The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-08
REPORTED By PHONoGRAPH.
\ Political Address Eccled OF Metal
Cylinder.

New YORK, October ~. The first at
tempt to record Il public speech by
means of the phonograph was mace
last Thursday evening ut Il Democratic
rally in the Park Rink in Orange. Very
few of the 5000 people present knew
that the curious funncl-shaped arrange
ment just in front Of the platform was
there for that purpose. 1t in fact re-
ported the greater portion of Governor
Green's speech ant that OF ex-senator
Winfield.
The funnel. seven feet long, looking
| like 4 huge cornucopia, WAS placed III
front of the platform, with the large
end pointing toward il. The small end
WAS connected with the tranSnltter OF
the phouograph. which stood upon 4
T. hlc about nineteen feet distant from
the mouth Of the speaker. OWN" t"
lack q! Recommendations the large end
of the funnel WAS not so placed as 10
secure the best results. 1t WAS about SIN
feet lower than it was designed to be,
and WAS not directly in front OF the
speaker. Nevertheless, the expert
ment appcars to have been very success
full.
The phonoyrarh WAS operated by
Theodore Wanyrnlann and an assistant,
who are connected with the Edison
laboratory. Eighteen cylinders were
used. and the portions OF speeches
which were taken occupied nearly two
hours. I'll cylinder would last about
seven minutes. and then it had to be
replaced with new one. There wasa
slight break caused 10y the changing OF
the cylinders, but this difficulty can
easily be obviated by using two ma
chimes. The breaks, however, are not
serious. At the Edison laboratory yes
terday afternoon the change Was ac-
conpliShed in eight seconds.
After the meeting an exhibition was
given of the powers Of the instrument.
Several persons put the tubes to their
ears, and the pleased and wonder struck
expressions of their countenances testl-
fed that they heard and understood
what the machine said. Among these
was Editor D. y. Dugan of the Orange
Herald, who claims the honor of being
the first to publish a speech reported by
the phonograph. Mr.. Dugan says that
he could hear not ONLY every word dis
tinctly, as reported by the machine
after it had been carried to his office,
but he could distinguish the infections
and hear the applause and cheers ana
music of the band as plainly as though
they had actually been repeated. The
advantage Of the phonograph over
stenography, he says, is that one can
get a faithful reproduction of the whole
scene. Its accuracy can be absolutely
relied upon.
At the Edison laboratory the phono-
graph was put in operation, and the
reporter, by putting the tubes to his
ears, heard INCORPORATION of ex-senator
Winfield's speech.
"Protection! Protection! Protection
for monopolies and trusts" said the
phonograph. 1t sounded as though we
were sitting in large hall close by the
platform and listening to Il speaker OF
deep, sonorous voice of extraordinary
power. So real did it seem that one
was surprised not to see the orator
whose vehement questions he could
picture. At the conclusion of his re-
marks, there arose a perfect storm Of
cheers, mingled with the clapping of
hands and the stamping of feet. There
could be heard a confused mass Of
sounds as ofan audience rising to their
feet and dispensing, amid conversation,
laughter and the playing OF Il band.
The phonograph does not confine it
self to utterances made for the benefit
of the public. During one OF the
speeches the chairman Of the meeting
addressed a remark to Il brother politi-
clan, over which they both laughed.
Both the remark and the laughter were
recorded by the tranSnitter.
Experiments are constantly being
made upon the machine, and new
and better form Of cylinders IS in pro-
cess of construction. Within two weeks
another attempt will bemade, probably
at Orange, to take public speech by
the use of the phonograph. For this
purpose funnel has been constructed
smaller than the one used before and of
different shape. With this it is expected
to attain even better results than on
last Thursday evening.