The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

Vol. I. No. 10 THE PHONOSCOPE 7 representatives of the various Indian tribes in this country are to give conversations in their own tongues upon the cylinders of the phonograph and each is to be translated into English for the benefit of posterity. A few days ago an Apache Indian was sent over to the graphophone agency from the Smithsonian Institution, and after considerable persuasion on the part of an interpreter the untutored child of the forest made "a heap big talk into the little devil," as he termed the phonograph. When his Apache dialect had been translated into English, the buck was told to listen to it, and he put the transmitter to his ear for that purpose. As the phonograph began to work currents the Apache dropped the tube and fled. The discoveries of science never end, and they break out sometimes in the most unexpected places, like the X-rays and things of that kind. Now it is reported by the Chicago Times-Herald that an entirely novel remedy for drunkenness has been found, which beats the gold cure. It says: "From Listersville, W. Va., comes the interesting announcement of the discovery of a new reme'ly for drunkenness, which, so far as it has been tried, has scored a larger percentage of cures than any other system of treatment for alcoholism now before the public. Unlike many 'cures' of that sort no drugs are introduced into the patient's system. The treatment operates directly upon the will and its influence is entirely mental . Whenever a resident of Listersville gets drunk he is arrested by the police, but instead of spending a night in jail he is put inside of an old gas tank, and the boys of the village roll it about the streets an hour or two, beating a lively tattoo upon it with sticks and stones. When the patient is removed from the tank he usually is quite sober; thoroughly repentant and eager to take any temperance pledge which may be proposed." The new cure, it is added, has been in operation in Listersville for several months now, has been thoroughly tested, and "no man has had to take it more than once." X The theatrophone has become quite an institution in Paris but it is found to give overmuch satisfaction to amateurs who do not know enough of the opera or drama to follow the action in their minds from only hearing the music and words. It is now announced that Edison has perferted an instrument bearing the complicated name of the "phonocinematograph," which combines the qualities of the phonograph and the cinematograph, and which consequently makes it possible to follow the action of the opera while hearing words and music. If the machine does all that is predicted for it the next generation will be able to see and hear our artists preserved, so to speak, for eternity. One cannot help wondering what will become of the unfortunate managers of theatres. If people will be able henceforth to see and hear operatic performances without moving from their own firesides, why need they trouble themselves to go to the opera? Hmateurs anb flfootton pictures The inventive genius of Nicholas Nelson, a mechanic of Waukegan, 111., has brought into existence a simple machine that is destined to enthuse the devotees of amateur photography. This machine is to "be known as the new motion picture camera, it being a combination arrangement to take moving pictures and also to project them on a screen in a manner similar to the magniscope, cinematograph, etc. The fact that it is simple and easily handled, made expressly for amateur use, and readily operated by any one who can use a common camera, makes it attractive to those who have grown tired of the ordinary camera, while its novelty and peculiar function will tend to lessen the popularity of the common picture-taker. The camera is very simple in its construction weighing only eleven pounds, compactly inclosed in a neat leather case, easily manipulated and carried. On one side of the camera is situated the photograph lens and on the other side is the projecting lens. Between them is placed by the operator a glass plate which is attached to a gear run by a crank until the glass plate is covered with negatives and the moving picture becomes a reality. The developing process is very simple, just the same as the development process in common photography, except that the picture from the negative is printed upon glass instead of paper, in order to have it a transparency. To project the picture the glass print is placed in the camera by the operator. An acetylene-gas outfit is provided with every machine, the lamp of which is attached to the outside of the camera so as to shine through the photograph lens, picture and projecting lens to the screen, and when the crank is turned there appears on the parlor wall the image of one's favorite horse, dog or children, as the case may be, in lifelike reality. It is to be manufactured only for amateur use, although with an unusually powerful light it could be used for professional purposes. However, in a parlor the camera will show a picture eighteen by twenty-four inches in size. The projected picture is especially clear, much more so than the pictures thrown by larger machines, for the reason that the glass plate is more transparent than the gelatin film used in the other moving picture machines. The possibilities of the camera for home amusement are great. One feature is that the pictures are reversible with ludicrous effect, as are the cinematograph pictures with which we are familiar. That pictures taken to-day may be shown fifty or a hundred years hence is one of its most pleasant features. A father, withered with age, could view his grown-up or departed children as they appeared and played together in their childhood days. The actions and peculiarities of departed friends might, with it, be preserved. The life of favorite pets could be prolonged as long as desired. Years hence the children could enjoy viewing their grandparents as they were when young. In fact, the possibilities of the machine are innumerable. IRew Corporations A new company has been incorporated under the name of the Edison Talking Machine Company of Chicago with a capital of $10,000. Incorporators: Frank Woods, Floyd C. Ramsdell and Charles Divan. The Massachusetts Mutoscope and Amusement Company, of New York City, was incorporated with a capital of $100,000 to conduct exhibitions of pictures, mutoscopes, phonographs, biographs, vitascopes, mechanical and electrical contrivances, nickel-in-the-slot machines, maintain summer and winter gardens, theatrical, musical, specular or open-air public exhibitions. The directors are: Henry B. P. Wrenn and Archibald B. Dalby, of New York City; William H. Porter, Jr., of Brooklyn; Charles P. Knevals, of Larchmont, and Ethelbert W. Brown, of Westchester, Pa. JEopbone Experiments The revenue cutter Manhattan now lying at the Battery, has just had completed an eophone, with which they will make experiments during the next fog. The eophone is a mechanical contrivance for locating the direction from which a sound comes. The one on the Manhattan, especially made for experimental purposes, is placed overthe pilothouse. The part on the top of the pilot-house is about two and a half feet high and about the same in circumference. A solid roof, supported by wooden bars, gives it the appearance of a circular cage. In the centre of the cage is an upright oblong of wood covered entirely with brass. The wide sides of the upright are concave, and upon these concave sides the sound wave strikes. Running down through the roof of the pilothouse from one of the concave sides is a sound shaft, connecting directly under the roof with a pipe, to which two ear pipes are attached. The upright moves on a rotary ball-bearing track, and during a fog the person desiring to locate the source of a sound places the pipes to his ears and moves the upright about until he can hear no sound, and from exactly the opposite direction the sound is supposed to come. letters This column is open to any of our patrons who have a complaint to make, a grievance to ventilate, information to give, or a subject of general interest to discuss appertaining to Sound Producing Machines, Picture Projecting Devices, Slot Machines, Amusement Inventions or Scientific Novelties in general To the Editor of The Phonoscope. Dear Sir. — In an article headed "Graphoscope with Talking Pictures" published in your Journal, you have doubtless unwittingly given publicity to some incorrect statements recently published in a New York paper. The article to which I refer was written by one of those irrepressible reporters who generally search sensationalism even at the cost of truth. Hence the distorted description of the new "Graphoscope," its possibilities of projecting moving pictures in color with all the accompanying details of sound, etc., to say nothing of the incidental reference made to Lulu, "Queen of the Air," and travels with Barney Barnato, etc., etc. While acknowledging the fact that the Farini of the present is none other than the "Lulu of the past," I must protest against the attempt made to represent me as the "only pebble" in the field of moving pictures. In reference to this portion of the "romance," I would say that I utterly object to playing the part of "Hero," when to do so must necessitate my borrowing thunder and filching credit so justly due to others. Let it therefore be distinctly understood that the "Graphoscope" is the unaided invention of Thos. H. MacDonald, manager of the factory of the American Graphophone Co., situated in Bridgeport, Conn., and that the new camera employed in producing pictures for same, was also invented and patented by Mr. MacDonald. It affords me pardonable pride and pleasure to announce that I am associated with Mr. MacDonald in the photographic department of this work, which is carried on at the factory under his immediate supervision, thus affording me the inestimable advantage of his aid and advice on all occasions. Very truly yours, L. Farini.