The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-06-24

ar. Edison revealed to the Graphic some
two months ago the fact that he was en-
Saged in the construction OF mighty sus.
cept;bIe ear-trumpef, and our readers will
recall the letter in which he promised,
without hesitation and without reserve,
that he would make an ear.tube, by the use
OF which the deaf could hear. as MIR. Edit
son is, himself so deaf that he hears only
when quite near and with considerable wig.
lance, The utmost confidence was reposcd
81 his purpose; and his marvellous success
IN Geyetor;ng theI60 inventions which now
stand in his name on the books OF the Pat
ent Office generated q wide belief that he
could really do what he had set his hand to
do. This confidence seems now to be sustl.
lied and realized. ~
:.As Mir. Edison and his friends stepped
ontot the long laboratory where his Won
fiers are born TO the open, porch at its front,
looking south, they bore half dozen ear
frumpets with them. These instruments
looked externally Imuch like the ordinary
ear-trumpcts, only they five or six feet
long. IS I
81 stood here the other day." said Edi-
SON. turning bis eager gray eyes upon the
Graphic, "and I put one OF these to my
ear. / heard several things very distlnco-
". I heard child cry. l heard the in
strursent tick down at the station, 1000
feet away; and heard one curious, softly
grinding sound that Ioould not identity till
/ followed it up and found it to be cow
biting off and chewing grass 1000 feet DIS
fant-two fifths OF mile.'
There were present on the porch, Edison;
James Redpath, famous for his Kansas and
war letters !; Uriah Painter, noted Wash
incton Journalist; w. Il. Applebaugh,
president, OF the monograph Company;
Charles Bachelor, and several other gentle
men eager TO see the experiments. They
had waited for pleasant day.
They speedily arranged series OF signals
to express Il hear and 81 do not hear"
by waving the hands in peculiar way.
Then Mr. Bachelor and Uriah Painter
took one OF the ear-trumpets and went
forth across the field toia store 600 feet dis
tant. 800
One OF them then said: "Do you hear
me now ?o
:T"Yes!.' shouted they in the porch, with
a laughing accompaniment. for the voice
was distinctly audible to all with the naked
ear.
aDo you hear this ?" he repeated, in a
lower tone, scarcely audible.
Again he was answered in the at5rma'
tive. a,
The question was repeated over and over
till the ear-trumpets had TO be used. At
Iost came TO the ear or the listeners, 81 am
whispering now; do you hear me?" MIR.
Painter was 600 feet distant, yet his whis-
pers were perfectly distinct. Bachelor
walked away from him fifteen feet and sig
nailed thst he could not, with the unaided
ear, hear his companions whispers, which
were audible to us in the porch. AS GOO is
to, Is, so is Edison's ear-trumpet to the un-
aided ear-20 to 1. i'r@-
But the experiments were scarcely begun.
Bachelor and Painter walked Oft across
the fields until they were mile distant.
They crossed many undulations-up hill.
ing, till they finally stood forth on hlllock
in plain sight, but diminutive and boy-like
in size. -:
Signals were exchanged. ALREADY"
One Mt each end put the trumpet to his
"Perfectly distipct!" said Redpath. "He
says John Browns body lies mouldering in
The grave"
Then he spoke towards the figures Oh the
distanth hill, q beard that distinctly. How
loud are you talking?"
"In an ordinary tone OF voice." came in
response to the man with the trumpet:
''scarcely louder than would speak in
psrlor.". -.
Then we tried it all around. 1t seemed
very strange and uncanny to hold CONVEX
sation in an ordinary voice with man ::
mile of. without a speaking-trumpet and
with no wire or electrical assistance what
ever.
This is really; telegraphing without
telegraph exclaimed Redpath. .-.
AS we could plainly see with our opera
glasses that the man on the bill had his
trumpet . in positions" Mr. Edison stepped
to the front Of the porch and spoke to them
clearly, but in voice that could scarcely
have been heard 200 feet away: eco mile
further Off and get in range"
We waited awhile and chatted about the
photograph and the telephone, and the new
sound-magnifer Of the Englishman,
Hughes, which Edison declared n "straight
steal'' from the principle OF his carbon tel
ephone, when at last Mr.. Redpath said: 81
hear thern." 49,
But we could not see them anywhere.
They had vanished.
.sHe says Nlr. Redpath, repeated,
ssnow is the winter OF our discomfort;
flour Sf4 barrel, and haven't gotta cent"
There was 9 laugh at this, and Edison an
nounced from the other end OF the stoop
that he had found them. We moved twenty
feet, and their white flag was just visible
through the distant trees.
Salutations were exchanged over the two
miles Of intervening ground, and an oppor-
tunity was furnished to all present 10 hear
the wonderful phcnemena.
This ear-trumpet, or telcscopophon," as
it is called, is internally a curious combina-
tion OF tunnels centring in q chamber
and radiated by wires. Mr.. Edison before
Christmas hopes to complete for the use Of
partially deaf people 4 small but somewhat
complex instrument, which, when con-
nected with thin wire to the ear, Will ena-
BILE any one to hear every whisper off the
stage Of the largest theatre.
The Graphic asked permission to describe |
and sketch the ear-trumpet for the Graphic,
but was refused permission at present on
account Of some delay Of the patents. But
the country and the world may be assured
that our sketch does not in any way eXag-
gerate the merits OF this latest invention Of
this marvellous mana device which seems
likely to make the deaf hear, aud which
will certainly open new methods Of COM
munication to supplant the telegraph and
telephone:
"You are going away for a summer rest,
] hear, . said the Graphic to the gray.eyed
inventor.
s.If j can get away from this shop said
he. "The proprietors Of White-Mounta'n
hotels have generously placed that region
at my disposal, }" he added, laughing. They
even offer TO place locomotive at my COM
mand. Ii can get there l shall talk ten
miles from one peak to another with my
fn1acnafynpbay, : 80 So. 4