The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1878-05-30
EDIS0N'S LAST FEAT.
Walls to Have Ears and Disclose Their
Secrets Mt Will-The Astounding
Result OF Recent Experimentation
the Inventor Passes His Time.


the Inventor Passes His Time.
From the New York Star.
Mr.. Thomas +. Edison, the Napoleon of
inventors, IS now completing at his labora.
tory in Mcnlopark, n. j, an improvement
upon the phOnograh. which is calculated
not only to astonish the world, but to
almost revolutionize the accepted usages of
society. Mr., Edison is not only inventive,
but he is also industrious, and since the
production Of the phonograph, only few
weeks ago, has without intermissiOn, de.
voted himself to its further dcvelopement
From day to day he has added improve
ments, until at last he seems to have reach.
ed the limits of perfection itself His very
latest achievement is a modification by
which he literally gives TO every wall its
ear, and hereafter there can be no actual
certainty of privacy in any conversation
unless held in a desert, or through the me.
dium of deaf and dumb alphabet. The
cost of the new machine is, moreover, so
insignificant as TO place it within the reach
of people Of the most moderate means ;
while its advantages, in a protective sense,
are so manifestly obvious, that in very
short time it is destined TO come into very
extensive, if not general use.
A few days since the Star published a
description of the latest Improvements and
notifications made by Mr.. Edison upon
the original or cylinder machine. Prom
nent among the Improvements was the
substitution Of flat plate for the cylinder
and the utilization of clock.work in its
movement 1t was also stated that the in.
ycntor had Increased its capacity so as TO
enable it to record the notes Of the human
voice in the tone uttered at a distance of
thirteen feet from the instrument Since
that time its capacity has been still further
enlarged, until now the very faintest whis
per uttered in room where profound 81
ence is otherwise maintained, can not only
be recorded, but can also be repeated in
any increased volume. In fact, to quote
Mr.. Edison, "a maidens sigh can be
given in the magnitude of an earth
quakem
The reasoning or inductivc process by
which Mr.. Edison arrived at this marve
lous development is seemingly so simple
and natural as to commend itself to the
most ordinary intellect. Indeed, he can
not describe 1t himself without smiling at
It's manifest and almost childlike slmplici-
ty, and though the inventor he seems to
marvel at the results achieved quite as
much as the listener.
While Mr.. Edison was testing one of
his lately improved machines last Monday
morning, his restless intellect conceived
the posslDlllty oil making IL record ana
speak simultaneously 10 think with him
is TO act To conceive new problem IS
to set about It's solution, which IN this In
stance was soon accomplished. by the
introduction OF second, or following nee
die, and In close proximity, the one plate
and its system OF clockwork causes the
machine to both record and talk almost
simultaneously. In two days Mr.. Edison
had one IN successful operation, anu his
fertile Imagination was again wandering
OIL INTO new fields OF conquest
Parties who have personally Inspected
and listened to the Talking machine now
on exhibition in this city, will recall to
mind the metallic hOarseness OF tone as
well as slight falling OIL in volume OF lis
utterances. Many attributed this to the
use Of tin trumpetin delivering thesound,
and experiment has since shown this sup
position to be correct. Long ago Mr.. Edi-
son had realized the necessity OF utilizing
some other and less defective medium,
more sensitive, and less resonant in mater
ial and construction. After many failures
he at last succeeded in supplying this want
by constructing delivery horn out Of a
new substance, compounded mainly of
CatchOuc,gelatlne and the sensitive carbon,
which enters so largely into Mr.. Edison's
manufactures. \ modification was also
made on its shape and construction, more
especially adapting it to the leading pur-
poses. Upon the very first time 1t was
found to be almost perfect in action, re-
peating the voice with such absolute tideli-
ty in tone and Infection as TO actually
startlc the cXperimentcrs themselves. Up.
on the subsequent day, while again testing
its merits, the tube portion of the trumpet
accidently became twisted, when the ever
watchful ear of the inventor at once detect
ed an increase of volume of sound His
attention was at once directed to the econ.
omy of the convolution of the human ear,
and the problem presented itself as to
whether they do not cmbody mechanical
principle.
twas not long before this secret yielded
itself to the prying search of the wonderful
inventor, who discovered that by coiling
the neck or pipe of the trumpet in pecu.
liar way, and by adding to its convolutions
the faintest sound.wave could be made to
recall itself through the medium
of the diaphragm, upon the recep.
tive plate or matrix, as deeply as the loud
est tone uttered under ordinary conditions.
In short he succeeded in demonstrating the
fact absolutely that by means of proper
mechanical arrangements the volume of
sound capable of being emitted by the
phonograph was actually limitless, and en-.
tirely independent of the application of
steam, air, valves or any exlraneous
force.
Impressed with the value of both these
discoveries, it was natural that Mr.. Edison
should set about combining the two, re.
suit he accomplished with little difficulty,
the operation of which is to be witnessed at
his laboratory in Menlo Park, and which
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