The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-04
PERSONS AND THINGS.
Statements Gathered From many ot"iss
Times'" Exchanges.


NEARLY fifty years ago the late Commo-
dore Maury, in jesting mood, spoke Oh re-
cording human speech by speaking through
trumpet upon sheet Of paper, ana III
general way described the phonogfaph VI
eraphophOne. This curious prophecy, maue
In Joke. was discovered the other day by
DIR. q. Brown GOOde, director OF the Ma
tional Museum, in looking over the lie Oh
Commodore Maury, recently puDlisneu IN
London. 10 Is contained in letter written
by Commodore Haurv 10 relative IN New
York, dated MAY II, 1874. Al that time
Commodore Maury was superintendent Oh
the Naval Observatory in this city. III Coh-
mOdOre Maury bad been alive and present
when professor GOOde read this letter ne
would have been astOnishpd 10 see what the
professor did lie turned and took up
trumpet and talked into IT, lie was speak
ing not upon piece Of paper, Dut upon
light wax cylinder. When he had finished
speaking he enclosed this little cylinderln
little pastebOard case or box and
mailed IL 10 Mr.. 4. ID. EastOn. the
president Of the Columbia monograph Com
pany. Of this city. Afr. Easton put the
cylinder on a graphOphOne. adjusted the ear
piece % his ear, and then read what TO
lessor Goodies voice had written on the
crlander. IL was COPY Of Commodore
Maury's letter, in which he wrote what
a pity il is that NJ. DaGuerre, instead OF
photography. bad not irN ented process OF
writing BY merely speaking through a trum-
petup0n a sheet Of paperl What glorious
thing il would have been / could then
have mailed our letters in the bOldest hand
and AT snv time. Instead Of saying j
wrote you letter last Monday the phrase
would have been Il spoke YOU a ream last
Tuesday The world would become mere
scribblinQ shOp--a vast book machine.
When out visiting and ysu would wish TO
give the cook an order, YOU would only have
10 haul down the pipe and the cook would
have written order at her feet, and then
there could be no mistake about the pud-
ding. What a convenience that would be
10 hOusekeepers : such a contamination,
though. must be left 10 the generation OF
our children. 10 would be curious thing
if they we're 10 carry on their courtship III
this way
IDAHO's appeal for admission TO Statehood
will probably be the means Of settling one
question which il Of the greatest interest to
the country. and on which there sas been
and is wide difference Of opinion. The
new constitution Of Idaho contains a pro
/ VISION DlIIllE MNIIlNHN lANAi th' '>N'rt'N
of the suffrage. There are many persons OF
that faith i'm the Territory, and the expectS
ton among the Gentle population has been
| that the influx Of MOrnOns would be largely
/ increased if Statehood should be granted
Those Of them now residing in the Territory
are naturally. opposed 20 this provision, and
adelegatiOn ofthcm went % Washington and
made a formal protest against admission i
that clause were retained in the organic law
| Doubt is felt in Congress ~ 20 the cOnstltu
tiOnality Ofthe provision. and the matter has
been referred to the supreme Court which
tribunal is expected 10 make its decision al
an early day. Meanwhile the Senate Com
mittee on Territories. which has the PROPOSE
ton for membership in charge, has deferred
all recommendation uHtn the Court Is
heard from. The country is awaiting the
decision with much concern. Upon II
hinges one Of the most delicate and trouble
some Of the social problems with which th'
country is confronted. II the decision BIZ
adverse TO the pretensiOns Of the AOrmOns
n powerful weapon will be put into th'
hands Of the friends Of private morality
This is not, strictly speaking, matter II
which religious liberty is affected. IL IS
question in which the elemental decenciei
and prOprieties are involved, and touche
the basis on which Christian society rests
] MuilIUUl-nl - "a lut'l'riNhi 0I0t'h - A'
struck at by this proposition, but the crime
Of p0lygamy and It's resulting social i'm
purtiee. infamies. and Generalization j
dealt with.
A RELAPSE Of the grip in the case Of al
indianapolis girl was attended with a spell
Of snee1ing that lasted, with the exception
Of a short time she was under the in
fuenco of chl0r0fOrm, for forty-eight hours
The sufferer, a few bOurs after the spell Sc
i'm, became so weak that she would ial
almost lifeloss on the pillow after eac
parOXysm Of encozing. Her throat swelle
terribly. and for time 10 was feared ia
operation Of trachcotomy would have 20 b
performed. After the sneczing ceased Oh
girl gained strength rapidly, and at last a'
counts she was well advanced towards r.
cOyery. The attending doctors declare th
! euln J.. without Uur4llDI.