Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-05-29
The Phonogr ,ph.

A1C IAVu0bt tPns
! Edson's photograph has made its
debut in Baltimore. BY invitation OF
Messr.. Turner and Houck, a party OF
newspaper men and others gathered ia
Corlnthian Hail at the Masonic Temple
yesterday afternoon 10 hear and witness
private display OF the performances OF
the curious little invention. The instru-
ment has become so familiar through
discussion in print and by illustrations
that no detailed description OF it is here
necessary. 1t consists of nothing but
the cylinder, groved with a fine spiral,
and travelling with bar that rests upon
uprights. The gear holding the mouth
piece brings it with its little diaphragm
Of ierrotype tin, TO which is attached the
needle, to bear upon the cylinder.
around which strip Of tin foil is placed.
The diaphram pulsates obedient to the
vibration of the voice, and the needle
records upon the foil the vibration in
minute dots and dashcs. While any one
is speaking into the instrument the
cylinder is revolyed from lett to right.
Then it is set back again, the speaker
ceases, and as the revolution is repeated
there returns from the mouthpiece every
syllable that has been spoken into it
| To increase the sound tunnel OF thin
cardboard is placed over the mouth
| piece.
Everything being ready yesterday, and
Mr.. Smith, the operator, at his post,he
remarked 10 the4honograh Good alter
noon.' The audience waited in breath
less silence, ana when the revolution
was repeated the salutation came back
very clearly and like person speaking
IN a loud whisper. Mr.. George Gard
ner wanted 10 know ofit. How do you
do, Mr.. Photograph, in the Sweet BY
and-bye = but the instrument i'll this
case appeared to want to be questioned
in palmer voice, and the repetition
was not quite clear. Mr.. George Hoey
next tried it in good, clear stage voice
with better results-'Jo cko, where Is
YOUR mas ter?' AT the massacre, at the
massacre, at the massacre and the
photograph now spoke out so strongly
that an involuntary burst OF applause
arose.
The next experiment was still more
gratifying. Prof. Page took up his cor
onet and played Yankee Doodle to the
listening photograph. Back came the
air full and distinct, not note missing,
and the music audible in the corridors
bevond the entrance to the hall. The
Sweet By-and Bye followed, but this
air the phonograph appeared to have
soAe rooted objection to, as it only con-
descended to give it pack in tone that
may be compared to a penny whistle
with bad cold. On second trial with
the same sheet of foil the phonograph
recovered from its sulks and condescen-
ded TO initiate the cOronet tolerably fair
| w. Then its further capabilities were
shown. The same foil was used. but
Prof. Page gave upon it the overture to
the opera Of William Tell. The two
airs were repeated strangely mixed to-
gether, causing hearty laugh from all
present. Mr.. Smith sung Baby Mine,
and the phonOgraph took the strange
freak of following it with nasal drawl
that was inexpressibly funny-some-
thing like this: He is coming back to
me, Ba-a-a-by Ml-i-l-nc.
There were three crows" cane next,
and the phonograh apparently treated
the squawk as a good joke and MINI
licked it up to nature. 1t was as faith
full as an echo. The Baby mine
sheet was replaced on the cylinder, and
the operator interpolated the lines with
such observations as, Don't you be-
lieve it," NO you don't, and all right,
all of which were returned mingled up
in the lines Of this song. The coronet
was once more brought into requlsltlon
and the audience treated to string tan
fare. which was given back very plainly.
The photograph whistles as well as
talks, singsplays a tune obligingly. Mi.
SMlth asked if it would not have barn
yard chorus, and after he had done his
part, there hoated out upon the air the
growing of cock, the clucking ola hen,
the mewlng of cat, the shrill bark OF a
small dog, and the deep baying OF a
large one. MIR. Smith recited the touch
ING quadruplet concerning the chimpan-
zee's search for fleas, and the phono-
graph chuckled over It. Various other
tests were made and all proved satisfac-
tory.
The whole performance appears so
marvellous that the thoughts OF the lis
teners are turned to yentrioqulsm as the
only explanation, but the monograph is
too simple to permit Of any trick being
concealed in it.