, 80 to speak, and carried with
you home. They may be multiplied, if
worth the trouble, ten thousand times.
Everybody can have prima donna, or a
great tragedian, or a fine comedian, bar
ring presence and gesture, in his own
house, and whenever he requires them.
If he wants to know how Edwin Booth
interpreted a doubtful passage in Shaks'
peare, or how Patti rendered a difficult
aria in Verdi or Rossini, or how great
reader accented sentence in Paradise
Lost, or any other work of literature, he
will have only to turn to the record of
his phonograph and reproduce 1t.
AN EXHIBITION IN PHILADELPHIA.
-. [Philadelphis Timesl
Were the veracious Munchausen in at
tendance at an exhibition which was
given yesterday in the Philadelphia Lo.
cal Telegraph Company's office, Third
and Chestnut streets, of Prof Thomas A.
Edison's marvellous invention called the
speaking phonograph, he might have
triumphantly said, II told you so," with
reference at least to one of his yarns
the story of his journey by post from st.
Petersburg during winter of unCom-
mon severity. Finding myself in a mar
row lane, he narrates, bade the postil-
ion give a signal with his horn that other
travellers might not meet rs in the mar
row passage. He blew with all his
might, but his efforts were in vain; he
could not make the horn sound, which
was unaccountable and rather unfortu-
nate, for soon after we found another
coach coming the other way. After tell
ing how he got the vehicle and horses
around the obstructing team, by carry
ing them under his arm, one at time,
over the fence, through part of the field
and then over the fence again, the con-
scientious chronicler continues: 1--WE
arrived at the inn, where my postillion