The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1910-03-31
DEVICE that
MACN|F|ES SOUND
Varied Uses Of an instrument
Called the DictOgraph.
VALUABLE TO BUSINESS MEN

Enables Them to Dispense With Per-
sonal Attendance of Stenographer
How 1t VIII Prove Invaluable to an
Army--Music From Theaters to Be
Heard by Guests In Hotels.
Conspicuous among the interesting
exhibits at the electrical show to be
held in the First regiment armory in
Philadelphia from Feb. IA to 20 will
be the dictograph, an invention that
has been adopted by the United States
secret service and by large banks and
other institutions where espionage upon
visitors is regarded as of advantage to
those In charge.
The instrument was shown to King
Edward last year and its varied uses
demonstrated for him and Queen Alex
andra in Buckingham palace. X. NJ
Turner, the inventor. recently went
abroad for the purpose of giving the
king of Italy a demonstration.
Useful to Business Men.
The instrument magniies sound and
enables the faintest whisper in q room
to be heard with distinctness in the
remote part of any building with which
it Is equipped. In this connection it is
now used by one of the best known
financiers of the world in his office in
Wall street, New York. The dia-
phragm of the instrument in his office
is concealed in an ink well which is
secretly connected with a wire that
carries the conversation between the
financier and his callers to a distant
room where a stenographer at Q re-
ceiving station transcribes it in her
notebook unknown to the visitor.
Thus the financier has faithful rec
ord of everything said by himself and
his caller respecting the great financial
deals that daily engage his attention.
In similar way the invention is be-
ing employed by Chief Wilkie of the
secret service and by the presidents OF
many of the largest banks and trust
companies in the country and abroad.
Another unique feature of the IN
strument is the opportunity 1t offers
a business man using it to dispense
with the personal attendance of
stenographer In his office. Sitting at
his desk or walking leisurely about
his office, he can dictate his CORE
spondence to his stenographer in an
other part of the building. This can
be accomplished without talking dl-
.rectly into the machine or coming In
&ontact with it in any way, the speak
err often being twenty or thirty feet
distant from the instrument.
The inventor has arranged to install
II in several Of the large hotels OF
New York and other cities for the pur-
pcse of paging guests in various parts
=. the building. He Is also planning
ta introduce it generally into the rooms
Of several hotels in the theater district
of NV York, SO as to enable the
pues Is to be entertained by music from
aeJacent llayhouses In which comic
operas are being produced.
Valuable In Time Of War.
Another important application OF the
wonderful invention to which 1t will
arrangements are now under way,
will be as an adjunct of the United
States signal corps in important mill
tary maneuvers. A dictograph Sc
creted in bush or tree alongside OF
the road will enable the army using 1t
to determine the approximate size OF
marching force by fixing the time 1t
takes to pass a given point. When
placed at the fork of road it will
also help In determining the direction
OF the enemy's movement
In this connection 1t will prove in
valuable, military experts believe, In
time OF war. Inventor Turner says
that il Napoleon could have had the
invention as an auxiliary Of his army
the disaster at Waterloo would have
been averted and Blucher's delay In
Joining him discounted in advance.
AS soon as he returns from his visit
to King Victor Emmanuel Mr.. Turner
intends to take up the question OF In
stalling the instrument in the execu-
tive offices at Washington, 80 that
President Taft, seated at his desk,
may hear the debates in the senate
and house Of representatives and thus
keep In touch with every development
Of the legislation in which he is inter
ested.
He has in mind also similar install.
lation in several OF the state capitols
for the use Of the executive who de.
sires to have up to the minute tnfor
nation concerning the activities Of The
state legislatures.
Msxav Snufshoxaa ~ &ha SANTA