Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-01-31
speAKlNo NEwsPApERs.

seEAklNo nEwsPAegss
Ealson,s Latest idea and Emile Ber1lneEeU
MsFyeloua GramOphone.
The latest developments of the Phon-
ograph is project Of Thomas A Ed
ison,-t the inventor. TO produces m1-
chine that shall tell. the news OF the
preceding day by word of mouth. and
be in effect q talking newspaper Con-
densed reports of interesting events
will be talked into'' the instrument.
which will record what is said on the
wax cylinder or phonogram. The
phonogram will then be duplicated in
electro plates. which can be distrib-
uted and used in the monographs of
subscribers. f,s.t .sbs--F - s5
The latest Developments of talking
machines is the gramophone, which
differs materially from the phonograph
and the graphophone. 1t is the inven-
ton Of Emile Berliner. who recently
gave private exhibition of its pow
ers in this city. In this machine a ro-
tary motion is given to a thin disk of
metal. eleven inches in diameter, COW
cred with a very delicate etching
ground. on which a 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 vail
last as long as the plate. For COM
merclal purposes medium of sealing
wax can be used. upon which treat
ment with alcohol fixes the record in
fifteen seconds Fsb azf8
At the exhibition here reproduced
playing of a German band filled the
room. Mr. Berliner said that at an
exhibition given in Washington it 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 incidentally 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 by 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. $50 hs -
The striking characteristic of the in
strument is power. In some cases.
however. there was slightly burning
sound. When Mr.. Berliner's attention
oil 41 - ~ h. ,1.sx ~
this was the fault of the medium. De-
taching the stylus from the instrument.
he drew it over the back of the meta
record disk. The sound lacked dis
tinctness. He then passed the stylu>
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 yitre-
Gus material" he said, land then my
machine will be perfect" n --sF - ~, q
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 a few
friends" and has no one to sing for
them. A disk of Patti in La Sonnam.
bula, or Gerster in Lucia, is put int.
the instrument, and every one is de-
lighted. If a little instrumental music
is wanted. Joseffy, on a List rhapsodie,
will probably fill the bill If the young
people want dance. the latest waltz.
rendered in the most approved FASH
ion. may be reproduced.
No turning of the handle is neces-
sary, as small electric motor can be
used, and the gramophone will go on
playing as long as it is wanted.-N. Y.
Commercial-Adve