Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-04-12
NEW TALKING-M MACHINES.
SOME THINGS EDIsoNS lPHoNo.
: GRAPH WILL ACCOMPLISH.
a Possible Newspaper OF the Future
Photographs i'm Court-A Boon
to Musicians.

a Possible Newspaper of the Future
-Phonosrnphs In Court-A Boon
to Musicians.
AS saving in the time given up to
writing, the photograph promises to far
outstrip the Typewriter. The business
man can dictate to the phonograph as
fast as he can Talk, and the wax cylinder,
inclosed in suitable box, can be sent
haps thousands of miles away. Or else,
as is now done in Mr.. Edison's labora-
tory in Orange, N. j., the typewriter
girl can print out upon paper what her
employer has dictated to the phonograph.
For the reporter, the editor and the
author who can dictate, device has
been adapted to the photograph which
causes it to stop its message ut every
tenth word, and to continue only when
spring is touched. Thus, the editor
can dictate his article to the photograph
rs he does now to his stcGographcr, and
when the printer on the case gets the re-
sulting phonogram the instrument will
dictate to him in short sentences. If he
cannot set up the sentence at one hear
ing, 1t will repeat its ten words. If he
is satisfied, it rings out ten words more.
l really see no reason why the newspa.
per of the future should not come
to tho subscriber in the shape
of phonogram. 1t would have
to begin, however. with q table OF
contents, in order that one might not
have to listen to two hours speech
upon the tariff question in order to get
Mt ten lines of musical notice. But
think what musical critic might be
able to do for his public! He might
give them whole arias from an opera or
movements from symphony, by way of
proof or illustration. The very tones of
mn actors or singers voice might be re-
produced in the morning notice of last
nights important dramatic or musical
event. 1t has been remarked. by the
way, that business letters and orders by
photograph would not be so binding as
when put in black and white upon
paper. A little wax cylinder covered
with microscopic dots would not be con-
sidcred as good evidence in court. But
if the speakers voice, infection, accent,
were so reproduced that witnesses could
swear to the personality, would it not
suii,ce2 How could there be any dis
putc over mans will. when the voice
OF the dead man was hearll
In music, as have already said, the
value of the monograph even in Its
present condition is indisputaLlc AIusi-
clans are divided, and probably always
will be, as to the manner in which Ger
tain famous symphonies ought to be
conducted. The metronome marks used
by Beethoven are but uncertain guides
nj best, while no written directions as TO
dynamic values, expression, etc, are
worth much. The phonograph will at
least make it possible for the musician
of the future to know exactly how OUR
composers wished their music given, for
1t 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 compose: that long sought instru-
ment, an automatic recorder of IMPROVE
sation upon the piano or other instru-
mcnt. In the iar-off future, when our
descendants wish to compare our simple
productions of their own days, requiring,
perhaps, dozen orchestras, playing in
haf dozen different keys at once, they
will have an accurate Photographic rec
ord of our harmonic simplicity.
At present but few of the new pho.
nographs have been finished, and those
N"'s AOt SNAiDtiOh Pun pOSSS. w HUI
then will be offered for sale seems to be
doubtful; probably within few months.
MIR. Edison says that 10y tic beginning
of 1890 the phonogrnph will bc far less
Of a curiosity than the telephone Is now,
and that he could begin selling the in
struments at once if he were fully salts.
fed with them. There is always some
thing which needs improvcing. Just at
present there is needed tunnel for so
magnifying the sound that if the instru-
ments is placed in the center of table
all the persons sitting around can hear
its reading or its music. For the last
year it has been the same story-the
monographs will be ready for sale next
month. Itwas so n year ago, and it may
be so year from now. But these many
delays, which have made people rather
skeptical ms to the doing, of the phono.
graph, do no make the wonders ach eyed
less wonderful, or warrant any doubts ns
to the vast possibiit es which the little
device contains. -Atlantic Monthly.