Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1889-11-15
EDISON STUMBLED OMIT.
How the Wizard OF MenIo Park Happened
to Invent the Phonograph.

Il have never seen in print true
account of how Thomas A. Edison first
conceived the idea of the phonograph, "
remarked an electrician who was at
one time in the ..Wizzard's" employ to
n. \. World reporter. The phono-
graph is the wonder of the world, and
one of the few inventions which
envious rivals have not charged Edison
with having stolen. In fact, even his
bitterest rivals for fame, all of whom
appear to harbor the idea that it is
their duty to detract from his reputa-
ton for genius and honesty. as a rule
concede that Edison did really invent
the phonograph.' 1t is an interesting
story how he came To invent it. Many
wears ago. when Edison was still at
Menl" Park and working night and
day for fame. he devoted months to
perfecting the telephone, and undoubt-
edly did more than any other inventor
TO make it practical by introducing the
carbon plate into the transmitter
While experimenting on diaphragms
for the telephone, Edison had construct
ed number of small sheepskln drum.
heads. 10 test their value as diaphragms
a. compared with metal and other sub
stances.
TO some Of these sheepskin dia.
phragms he had attached n small metal
needle. which was intended to project
toward the magnet and assist in con-
veying the vibrations caused by the
human voice The xheepskin dia.
phragms did not fulfil Edison's expecta.
tons and he discarded them and. as
usual with appliances he decides to be
useless, they were thrown aside to be
removed with other rubbish
His assistants soon discovered that
by holding the shecpskin diaphragms
In front Of their mouths and emitting
a cultural sound between the lips q
peculiar noise approaching music could
be produced. Ii Was something similar
20 the alleged music produced by cover.
ing 4 cemb with thin paper and hum.
ming tune on il. In passing one ol
the men engaged In playing on dia-
phragm one day. Edison playfully at
tempted to stop the noise by touching
the projecting metsl pin with his
finger. and 40 s.oncr had he t!enc &C
than h- gave one of his peculiar starts.
'Eh. What's that?' said he which so
s>t"ni,hed the performer that he
dropped the diaphragm Do tina,
again. said the Wizard and it was
repeated. and again his finger touched
the pin to hi. evident delight. He
went about for som" time asking one
after another Of his assistants to hum
or sing against the diaphragm. and
iinall, h" got them /" talking against it.
be all the time touching tn. pin lightly
with hi, nuser.
II have it. SAID he. ;iH4..H, and he
retired Ia his den and commenced
drawing diagrams for new machinery.
which his assistants spcedily made. and
y few days later the hrst photograph
WAS put together. Ii was crude
affair. the pin mailing An impression on
MAY and it talked imperf-ctly. but it
did we'll enough to show Edison that he
WAS on III. right track. and he rapidly
improved il until now it is very nearly
perfection. A hundred men might
have felt tn. vibration of that pin at
taehe'i la the piece ot sheepskin. but it
took All Edison To- instantly realize that
the vibrations might be made to in
dent u soft substance and he suscepti-
BILE of repr"ducing the exact sounds Of
the human voice that caused the differ
en-, vibrations. The ph"nograph vas
regarded ~ Is Toy at first. but it sold
for n million dollars recently"