St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-03-22
The Phonograph.---Another Wonder.

anu retains fugitive SOUNDS, so mat they
can be reproduced and repeated ut any
future time, or in any distant place, is Il
marvel not less than the photograph,
which catches and perpetuates tleeting
visions.
The photograph which does these
wonders is even more simple than the
speaking telephone, and both of these
great discoveries are entirely American,
browning the first two years of our new
century.
We were recently introduced to Mr..
E. H. johnson, of New York, Mr.. Edi-
sons associate. He was sitting before
an instrument, of which the most prom
inent feature was il wooden cylinder,
four inches in diameter and foot or
more in length, with a crank at one end.
(Readers not mechanically disposed may
skip the remainder of the paragraph
Round this cylinder strip of tinfoil
was fastened, and against this tinfoiI
pressed Il little pointed rod, or style,
projecting from the centre of thin
metallic plate or disk, which formed the
bottom of short tube or mOuthpiece
The mOuthpiece and plate are in the
same relative positions as in the tele-
phone. Any word spoken into the
mouthpiece of the photograph would
therefore set the plate and style vibrat-
ing and indent the tinfoil This is the
whole instrument, except that the axis
of the cylinder is a fine-threaded screw,
and that when it revolves, the point of
the style therefore necessarily describes
a spiral on the tinfoil, impressing on it
a shallow groove, precisely correspond
ing to the track of the style or pitch of
the screw. To facilitate this action
spiral groove is permanently inscribed
on the surface of the wooden cylinder.
The tinfoil, under the style, is therefore
without solid support, and easily yields,
when the cylinder is turned, to the
constant pressure Of the style, or TO any
sound vibrations communicated TO it.
TO come back from this depression,
Mr.. Johnson responded to the introduce
ton by turning the crank to the cylin-
der, and, at the same time, talking into
the mouthpiece as follows: elbow do
you do,--P How are all the peO-
pie in Providence? Mary had little
lamb; it's fleece was white as snow,
and everywhere that Mary went, the
lamb was sure to go. Ha! hal ha
Cough, (cough), (cough). Ha! ha
ha !" The latter in a high key, and
then in conclusion, Mr.. johnson sung "A
verse of "Uncle Ned.n The cylinder
was turned about sixty times during
this IigmarOle, and about four inches of
the tinfoil were spirally and regularly
groOved by the style. If the grooves
were closely examined, they were found
to be filled with elevations and depres-
sions, representing the sound vibrations
of the plate and style.
Mr.. johnson next moved the cylinder
back to the starting point, and read
.justed the style to the tinfoil. He then
held a rough pasteboard trumpet, or
cornucOpia to the mOuthpiece, to throw
out the sound, and turned the crank.
The identical words spoken and sung
by him into the mouthpiece, were said
and sung over again by the machine,
with every tone and cadence, and the
quality of the voice well rendered. The
machine laughed and coughed also per-
fectly. Our friendly exhibitor then ran
the cylinder back to the starting point
a second time, and turned the crank
very fast. The same words.now ratified
out with explosive rapidity. The laugh
ing was hysterical and the cough spas
modic, to the last degree. Then, a
third time Mr.. johnson ran the cylinder
back, and turned the crank, this time,
more slowly. The same words drawled
out hoarsely, the laughing was very
sad, and the cough lingering; "Uncle
Ned" was struck on a lower kew and
was very lugubrous.
The articulation and quality in this
performance was full as good as the
telephone six months ago, or, as good
as much of the telephone talking to-day
while it was several times as loud.
The words could be heard throughout a
noisy front room on New York street.
Yet, the apparatus was of the simplest
and rudest kind. The pbonograph ac-
composites what has thus been describ-
ed in its babyhoOd. The instrument
perfected and moved by clock work
will undoubtedly reproduce every con-
dltion OF the human voice, including the
whole world of expression in speech
and song.
Now, what applications can we antic-
lpateY Clearly these: The sheet of
tinfoil or other plastic material receiv-
ing the Impressions of sound will be
stereOtyped or electrotyped so as to be
multiplied and made durable. Or the
cylinder will be made of a material
plastic when used, and hardening after
ward. Thin sheets of papier mache or
of various substances which soften by
heat would be of this character. Hav-
ing provided thus for the durability of
nfxyran la@a l.