The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-06-27
HIS is A PHoNoeRAPA VOICE.
It Is Not Pleasant, but 1t Takes Hold of
the Wax Cylinders.

the Wax Cylinders.
Away out in the extreme north
western part Of the city near the
Milwaukee railroad tracks Silas
Leachman puts in four or five hours
every day singing at the top of his
lungs, though not soul is in hear
ing but his wife. When he gets tired
of singing. be varies the proceedings
by preaching a negro sermon or
gives an imitation of an Irish wake
and altogether conducts himself in
way that would lead the neighbors
to consider him fit subject for O
lunatic asylum if there were any
neighbors, but there are not. This
is the very reason Mr.. Leachman
chose the lonely spot for his resi-
dence. No one ever goes out there
to hear him sing, and yet he is get
ting rich at it. He earns something
over $50 every day, though he never
sees one of his auditors.
Mr.. Leachman sings for phono-
graphs, and as he has monopoly of
the business in the west he eontrives
to keep busy and has even been
heard to express wish that he were
twins. He has better protection in
his monopoly than a copyright or
an injunction or unlimited legal tai
ent could afford. Nature gave him
the peculiar qualities that enable
him to reproduce his voice perfectly
on the wax cylinders. Hundreds of
people have attempted to break in
on his profitable monopoly, but the
results of their efforts put an effec-
tual stop to their attempts. And so
Mr.. Leachman goes ON enjoying the
monopoly and reaping the profits
! thereof
There are four other men in the
east that do work for the phono-
graph, but while they have to have
man to play the piano while they
sing, another to make the announce
ment, another to change the cylin-
ders and a fourth to keep the ma
| chimes in order, Mr.. Leachman is
the entire show in himself. Further
more, he can give an unlimited num-
Der of representations, while the
! other four men are limited to few
specialties each. Mr.. Leachman is
natural mimic, and therein lies the
secret of his success. He sings bal
lads, negro melodies and Irish, Chi
nese and Dutch dialect songs.
He plays his own accompaniment
on the piano and takes care of the
machines. He prepares three "rec-
ords, - as the wax cylinders are call
ed, at one time. To do this three
monographs are placed near the pi-
ano, with the horns at one side
pointing away from the keyboard at
an angle of As degrees. The horns
have to be placed very carefully, for
a fifth of an inch makes a great diff
ference in the tone the cylinders
will reproduce.
When the horns have been adjust
ed exactly right, Mr.. Leachman
seats himself at the piano, and turn
ing his head away over his right
shoulder begins to sing as loud as he
can, and that is pretty loud, for he
is man of powerful physique and
has been practicing loud singing for
four years. He has been doing this
work until his throat has become
calloused so that he no longer be-
| comes exhausted after singing q
| short time. AS soon as he has fin
ished one song he slips off the wax
cylinders, puts on three fresh ones
without leaving his seat and goes
| right on singing until q passing train
compels him to stop for short time.
In the four years he has been in
the business he has made nearly
$50, 600 records. So great is the de-
mand for them that he cannot fill
his orders. 1t is such exceedingly
hard work that he cannot sing more
than four hours day. He gets IS
cents for every cylinder he prepares.
He has repertory of 42O pieces,
and his work is put on the market
under score of names. He has a
remarkable memory and after once
hearing song can not only repeat
the words and music correctly, but
he can initiate excellently the voice
and expression of the singer. Chi
cago Tribune.