The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-02-10
The NEW PHoNoeRAPH.


What Mr.. EDISON Claims for His Recess
structed "TaIking Machine-"
The statement that Mr.. Edison has
perfected his phonograph and given if
practical value il not SO startling - the
invention itself was when originally
produced. some ten years since With
telephones. electric lights and electric
railways, we are becoming accustomed
TO departures from tradition. and new
invention must be very remarkable in
deed to excite any more than momen-
tary surprise We are not quite sure
that the public would be much stirred
from its customary equanimity II tie
Keely motor we're shown to working
practicability. though this. we confess.
would be pretty strong test Of the
theory suggested
But whether startling or not, the
prospect of a working phonograph is
very pleasing one. Every body viii re-
member what hopes of usefulness were
built upon the invention when first
brought out, and how those hopes were
crushed when the inventor announced
that it would never have anY value save
as toy. Now the inventor assures the
world that in its improved form the
toy will do all that was once hoped
from it and much more. The man of
business will no longer need stenog-
rapher or typewriter. but viii be able
to dictate directly to his phonosraph.
sending the impressions therein pro-
duced TO his distant correspondent. who
| viii reproduce them in his own instru-
| ment- Copy for the printer viii be
prepared in the same way. The testi-
| mony of witnesses will be so perpetu-
ated that on subsequent trials or hear
| ings it can not only be reproduced with
absolute accuracy in its minutest de-
| tails, but with all those individual
characteristics of hesitancy. frmness.
| etc, which count for so much in esti-
mating the value of testimony.
Music is to be the stronghold of the
reconstructed phonograph as it was OF
the toy Not only win it reproduce
| the human voice in its melodic or har-
monic efforts. but instrumental music
of every kind. It viii go so far. indeed.
as to reproduce orchestral effects in
such manner that the critical ear can
detect all the different instruments ~
readily as in listening to the orchestra
| itself. It is said, moreover, that one
who is an adept in such matters can
tell from the phonographie reproduc-
| ton what make of piano was used in
the orchestra. And as the photographic
sheets can be duplicated rapidly and
cheaply it viii cost the owner of pho
nograph practically nothing 30 hear
opera, operate concerts. or the playing
of the great vielinist or pianists. The
effect may be bad on the opera houses.
but the public at large viii be greatly
benefited and proited.
Naturally there will be as soon as
the new phonograph comes on the
market revival of the flood of comic
suggestions with which the invention
was originally greeted. We shall be
told how useful the jealous husband or
wife can make it and now valuable II
will prove in breach of promise cases.
where the reproduction of tones is al
most as desirable as of words. But the
inventor can stand good deal Of this
sort of fun -chestnutty though it ISL
his invention is what he now declares
it to be.-Desroit Free Press.
| -
1 "A gentleman in London thought
lessly omitted to remove his cork leg!
before bathing. The laws of natur,
are seldom suspended in behalf of in
dividuals. and they were not in thi
case. The gentleman was suspendet
instead. In the water the legs at onc'
assumed a superior position. and main
tanned the upper hand of the gentle
man. so to speak, in spite of his mos
!. violent struggles. He would have beel
drowned had it not been for timely as
sistance.
Captain A. Il. Milestone. of Rot
: inson Springs, Ala. has in his posses
sion q trowel that his father, Rev
Jacob Milestone, owned and used /
the year 1876. He has also ehai
which was one among the first hl
father used after his marriage in 179s
This chair. Mr.. MILESTONE says. Wa
| made in South Carolina out of hickorJ