The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-07-05
SPEAKING NEWSPAPERS

Edls0n's Latest Idea and Emile BorlIne1D
Marvellous Gramophone.
Tho latest development Of the phon-
ograph Is a project Of Thomas L Ed
ison, the inventor. to produce . ma
chine that shall tell the news Of the
preceding day by word Of mouth. and
b In effect a talking newspaper. Con-
densed reports Of interesting events
will be ''talked intor the instrument
which will record what Is said on the
wax cylinder or phonogram. The
monogram will then be duplicated In
electro plates, which can be distrib-
uted and used in the monographs o(
sdbscr<bers
The latest development Of talking
machines 10 tho gramophone. which
differs materially from the phonograph
and the graphophone. It Is the inven-
ton Of Emile BerlineP, who recently
gave private exhibition Of itss pow.
ers in this city. In this machine ro-
tary motion is given to q thin Disk OF
metal, eleven inches In diameter, Gov.
eted with a very delicate etching
ground, on which stylus presses
lightly and traces the waves Of speech,
or other sounds, that enter the mouth
piece. The plate is then put into an
acid bath, and in a few minutes the re-
cord is etched into the metal and will
last as long as the plate. For com.
mercial purposes a medium Of sealing
wax can be used. upon which treat
ment with alcohol fixes the record Ia
fifteen seconds.
At tho exhibition here reproduced
playing Of q German band filed the
room. Mr.. Berliner said that at an
exhibition given in Washington 1t was
distinctly heard ty FIVE hundred per
sons. The accuracy Of pitch was some
what unpleasantly evident. 1t must
have been toward the end Of the day
when the strains OF the German
band foated into the mouthpiece,
and the leader was probably weary.
for his tone was undeniably fat and
spasmodic. But the fidelity Of the re-
production was beyond question, and
all the shakes and gradations Of tone
were distinctly given. marching
Through Georgia" was rendered with
fine effect "A test was made Eby Mr..
Berliner to show the accuracy OF re-
produced language, and the history Of
Humpty Dumpty's great final catas'
trophe was Immediately heard and
recognized word for word.
The striking characteristic Of the In
strument is power. In some cases,
however, there was a slightly burning
sound. When Mr.. Berliner's attention
was called to this, he explained that
this was the fault Of the medium. De.
taching the stylus from the instrument,
he drew 1t over the back Of the metal
record disk. The sound lacked dis.
tinctness. He then passed the stylus
over the window pane. and the differ
ence was striking; the sound WAS now
clean cut, soft and almost musical.
II shall soon have plate Of vitre-
GUS material" he said, land then my
machine will be perfect"
Though the gramophone is intended
for commercial use. its immediate mis-.
sion, Mr.. Berliner thinks, Is to pro-
vide means Of amusement for concert
halls or parlors, which will be always
available. The hostess "has few
friends" and has no one to sing for
them. A disk of Patti in La 6onnam.
bulR, or Gerster in Lucia, Is put into
the instrument, and every one Is de-
lighted. II little instrumental music
is wanted, Joseffy, on List rhapsodie,
will probably fill the bill 1.-THE young
people want dance, the latest waits,
rendered in the most approved fash.
ion, may be reproduced.
No turning Of the handle is neces-
sary, as o small electric motor can be
used, and the gramophone will 60 On
playing as long as it is wanted-N. Z.
Observation-Disclosures.