Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-19
National Academy Of Sciences.

TERIES OF THE PHONOGRAPH
AT the scientific session yesterday paper
on THE Effective Force of Molecular Action
was read by Prof. Norton, and discussed by Pro
fessors Peirce and Alexander. Next came
Results Obtained for the Solar Parailax from
the English Telescope Observations by Prof
Peters. This paper caused lively discussion
varying estimates for the parallax ofthe great
gas ball fuctuating within narrow limits"
called the sun Prof. NewcOmb, in referring
to the '.blaek,drop" theory, said that at one
time the question OF the nature of the black
drops on the sun was almost an International
one, anf' that many Englishmen thought that
speaking unexpectedly of the black drops was
the Queen, 1t looked, at one stage of the de-
bate, as If the "black-drOp'' controversy would
be be repeated ep in the academy; After Prot ""re
OF the Permlan Period of the United, ,Sta.o,,
pointing out their similarity to specimensfOund
in the Ural mountains,
MIR. THOMAS A. EDISON,
the celebrated inventor, appeared by invitation
before the Academy, and with him came the
phOnograph and carbon telephone. which
tary's room and the adjoining halls were now
crowded with an interested and excited
gathering of ladies and gentlemen. The doors,
Which led to the room adjoining the hall
where the scientists have regaled themselves
daily with salmon and other brain food were
taken from their hinges III order that there
!nlSnt oS room loI one more TO get peep at
the modern magician and his wonders The
eyes OF grave academcianS, fair ladies and
eager children were all turned curiOuSly on
one man. The occasion was a tribute of
science, culture and beauty to Inventive
genius.
EDISON IN PERSON
Inc inventor sat at the Secretary'S desk
twisting small rubber band nervOuSly in his
fingers; His shaggy brown hair stood out at
all angles in defiance of comb rule. His fore
head was broad rather than high, and between
his eyebrows, which were somewhat lighter in
color than his hair, crease appeared, which
deepened when he spoke. He had no beard.
His eyes were light gray, his nose prominent
and his complexion of moderate clearness. He
looked the mechanic straight from his work
shop, plainly dressed and cuffleSS. Prof Geo
+. Barker introduced Mr.. Edison, referring to
The tact, that the members of the French Aca-
denny had lately been thrown into extraord-
nary excitement by the presence of the phOno-
graph, and adding, that this Academy had
now before it, not only the .phonograph but
welcome by Prof. Marsh the presiding officer.
the wonders of the phonOgraph were unfolded
by Mr. EdisOn's assistant.
WHAT THE PHONoGRAPH IS LIKE.
1he instrument was placed on the preSi-
dents desk. 1t is composed of cylinder, on
which appear spiral grooves, and which is con-
nected with crank by which it may be turn
ed,and a diaphragm over the cylinder, showing
on the outer side mouth piece, and on the
inner steel point. The cylinder was covered
with tin-foil and set in motion. If no words
have pressed the tin-foi into the grooves of the
cylinder and formed a regular indentatiOn
But words spoken in the mouth piece caused
vibration ~ II the steel point as it indented the
tln-lQll. When the machine was reversed and
the steel point placed where it commenced its
journey, as the cylinder again revOlyed the
same vibrations were prod uced in the steel
which originally caused the indentatiOns, and
were translated into sound waves and spoken
from the mouth piece. When words We're ut
teled III me mouth piece, the sound waves
caused eau vibration in the needle or steel point
point was again passed over the indented tin
Toll, precisely the original vibrations were
produced, which by a reverse process were
tne mOuthpIece as speech. Thus the process
was entirely mechanical Into the mouth
piece OF the instrument Mr.. EdSon's assistant
sung and shouted and whstled and crOwed.
and in few minutes the same sounds fioated
out upon the air faint but distinct. II de-
clare, said one who had heard it before. lit
sounds more like the devil every time.' There
Ms MAS sometnlng ON weird and uncanny about the
niue machine as it expressed itself in articu-
late language, and more than one little girl in
she t5 audience erePt up closer to her protector
as tile awful hush that preceded the phOno
graphs remarks was broken by its far Off ut
terances. The impressiveness of the scene
Mia WaS faeas 6y the OF two
me In one TOP orno OF large Photographic picture
revealed the fact that the eyes, which were
belonged to two young men whose curiosity
mad caused them to perch in a window partf-
ally concealed by the large, photograph. Just
10 the phonOgraph on the subject of Uncle Ned
that ''he had gone wh-,' the tin foil gave out
and the line remained unfinished. One of the
ever, suggested that the line be completed by
adding the words 'where tin foil fuses
Prof Barker then told in picturesque way
Tho ,I; THE STORY OF THE TELEPHONE.
ton is little plate of carbon in the instru-
ment on which its efficiency depends. Carbon
IS susceptible to difference in conductivity
by a change in pressure. Mr.. Edison has sue
eeeded in discovering kind SO Suitable for
MS purpose that pressure of the most extreme
deiicacy, even the slightest breath may be de-
on which his telephone operates. and not sim.
ply an inventor. Examples of the different
telephones were shown, and the members of
me academy by their means carried on a con.
Versatlon with some one in PHILADELPHIA
"A report OF Progress on the subject of
Oxygen in the Sum- by Dr. Henry Draper.
brought the scientific session to close.
TALK WITH EDISON
The inventor is Shy and shrinking and did
net show OIL at all Ornamentally in the kind of
reception which he was compelled to hold
after the exhibition was oyer His deafness
man OF deeds not words" In reply to a re-
maqk mar OF emSar Of IHE STAR refer
pressing upon him for an intrOd uction, he
said: "Yes, don't like these crowds. can't
near near Ior one thing Now, whenthe president
hear word he said. So, if had wanted to, 1
could not have replied" Referring to the fact
that Mi: Ford had invited him to attend the
tneater IN the evening, THE STAR man asked:
rs It impossible for you to hear at the thea
ter?,' WAN -O'
Edison" Oh, no. I have invented an in
Stfument, sort of improved ear trumpet,
with large air chamber, and a tube which
gradually decreases in size, whose end is in.
serted IN the ear, with which can hear per.
iectly wei. sat as an experiment once AS far
pack IN the the theater as l could get. and Vet
heard with perfect distinctneSs. can hear
more plainly '-
THROUGH MY TEETH
than through the external ear, A stick
touchlng music box and placed between nv
teeth enables me to enjoy the music. By
touching the telephone receiver to nv teeth I
can understand message"
g. star" H. Have you ever been in the city be-
Edison" Oh yes! 1 was here for several
weeks once. When am here am around the
Patent ONCE, principally. have a whole case
mere 70 myself, containing l5S models of INV
Inventions. Many of these, however, are only
protective OF those of Importance"
star" For what purposes is the pbonoprap
practlcally available, Mr.. EdisOn?S
EdlsOn.-"The instrument I have here is
0hiy uselul as showing the principle involved.
II repr0duces words only One-thiri or ona-
10uftD as loud as one I have in Now VI