The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-05-09
Edison ON His Phonograph.

Mr.. Edison gives in the current
North american RevteW his notions con-
cerning the future of his very interest
ing invention, the phopograph. We
believe that he himself has invented
many things beside which he deems
quite equal in merit and Importance to
this novelty which has so caught the
public attention, among them many of
the most valuable developments in teleg-
raphy. But he has now set himself to
the extension and application of the
principle of the phonograph, confessing
that he himself is as yet ''in some-
what chaotic condition of mind" as to
its limits, since mere trifle may to-
morrow extend almost indefinitely its
possibilities. What is already accom-
plished we have recently made some
account of. Mr.. Edison has now near
ly completed a new form of apparatus
which will be competent to many of the
uses which he foresees, but new appli-
cations will then arise, SO that the
phonograph as it may be is yet good
ways in the future.
The new will be, he says, the stand
ard phonograph, adapted expressly to
itorial work, etc. Writing letter by
phonograph involves for its perfect
value the possession of a phonograph
by the one who receives it, though if
he had none, the writing might still be
done and the secretary or clerk thus
dictate to himself at his leisure the
letter he must copy. The sheets of
foil prepared for the purpose Of trans
mitting in envelopes are now made with
the spiral grooves in which the jeweled
point moves set so close together that
about 40, 900 words may be inscribed on
each sheet. These sheets can be filed
away and kept as records, and will
biy,, that tferw wllr pe no nlndfance' ny
villainous bad handwriting. 1t is Mr..
Edison's opinion that printer would
rather set up copy from hearing the ut
terance of a phonograph, than from
written page. He has a thought for
the sick in hospital, and talks of their
having photographic sheets prepared
from the voices Of professional readers
in rendering poems, descriptions, ora
tions, or even entire books, which may
be put into the phonograph again and
reeled off to entertain these patients
withal; and the same way for music.
In touching upon the possible value of
this instrument in preserving Ian
guages, Mr.. Edison hits upon q want
in regard to certain tongues of ethno-
logical value, as of our Indians, that
really need this process, which seems
invented for their preservation when
the few survivors of their race have
disappeared.
Finally, however, Mr.. Edison in
tends that the photograph shall per.
feet the telephone, and the combined
instrument revolutionize present sys-
TENS of telegraphy. There will be no
difficulty, he explains, in achieving this
combination. Both Inventions cause .
plate or disk to vibrate, and produce
sound waves in harmony with their
source. 1t may easily be devised that
the same disk shall both transmit and
record the message; and, asks Edison,
"What system Of telegraphY can ap-
proach that?" A similar combination
at the other end of the wire will enable
the receiver to bear the message while
it is recorded. Mr.. Edison has al
ready got a new instrument which he
calls the Carbon telephone. nearly
to the point of accomplishing this re-
suit. 1.-THE telegraph company of the
FUTURE" he predicts, "will be simply
an organization having huge system
of wires, central and sub-central sta
tions, managed by skilled attendants,
whose sole duty it will be to keep wires
in proper repair, and give, by switch
or shunt arrangement, prompt atten-
ton to subscriber No. 923 in New York,
when he signals his desire to have pri-
vate communication with subscriber
No. 1901 in Boston, fort hree minutes"
Springfield (Mass Republican.