Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-05-27
EDISON |NvENTS A
PHONE RECORDER.
Has a New Device to Fix Words
Of Both Speakers for Fu-
ture Reference.

West Orange. n. j.. May 4.--Thomas
A. Edison has announced the perfection
If the telescribe, a combination of the
telephone and monograph; a long dis
lance debating machine that doubles
pack.
1t will give to both parties to a tele-
phone conversation, although a thousand
miles apart. each Photographic record
of what both have said.
Mr.. Edison regards its commercial pos
sibilities Us almost unlimited. for he be-
ieves 1t will do away with millions of
etters a year in the making of business
agreements The photograph makes
ioices easily recognized, and Mr.. Edi-
Son is confident that telescribe records
will be as eloquent arguments for good
faith on the part of business men as
signed letters.
Mr.. Edison has experimental with the
elescrlbe between his Orange plant and
his offices in various parts of America
Ind so confident is he of its success that
large number OF the machines are now
icing built 1t was in the June, 1873,
ssue of the North American Review that
Mr.. Edison predicted a machine that
you'd record telephone conversations.
lie has been working on 1t ever since.
The mechanics OF the teescribe are not
complicated. 1t Is used with the ordin-
ry telephone, but with two receivers.
)ne is fitted to the arm of a debating
monograph: the other is used in the or
mary manner a record of what both
ersons say is made at each end of
he line. A stenographer writes out what
Hn nl ;,,,o
hanged for confirmation That con-
ludes business arrangement which
hight In ordinary practice take a dozen
ftters and weeks of time
WILL TAKE MESSAGE FOR YOI-.
The telephone is used a million times
n hour" said Mr.. Edison to-day. SHOW.
he that science has provided the tele-
hone for the most rapid transmission
intelligence. But with the telescrbe
70 Will now be able to put our exact
Tords into writing" He also pointed out
nat in cases of messages of great impor-
ince where the person wanted was not
the moment available any one could
ress button and take the message on
be photograph, to be read at leisure by
pc person for whom it was intended.
The telescribe may also he used as a
|ng-distance dictagraph, and a machine
its principle could be used for taking
purt proceedings. though that would call
pr great development as the ordinary
topographic record can take only 1900
ords
William Fl Meadowcroft. one Of Mr..
dison's lieutenants, said tonight that
ere was no danger Of the telescribe put
ng many stenographers out of work.
4 fou see,' he explained, someone has
write out the record, but Of course the
describe means fewer letters in the fu-
re-"
AN EARLIER DEVICE.
Mr. Edisons teescribe is not the first
ventton for it's purpose. In 1900 Valde-
ar Poulsen, a Danish inventor, contrived
telegraphone for the reproduction Of
nversations at a distance. Its princi
rs the retention of magnetic impress
pms by copper wire. The length of wire
an ordinary conversation was about
rec and half miles. Each impression
a fraction of the wire represented q
und. and when the machine was re-
rsed the talk was reproduced. William
Burns, the detective, gave IL nron1i
&c in 1912, when he reproduced a con.
rsatlon by the president of the common
uncil Of Detroit in which the offici;..
IS alleged to have offered to sell his
te. 1t was used to record the debates
the medical congress in Boston in 1912
eeches by President Roosevelt wer,.
Veral times reproduced by the teleg-
phone.