Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-12-19
TO TALK BY MAIL.
now IGNORANT MExIcANs WILL
SEND LETTERS.
The Photograph Put to Very PRACTICAL
Use.


from Mexico. whittier he went in the
interest of Thomas A. Edison 10 III
range the legal features OF coh'rao'
with the Government for the genera
introduction of the phonograpn III 'no
Postoffices of that country. he ea''
some details of his mission, which, 10
already announced, was SUCCESSFUL
and of the enterprise of winch IL was
a preliminary.
The contract was obtained for COM
many which John NJ. Ceballos OF oo
Wall street is now forming. IL gives
the proposed company the exclusive
right for fifteen years to place phono-
graphs in the Post Offices of the repuo-
lie for the use of people who cannot
road or write. The charge for single
Photographic message has not YET peo"
fixed; it may be but medic OF Ola
and half cents, and it may be a real
mr. thirteen cents. To this charge must
he added one of ten cents for postage
which is the rate at which letters are
carried from one part of Mexico to an
other, although letter may De SEM
from Mexico to this country for only
five cents. The higher charge seems
moderate when it is known that tho
sender of a message will be entitled to
talk a thousand words into the phono-
oranh When he has said his say, the
cylinder containing his message WIN
be enclosed in paper box, adaresSeu
by a Post Office clerk to its destination
and, after being stamped, will be mall
ed like an ordinary letter.
The recipient of the cylinder can
either have the message spoken out 10
him by the phonograph in the nearest
most Office, or he can have it transcribed
ON paper for future reference. II
every patron Of tho photograph SENDS
thousand-word messages and every
recipient insists on having them trans
c,ibed, the Edison Monograph Com
many of Mexico will lose money, bu
il is calculated that the messages WI
average certainly not anything like TN
tenth and perhaps not even the TWEEN
tieth part of the limit. The person.
who are expected to use the phono
graphs now employ scriveners to writ
their letters for them. The scrivener
will probably have to do something
else when tie monographs are set up
Bv the terms of the contract tn
company is to take care Of the ma
chimes and keep them in order. Ihi
will not involve its having an agent
each Post Office at which there IS
monograph, for it is bound to instru'
one of the Post Office clerks in the us
of the machine, and the time consume
IN this way and in sending and recei'
ing messages is to be allowed for. Al
company is to get rental for the "
of the machines, and what remains
the proceeds after deducting sma
! percentage for the Government. 4
: already intimated all expenses are
be borne by the company so that wha
ever the Government gets will be clei
gain. Only the large Post Offices w
at first be provided with phonograph
but it is expected that in the course
time the use of the instruments vi
become quite general.
: The machines are to be made at NJ
Edison's factory at Orange and sent
Mexico as wanted, but there viii al
have to be local establishment in 4
City of Mexico, where repairs will
made and business connected with t
enterprise transacted. As the compal
: expects TO sell many of the mschin
to the general public, salesroom W
be part of the establishment.
Mr.. Fox took three Photographs
Mexico with him, one as present t
President Diaz, which poured out {
instrumental and other music Mr.. r
soli had poured into it at the laboral
~ In Orange, where concerts are q
given, with monographs for audito
several times a week. President ID
was quick to learn how to use
phonograph, and he sent back by y
Fox a cylinder containing a mesa
in Spanish congratulating Mr.. Eds
| on his svrcat invention and hime