St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-08

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room on the second floor of the laboratory in
which Mr.. Edison was sitting.
He was deep in thought, and did not seem
to notice that we had entered; but when Mr..
Dickson spoke to him he drew two chairs
close together sat down on one, babe me be
seated on the other, and signified that he was
ready to be questioned.
1t is said to be popularity of Mr. Edisons
habit of thought that he cares comparatively
little for what he has done, and dwells with
pleasure on the prospect of what he is about
to do. This would seem to be true with re-
gard to his estimate of the kaleidoscope. He
speaks of the nickel-in-the- machine that
we have just been considering as though it
were mere toy, but becomes enthusiastic in
unfolding the future greatness of the inven-
ton.
"Mr. Edison" said 1, ''what do you expect
to accomplish in the development OF the
kinetoseope?"
81 expect to be able to reproduce a whole
opera, showing the people on the stage in
their natural size and moving around, and to
make their voices heard just as they sang and
talked. expect to be able to show any cele-
brated orator on the platform delivering a
speech, SO that people may see how he looked
and acted and hear the sound of his voice.
This l will do by throwing the scenes from
the kaleidoscope On large screen by means
OF stereopticon, and having the sounds is
sue from monograph at the proper moment
to comport with the movements of those who
made them,
Il may say that this has already been done.
Down in the library perhaps you noticed
large white screen. extending across one end
of the room, wound upon a ratchet roller.
l have also stereepticon, and with these.
the kaleidoscope and the monograph, we have
reached some very satisfactory results. It
will be some time, however, before we secure
that absolute perfection which we aim to
achieve before we give any public axhibi-
tons, You should see the figures on the
screen" said he, with a glow of pardonable
pride, showing that he contemplated that
part OF his work with sincere pleasure.
''The pictures that are taken at present for
the kaleidoscope are one inch by three-quar-
tiers OF an inch in size, The difficulty In
oreases with the dimensions OF the picture,
because the larger the picture is the further
it must move during the fraction of second
that eiapses between the time one view dis
appears and another takes its place. We OK.
peet. however. to be able to work success
fully with pictures all inch and half high.
and that, we think, will be the limit of the
possibilities of the kaleidoscope"
DO you expect to make any money out Of
this invention?"
mo, do not see where there Is anything
to be made out of it, I have been largely in
fiuenced by sentiment in the prosecution OF
this design. But" said he, with a merry
twinkle in his eye. "as have no steam yacht.
or fast horses, or anything of that sort, I
thought | could afford to sink a little money
In the kaleidoscope.
Although it occurred to me six or seven
years ago that something might be done in
this way the broad idea, as | have stated 1t
to you, came to me only four or five years
ago, and for the past two years we have been
working at it diligently. My first expert
ments In this direction were conducted with
phonograph and micro-eamera.
''That little nickel in the slot affair is only
intended to let the people know what our
idea is"
Two men engaged in wrestling are shown
In one OF the series OF illustrations that accom-
pany the kinetoscopee. They were photo
graphed in the "Black Maria" by the kineto-
graph and the kaleidoscope portrays the whole
bout from beginning to end, with every move
that the wrestlers made. AS the struggle
carried them about over considerable space
they were placed at quite distance from the
camera, and their figures are smaller than
those of Sandow, which form another series
of illustrations.
sandow, the strong man, is an intimate
friend of MIR. Dickson, which accounts for
his being the first celebrity to have his fame