Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-09
THE MARVEL5 OF A GREAT IN
VEETION.

In June, 1878, Mr. Edison contributed
to the North american Repiew an article on
"The Photograph and Its Future" pre-
dieting the uses to which it would be put.
In exactly ten years he sends second pa
per to the same journal, this time on, THE
Perfected Phonograph." He now claims
that the future spoken of in the first paper
has arrived. He claims that in the
photograph we now find an illustration of
the truth that human speech is governed
by the laws of number, harmony and
rythm, and that by the application of
these laws we can register in visible lines
and dots the equivalent for the emission of
sound through the lips. He announces it
as an extraordinary fact that while the
deepest tone our ears are capable of recog
nizing contains sixteen vibrations to
the second, the photograph will re-
cord a tone of but ten yibra-
tions, and can then raise the pitch
until we hear a reproduction from them.
So, too, vibrations above the highest rate
audible to the human ear can be recorded
on the phonograph and reproduced by
lowering the pitch. Thus by this instru-
ment we actually attain to something of
realization of the idea that has been en-
tertained that there are sounds to which
the human ear is not attuned and Of which
it is impossible for us to have a proper
conception. Thus the photograph will
give US notes for which we have no musi-
cal forms of expression, and will produce
for Us a record of pulsations of sound
waves that at present we are incapable of
estimating at their correct value, and
which in fact we never can hear in their
true pitch.
Describing his perfected photograph
Mr.. Edison places greatest stress upon the
steadiness of motion secured to the revol-
wing cylinder by an electric motor, and
upon the wax in place of the tin foil re-
ceiver Of the impressions. In the first in
struments exhibited ten years ago the
cylinder was revolved by hand or clock
work, the impression plate was tin foil,
and the machines were purposely made
heavy and coarse that the reproduced
tones might be heard in large halls. In
the new machine, however, every thing is
sacrificed to lightness, accuracy and deli
cacy of vibrations of the diaphragm and of
the record receiver. Instead of tin
foil the cylinder is wrapped with sheet
of wax, and this receives tracery of lines
and dots from the stylus of the diaphragm,
against which the voice is thrown, that is
so delicate it often cannot be followed by
the eye. 4 single wax sheet can be used
some fifteen or twenty times, by each record
being shaved of by parer provided; or,
if it is desired 70 preserve the record, it
can lie slipped OF and ;.ut away. For re-
producing the record IN speech, the sheet
is placed beneath reproducing diaphragm
and IKE cylinder rotated in as before.
A stylus attached to the diaphragm fol-
lows the indentations, and the puisltious
are thus repeated and the wave motions
of the atmosphere conveyed to the eai by
a funnel-shaped device. There are va
riety Of attachments and keys for del
catel adjusting the machine and for sus-
pending the reproduction of sound when
it goes on too fast for Il copyist. Il is diff
cult to understand low one Of these wax
sheets can he used thousands OF times for
reproduction Of its record in audible
speech sith unfinished clearuess, as Mr..
Edisoa asserts It would seem that after
a few passages ofthe stylus point the fac
indentations would become worn OF changed
SO As to destroy their accuracy, but we
have Mr. Edison's assertion that it is not
true in practice.
Now as to the uses of the monograph
lei Us follow the inventor for moment
The exact method OF player of music
my he transmitted in sound to future
generations, or the precise tone of a
seekers voice, and as wax sheets rec
orJ can be geographically multiplied
endlessly there will be no limit to the
capacity to place these tones within the
reach of all people. For letter-writing and
dic.ation to be carried on without the
aid Of a stenographer; the teaching of
elocution; the reproduction of music; the
creation of family record for preserving
the tones of voices and the sayings of
members of the family for hearing by I'M
born generations; the construction of
clocks that shall speak the hours for
certain duties; the preservation of Ian
guages, by exact reproduction of the man
ner of pronouneing; for preserving the
explanations Of teachers; for connection
with the telephone to make that invention
an auxiliary in the transmission of perma-
nent and invaluable records-these are
some of the uses and applications possible
for the photograph suggested by Mr..
Edison, and he adds that by storing
up music, oratory, dramatic recitals,
witty speeches and stories, proceed
ings at banquets, receptions and
&c 'ebrations, it can be made a source of
endless amusement to invalids or to social
assemblies. Thus, he says, "any one sit
ting in his room alone may order an as
sorted supply of wax cylinders inscribed
with songs, piano or violin music short
Stories dialect recitals, etc, and by putting
them under his phonograph, he can listen
to them as originally delivered" Indeed,
he holds that whole operas may be thus
stored, and that in four cylinders, eight
inches long by five in diameter, he can put
the whole of "Nicholas Nickleby."
He goes to the length Of predicting that
Photographic newspaper bulletins viii be
issued on wax cylinders and the speeches
of orators, clergymen and statesmen be
kept on tap in photograph exchanges.
These suggestions of Mr.. Edison are by
no means all he puts forth to illustrate
the usefulness and possibilities of the pho
nosraph, but there IS one he has not in