Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-23
Tic G'laOnogralsIl.

hhC
lldison's phono2raph has made its debut IN
Baltimore. By invitation Of Messrs. Turner
and lIouck, party Of newspaper men and
others gathered ia Coriuthian Hall at the Ma
sonic Temple yesterday afternoon to hear and
witness Z private display Of the performances
of the curious little invention. The instrument
has become so familiar through discussion in
print and by illustrations that no detailed de.
scription OF it is here necessary. 1t consists OF
nothing but the cylinder, groved with fine
spiral, and travelling with bar that rests upon
upright4 The gear holding the mouthplece
brings it with its little diaphragm of ferrotype
tin, to which is attached the needle, to bear
upo0 the cylinder, around which strip OF tin
foil is placed. The diaphram pulsates obedient
to tho vibration Of the voice, and the needle
records upon the foil The vibration in minute
dots and dashcs. While any one is speaking
ioto tho instrument the cylinder is reVolvcd
FROM left to right. Then it 10 set back again,
the speaker ceases, and as the revolution ls re-
pcated there returns from the mouthpece every
| syllable that has been spoken into it. 10 H.
creas, the sound funnel Of thin cardboard is
placed over the mouthpece.
Everything being ready yesterday, and MIR.
| Smith, the operator, at his post, he remarked
to the photograph Good afternoon The
auiane. waited 10 breathless silence, and when
the revolution was repeated the salutatlon came
back very clearly aud like person speaking
in a loud whisper. MIR. George Gardner want
cd to koow OF it. How DO you do, MIR. Phone
graph, in the Sweet By-and.bye?' but the
Instrument 10 this case appeared to want to
| be questioned 10 a palmer voice, and the rope
tilou was not quite clear. Mr. George Hoey
next tried it in good, clear stage voice, with
better resuIts-"J ocko, where is your maste1Y'
SAT the massacre, at the massacre, end the
photograph now spoke out 80 strongly that
40 involuntary burst Of applause arose.
The next experiment was still more crafty
ing. Prof. Page took up his coronet and played
Yankee Doodle to tho listening phonograph
Back came the air full aod distinct, not a note
missing, and the music audible 10 the corridors
beyond the entrance to the hall. The Sweet
By-aud Bye followed, bat this air the phono'
graph appeared to have some rooted objection
to, as it only oondescended to give it back 10 Q
tone that may be compared to penny whistle
with bad cold. On stcond trial with the
same sheet of foil the pEonograph recovered
from lis sulks and coudcseended to initiate the
cornet tolerably fairly Then its further capa
bili,ias we're shown. The same foil was used
but Prof. Page gave upon it the overture tt
the opera OF William Tell The two airs were
repeated strangely m;xtd together, causing {
hearty laugh from ell present. MIR. Smith
saug BABY Nine" and the photograph tocE
The strange freak of following it with a naSa
drawl that was inexpressbly iunny-somethinQ
like this He is coming back to me, Baa a. By
Mi lime"
There were three crows came next. and the
photograph apparently treated the squawk as 8
good joke and mimicked it up to nature. 1t
was as faithful IS al echo. The Baby mine
orator interpolsted tho lines with such observa-
tons as, Don't you believe it." mo you don't
and al right" sll Of which were retnrned ming
led up in the lines Ct this song. The corns
was once more brought into requisition and tht
audience treated to stirring fanfare, which Wa
given back very plainly. The phonograpt
whistles IS we'll as talks, sings and plays tune
cbligingiy. Mr.. Smith asked fit would not have
barryard chorus, and after ne had done hi
part, there noated out upon tho air the Growing
Of cock, the cucklng Of hen the moving o
a cat, the shrill bark OF q small! dog, and tht
deep bsying Of large one. MIR. Smith recltet
the touching qusdruplet concerning the chin
pauzee's search for fess and the photograph
chuckled over IT, Various other tests were mad
and all proved satisfactory.
The whole performance appears so marVelou!
that tbs thoughts Of tho listener are turned tc
vertriIoquism rs the only explanation. but the
phonogrnph is too simple TO permit OF any trick
being concealed in it,-BaN. Am.