The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-24
The Photograph.

closely following the telephone comes
the still more wonderful photograph, or
sound writing, and pretty soon we may
expect to hear the locomotives on our rail-
roads calling out the names of the stations
through their steam lips; as the saEe
remarkable genius who has given us the
telephone and this eighth wonder" Of
the world. the photograph, is at work on
an invention of this sort. These things
remind us of some of our childhood read
ing, such as Gullivar's silver horn, where
it appeared that some crazy imagination
undertook to tell story SO improbable
that no one would think of believing il
true. Such at first thought appears the
monograph. We have all become used
to the telegraph where by the electric
current sound is transmitted, and by Civ
ing these sounds meaning space is ami
hilated; or the telephone where tangible
medium carries the words in all theil
distinctness miles away. But to ask us tc
believe that words which shall be invisible
to the eye. may be written down upon 9
bit of tin foil, laid away upon the shelf
and after the lapse of years be reproduced
precisely as they were uttered is little
more dificult2 Yet the thing had become
an accomplished fact, and when understood
is more rational that to understand The
operations of the electric current. Tht
tin foil. that being the substance generally
used, is placed upon a cylinder. A thir
metallic diaphragm SO arranged as to OPP
crate a small steel stylus or pen, placed in
the centre, is pressed against it. We pu
our lips to the month piece of the instru
ment, and while friend slowly turns I
crank revolving the cylinder we speak tn,
words we choose slowly, and with goot
emphasis as we please, and the record i
made. Not the birds of the air, but th
cir itself, has printed the infections ant
modulations of our voice upon the impress
sible material. Now we have only to re
move the aforesaid diaphragm, and turl
the cylinder back to the starting point
when by replacing the diaphragm, I'll
turning the crank again as at first, til
tones of our voice and the words we uttere
will all be repeated in our hearing
The machinery of this wonderful inventio
is not yet perfection. but science will 500
make it so. The size aud form Of the il
strument will be exactly the same all owe
the world, so that friends at a distaao
will be able to send to each other phone
graph letters, which will reproduce the
voices at any time when put upon the il
strument.
How will it be when some mans vii
stumbies across some old phopograph
the old coat in the garnet, aud runs
through the machine and brings bacl
after long years of silence, the tender tons
and delicate sentiments of that other CIR
There can be no forgery in such letter
Just think how Bishop McCroskey's SIEVE
letters or tbs Eeeoher correspondent
would sound if ground out to their respe
tive congregations. Of course such fellow
would use this method of writing as Il
only means of conveying the full streng
of their Platonic love. After all perhaI
this new invention will be disastrous unle
popular morality be improved accordingl
F Your life is in danger when you allow
severe cough or cold to 60 unchecke
f DR.. Bulls Cough Syrup is a chea