Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-02-08
THE TALKING MACHINE,


Some of the Possibilities of the New
Invention by Edison.
AS saving in the time given up to
writing, the phonograph promises Co
far outstep the typewriter. The busl-
ness man can dictate to the phonogrsph
as fast as he can talk, and the wax
cylinder, inclosed in suitable box, can
be sent off by mail to read out its mes
sage perhaps thousands of miles away.
Or else, as is now done in Mr.. Edlson's
labratory in Orange, N. j., the type.
writer girl oan print out upon paper
what her employer has dictated to the
phonograph. For the reporter, the
editor and the author who can dictate
a device hes been adapted to the phouo-
graph which csusts 1t to stop it's mes
sage ct every tenth WORD, and to con
tinue only when spring is touched.
Thus, the editor can dictate bis article
to tho phOnograph as he does now to
his stenogrspher. and when she printer
at the case gets the resulting phono--
gram ths instrument will dictate to him
In short sentences. II he cannot set up
the sentence at one hearing. it will re-
peat its ten words. Ii he is satisfied, ii
reads ont ten words more. | really see
no reason why the newspaper of the fu-
ture should not come to the subscriber
In the shape of phonogrsm. 1t would
have to begin. however, with q table OF
contents in order that one might not
have to listen to q two hours speech
upon the tariff question in order to get
at ten lines of @ musical notice. But
think what musical editor might be able
to do for his publicl He might give them
whole arias from an opera or movements
from symphony, by way of proof or
illustration. Fbe very tones OF an actor g
or singers voice might be reproduced in
the morning notice OF last nights i'm
portant dramatic or musical event. 1t
has been remarked, by the way, that
| business letters and orders by phono-
graph would not be 80 binding as when
put in black and white upon paper. 4
little wax cylinder covered with micro.
scopic dots would not be considered as
good evidence in court. But il the
speakers voice. infection, accent, were
so reproduced that witnesses conld swear
to the personality, would IL not suffice ?
How could there be any dispute over o
/ mans will when the voice OF the dead
man was heard?
In musc, as l have already said, the
value OF the photograph even IN its
present condition is indisputsble
Musicians are divided, and probably el-
! ways will be, as TO the manner in which
| certain famous symphonies ought TO be
conducted. The metYomme marks used
| by Beethoven are but uncertain guides
at best. while no writtea directiops Of
to dynamic values, expression, ETC., are
worth much. The phonoRraph will OF
least make it possible for the musician
| of the future to know exactly how our
composers wished their music given, for
| it Will repeat that music as played to-
day, with every shade OF expression
with all its Infinite changes OF time
| Moreover, the phonograph Will offer to
the composer that long-soughs in
strument, an automatic recorder of i'm
provision upon the piano or other in.
strument. In the fer.of future, when
our descepdepts wish TO compare our
simple little Wagner operas with the
complex productions OF their own days
requiring, perhaps. dozen orchestres
playing in half dozen different keys Of
once, they will have an accurate phono-
graphic record Of our harmonic simplic.
ity.
At present but few OF the new phono.
graphs have been finished, and those
only for exhibition purposes. When
they will be offered for sale seems to be
doubtful; probably within few mon tbs
Mr.. Edison says that by the beginning
of 1890 the photograph will be far less
of curiosity than the telephone is now,
and that he could begin selling the in.
struments at once II he were fully salts.
fed with them. There is always some
thing which needs improving. Just al
present there is needed funnel for 80
magnifying the sound that if the instru-
ment is placed in the center OF table
all the persons sitting around can hea,
its reading or its music. For the lest
year it has been the same story--the
monographs would be ready for sale
next month. 1t was 30 year ago, and
it may be so year from now. Blu,
these many delays, which have been
made people rather ekepticnl as to the
doings Of the monographs, do not make
the wonders already achieved less
wonderful, or warrant any doubts ss e
tie vast possibilities which the little de
vice contains.-Febru Atlantic.