Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-15
THE PHoNoGRAPH.

The photograph, which is now just be-
lsber and time-saver, is of such wonderful
p wer and such apparent limitless posi-
bi..lies, as TO fairly challenge the evidence
OF the senses. If one had constructed such
q machine two hundred years ago he
" nld have been put in peril of the stake.
as possessed by devil and as worker of
witchcraft. 1t is not difficult to see thst
tbs, the most delicate and wonderful of all
OF Mr.. Edison's inventions, is destined
very soon 10 play quite as important part
in the affairs of everyday life as the tee-
phone. Yet, fifteen years ago the latter
was unknown to most people except as a
suggested scientific toy; now it is an essen
tai 10 any considerable business, and a
oo-venient means of communication, de-
pl:vation of which the public would not
submit to for moment The phonograph
seems threat to the shorthand writing
fra eTnity. BY using it, it will be possible
fer the business man to dispense with the
stenographic writer as a secretary TO whom
so many now dictate their private and
otter correspondence. He can deliver his
message into the instrument, which can
then be made TO repeat il in minute or
TIVE upon second one, and thus preserve
erpy, while the original wsxed sheet can
be collapsed and mailed. and thus perfect
secrecy of the correspondence be preserved
ald the cost of the intermediary steno
grepher and typewriter be eliminated
This bare possibility might well make the
sienographers tremble were it DOT for the
fact that every great invention has enlarged
instead of narrowing the field of labor.
The sewing machine, when it first sp
peared, was denounced as the enemy of the
sewing women, but it soon proved to be
their chief blessing. The photograph, as
Mr.. Edison pointed out in a re-
cent paper in the North Ameican
Review, must play an important
part in the perpe:uation OF testimony, for
it preserves the exact information of the
voice, and the spirit, feeling or emotion OF
witness, by As agency, may also be put O.
record for all time. and thus become an
AhClOl dtttl lcNitN vi us ClhI-
aoter and value. 1t WI probably be of
less value for preservation of speeches
since in its present form e heightened de-
livery cannot be recorded without break
ing Il is in correspondence. and the per-
peiuation of messages that its chief value
is found, but these are fields OF iritless
expanse. II has been suggested that it
may be otherwise made TO contribute
greatly to the pleasure and comfort of PEG
pie, and this is unouestionably true, since
certain degree Of accuracy. The volume Of
toe will always be less-tbat fault cannot
probably be removed-but the method and
character of vocalizst;on and of instru-
meutstion can be indicated by the little
machine, and thus it can be made to con-
yey to myriads of people records of orig
inals they never can know. So, too, to the
blind it will become means of instruction
since it can be made TO do their reading for
them without the intervention OF raised
letters and the sense of touch. So, too, il
may be used as a means of reading" TO
invalids 10 the illiterate and others who
may choose to be read 10 rather than 10
read But these are the slight benefits Of
the invention compared TO its value in
business and other correspondence. 1t is q
wonderful WITNESS to the progressiveness Of
the age and the spirit OF discovery and in
ven,ion, and if for years il could be given
no practical value, as scientific toy it is
uuquestionaoly superior to any machine
related to rec riding sound of which The
world has had knowledge, since it is cap.
abe Of such sensitiveness that sounds the
human ear cspnot receive because of their
eelicacy, are recorded by this instrument
sad the evidence of the fact be revealed by
&c microscope.