The times., 1898-12-04
THE GRAPHoPHoNE GRAND.
Successful Exhibition Given at the
National Theater Yesterday.

The new talking machine, the Graphophore
Grand. yesterday made its first bow-hgurstiyely
spesking-oH any stage, and delivered its first
spcech-actualy. For over an hour an audience
OF prominent Washington people listened to its
songs and recitatons, and heard its address of
welcome and introduction, and il Is quite safe
TO say that there was more qualification. and
amusement, and more wonder at wha; the machine
did, than any set of players. matter how
talented, has ELECTED at this play house in many
4 day.
As the machine said in its appropriate remarks
st the beginning of the program Washington
was its birthplace, several years ago. and many
Of tfe people who stock in its company arc
washingtonians. For this reason. il seemed iit-
ting that the first public exhibition of the full
grown machine should be made in this city.
81 see before me- quantity remarked the
Graphophonc, "a large number OF stockholders in
the concern which owns me- And 1t was the
fact that among the great number of business
men present were numerous stockholders OF the
company, anxious TO witness the capabilities and
Judge of the value of the mueh-perfected instru-
ment.
The work OF The Graphophone is, it may be said
Immediately, most wonderful and most satisiac-
tory. In the large auditorium Of the National
near the doors could hear every word distinctly.
Also there is fullness in the tones of .he instru-
ment which much more nearly resembles the
sounds represented than any OF the old machines
produced Some of the instrumental selections
rendered were SO nearly perfect that it would
have been almost impossible to distinguish them
from the original.
The metallic quality cf the imitation CT the
human voice. and the refusal of the machine,
sometimes, to enunciate the higher tones with
out squeak or protest, have not been entirely
eliminated yet, and it is propabe that they never
will be- For one reason the very necessity of a
large megaphone- horn to increase the volume
OF the sound gives to the words of songs and
speech the peculiar megaphone tone. Both Of
these objections to the old instruments, however,
have been much lessened. The Graphorhone now
really talks, and in good voice. 1t no longer
only gives a clever imitation OF talk.
The new instrument is very similar in appear
ance to those already familiar II is very little
larger perhaps four feet long and sixteen inches
across the mouth. The record cylinder is nearly
double the size of the former pattern.
1t y.as the prediction Of the audience yesterday
| that the new machine will be great success. 1t
is be exhibited throughout the country. The
4 stockholders of the Graphophone Company who
| heard the exhibition, began to think immediate
| ly of the increased profits that must come TO
| them from its large audiences. There fire.
1 quent and hearty applause, and the encoses were
/ numerous. Among those present were:
! Representative Hilfborn, Prof. David Bell Rev.
Ed. Power, Col. George II. Harries, Charles b.
| Pearson. Representative Hit. William Z. Curtis
I Rudolph Kauffmann, Philip Mauro, Ward Thoron,
/. Dorsey Clagett, VIII S. Meams E. G. Dannell, W.
| J. Mur,agh John R. Carmody. E. v. Murphy,
Charles J. Rel, Fred Pilling, J. Riley Deeblc.
! Henry r. Blair, Prof. o. G. Dodge, Lewis j.
Davis, C. L. q. Howard. J. J. Hemphill, B. II.
1 E,1f J.1,, II -r.rz
The following gentlemen came over from New
/ York with the machine: L. d. Easton, president;
! Andrew Devine, F. j. Warburton, R. +. Crome-
/ lin, the latter three directors; T.. y. Burns and
Thomas II. Macdonald. manager Of the factory
/ Mr.. Macdonald operated the instrument. assist
, ed by Mr.. ]. J. Fisher Mr.. II. P. Goodwin, form
criy of this city, was in charged OF the house.