The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-03-20
NEW TALKlNG-M MACHINES,
soME THINGS EDISoNS iPHoNo
GRAPH WILL ACCOMPLISH.

A Possible Newspaper of the Future
-PhonographS In Court-A Boon
to Musicians.
As saving in the time given up to
writing, the phonograph 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 a suitable box, can be sent
off by mail to read out its message per-
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, a device has
been adapted to the phonograph which
causes it to stop its message at every
tenth word, and to continue only when
a spring is touched. Thus, the editor
can dictate his article to the phonograph
as he does now to his stenographer and
when the printer on the case gets the re.
sulting phonogram the instrument will
dictate to him in short sentences. IL he
cannot set up the sentence at one hear
ing 1t will repeat its ten words. II 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 the subscriber in the shape
of phonogram. 1t would have
TO begin, however. with a table Of
contents, in order that one might not
have to listen to a two hours speech
upon the tariff question in order to get
L .
think what a musical critic might be
able to do for his public lie might
give them whole arias from an opera or
movements from a symphony, by way OF
proof or illustration. The very tones OF
an 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 lie con-
sidered 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
sufiice2 How could there be any dis
pute over a mans will, when the voice
OF the dead man was heardI
In music, as have already said, the
value of the phonograph even in Its
present condition is indisputable. Musi-
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
at 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
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 sought lnstru-
ment, an automatic recorder of improvi-
sation upon the piano or other instru-
ment. In the far.of future, when our
descendants wish TO compare our simple
little Wagner operas with the complex
productions Of their own days. requiring,
perhaps, a dozen orchestras, playing in
half dozen different keys at once, they
will have an accurate phonographlc rec
ord of our harmonic simplicity.
At present but few of the new pho
nographs have been finished, and those
only tor exhibition purposes. When
then will be offered for sale seems to be
doubtful; probably within few months.
Mr.. Edison says that by the beginning
of 1890 the phonograph will be 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 improveing. just at
present there is needed a 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
na,+--H 1t was so year ago, and 1t may
be so year from now. But these many
delays, which have made people rather
skeptical as to the doings of the phono-
graph, do no make the wonders achieve
less wonderful, or warrant any doubts as
TO the vast possibilities which the little
device contains. Atlantic Monthly.