The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-01-01
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Tssicr the Cosi 81 Posiaee-
LAWYER Edwin II. Fox returned or
Friday from Mexico. whittier he went n
the interest Of Thomas Edison to arrange
the legal featares Of q contract with tn'
government for the general introduction
Of the phonograph in the postofiiees O
that country. he gave yesterday scs1s
details Of his mission. which. as ALREADY
announced. was successful. and Of iht
enterprise Of which il WAS a preliminary
The contract was obtained for com
many which John NJ. Cebailos. OF =
Wall street. is now forming. 1t gives
the proposed company the exclusive
right for fifteen years to place pilono
graphs ia the pastoaiccs Of the rePuolie
for the use Of people who cannot read OF
write. The charge iof single phono-
graphic message has not yet been liked
il may be but medic. or SIX and nan
cents. and il may he real. or thirteen
cents To this charge must be added
one ~ ten ceuss Tor postage. which Is
the rate at which ic,.crs are carried
from one part Of Mexico to another. al
tl,ough a letter may be sent from Mexico
60 this country for only i've cents The
hieher charge seems moderate when Il
is known that the sender OF message
will be- entitled to talk a thousand words
into the phonograph-
VIXEN ae has said his say, the cylinder
containing his message viii be inclosed
in piper box. addressed by postofiice
clerk 70 its destination. and. after Oeins
stamped. will be mailed ike an ordinary
letter. The recipient Of the cylinder can
either have the message spoken out &c
him by the phonograph in the nearest
,,asiofIi-e. or he can have II Transcribed
on paper Tor future reference. II every
pltron Of the phonograph sends thousand
word messages and every recipient IN
sisis on having them transcribed, the
Edison Phonograph company OF Mexico
will lose money. but il is calculated that
the messages will average certainly not
ANYTHING like the tenth and perhaps not
even the twentieth part Of the limit. The
persons who are expected 70 use tie
monographs now employ scriveners to
writetheir letters for them. The scriv-
eners will probably have to do something
else when the Photographs are set up.
Hv the terms OF the contract the com
nany is TO take care Of the machines and
keep them in order. This viii not Ia
rolve iis having an agent at each post
Office al which there is a phonograph
for il is bound 20 instruct one of The
postoffice clerks in the use Of the ma
cline. and the time consumed IN tins
way and in sending and receiving mes
sa-es is to be allowed for. The company
Is 10 get a rental for the use Of the ma
chimes. and what remains Of the proceeds
after deducling a small percentage foi
the government. As already intimated
al expenses are to be borne by the com
panv. 80 that whatever the government
gets VIII be clear gain. Only the large
postcfices will at first be provided witt
monographs. but il is expected that il
the course Of time the use Of the instru
ments viii become quite general
The machines are TO be made at Mr
aaNAWiNAl = AsAAAhA az NfAttAtEaN tt-+N ~+AN -
Mexico as wanted. but there viii alst
have TO be a local establishment in th,
city Of Mezico where repairs viii b
made and business connected with The
enterprise t.s.ssacted. As the company
expects TO sell many Of :he machines Il
the general public, a salesroom viii b'
p-rt OF this establishment.
AIR. Fox took three monographs e
Mexico with him. one as a present foi
President Diaz. which poured out the in
strumeutal and other music which Mr.
Edison had poured into it at the labora
tory in Orange. where concerts are still
given. with monographs for auditors
several times a week. President Diai
was quick 10 learn how 10 use the ma
chine. and he sent back by Mr.. Fox ;
cylinder containing a message in Spanisl
congramlating Mr. Edison on his greai
invention and himself that Mexico wa
to get the benefit of it.-New York Sun