The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

Vol. II. No. 3 THE PHONOSCOPE ] ] (Seneral IRews We fear that unless Mr. Norcross "lets up a little" and rests more some doctor will have a "cinch." Roger Harding has been quite sick for the past few weeks, but is around and at it again as usual, wearing the same old smile. We understand that Mr. Reed, of the firm of Reed & Dawson, of Newark, N. J., is making some very fine violin and piano solos. The International Film Company's factory was visited by a serious fire last month and suffered a loss of about $500.00. (Fully insured.) We are promised something very novel in the near future in the way of a new nickel-in-the-slot machine from the International Film Co. Col. Sampson, of Boston, Mass., was in the City recently purchasing records, etc. He was the guest of Col. Evans, of Broadway, New York. The Standard Phonograph Company will be opened for business in a few days under the supervision of J. W. Myers, who will endeavor to retain his reputation as heretofore. Anthony L. LoForte has introduced a new cheap talking-machine on the market. It is built on the same plan as the Echophone, but is far superior both in construction and results. The plucky lady phonograph singer, Miss Estella Mann, who lately opened a record-making plant, has certainly met with great success in her new venture, and we understand that she can scarcely keep up with the demand. Mr. Guth, the general manager of the Edison Phonograph Company, of K nsas City, Mo., has kindly offered the entire receipts of the various machines in his phonograph parlor, Friday, March 18, to the Cuban starvation relief fund. The National Electrical Manufacturing Company, of Ansonia, Conn., is filling an order of ten thousand penny in the-slot perfume machines from a novelty concern. They have also received an order for a number of electric banjos from a Boston firm. It has been rumored that A. G. Lalime's Edisonian Pavillion would be missed from Lincoln Park, Worcester, Mass., but this is now denied, and it is said that the collection of phonographs, kinetoscopes and other similar devices will be larger than ever before. Lincoln Park would not seem like the same place with Lalime missing. A march of improvement if we have war will be in the use of the phonograph. Several phonograph companies are preparing to bottle up the din of battle, the shouts of cavalry charging and the roar of artillery, all of which they will place on draught subsequently in their nickel-in-theslot machines. The cylinder-making plant at the Edison Works, Orange, N. J., has been entirely rebuilt. This had made it very unpleasant for the different recordmaking firms as they were unable to procure any cylinders from the works during the alteration. Now that it is completed they are better able to supply all demands for blank cylinders. Still another in the field. It is called the Musical Phonograph Record Company. The congenial and old-time phonograph operator, Mr. Van Horn, is general manager. Mr. Giles, the proprietor, has spared neither time nor money in trying to make his latest venture a success, which present appearances indicate. A very interesting entertainment was given at the Park Baptist Church, Brooklyn, by Professor William G. Porter, with his choice collection of pieces, as reproduced by the phonograph. Among those received with the greatest favor were the "Stars and Stripes Forever," "The Star Spangled Banner" and the "Anvil Chorus" from "II Trovatore." f ■ M. Flammarion, the celebrated French astronomer, recently used a cinematograph camera and obtained a series of several thousand negatives, representing sunset, the appearance of the stars, the milky way, moonrise, the motion of the moon among the other constellations, the procession of stars, shooting-stars, and finally the sunrise. The reproduction of these phototographs is said to be remarkably interesting. The International Film Co., have made arrangements with Thomas A. Edison whereby they agree to close their film plant, and abide by the courts decision in the present film suit, in preference to contesting same in the courts, which would involve an enormous expense. Having been in the field from the start they are content to rest on their oars, (with two years' handsome profit) and let the larger fish foot the bills for litigation. The subject for the regular meeting of the City College Club, of New York City was "An Evening with the Phonograph," by an alumnus of the college, Mr. Joseph Bernhardt. The programme included songs, xylophone solos, oral reproductions in various languages of the voice of the lecturer, whistling solos, etc. Reference was also made to the applicability of the phonograph to the study of foreign languages without the aid of an instructor. Mr. W. H. Smith, the genial manager of the American Graphophone Company, extended an invitation to the record-making force at New York to accompany him on a trip to visit the factory at Bridgeport, Conn. The party consisted of Mr. Smith, General Manager, V. H. Emerson, Superintendent of the Musical Department, Len. G. Spencer, Geo. J. Gaskin, Russell Hunting, Steve Porter, Geo. Graham, Dan. W. Ouinn, C. D. Emerson, G. E. Emerson, and Vess L. Ossman. At the factory the party was entertained by Mr. McDonald and Mr. Phillips. The regular monthly meeting of the directors of the National Gramophone Company, turned out to be a love feast. It was the first meeting since the increase of the capital stock to $200,000. The president reported all stock as sold and issued, and the business in a most satisfactory condition. A regular monthly dividend of one per cent, was declared; highly eulogistic resolutions were passed, creditable to the management of the company, and the older stockholders were specially exuberant, as the action of the board amounted to a net income to them of 48 per cent, upon their original investment. Mr. Frank H. Pierce, one of Washington's brightest young business men, has resigned his position with The Post to enter the service of the Columbia Phonograph Company, of New York City. Mr. Pierce, for the past twelve years, has been a valued attache of the business department of The Post, and for the past five years had control of the advertising department. He left last evening for Philadelphia, where he will be temporarily stationed, and will enter upon the duties of his new position at once. He carries with him the confidence, esteem and best wishes of a large circle of friends. Mr. Bettini has placed on the market an Indicator for regulating the speed of electric or spring-motor phonographs, which will prove very beneficial. The average speed used for making records is between 120 to 125 revolutions per minute. In order to obtain the best and most natural reproduction of sound, it is absolutely necessary to have the recorded cylinder revolve during its reproduction at the same rate of speed at which it was recorded. The Indicator shows a speed of 120 revolutions per minute. Those who make records should use this Indicator and keep the average speed at 120 revolutions, which is considered the standard. It is called the "Bettini Speed Indicator." While our representative was in F. Z. Maguire's office the other day, he noticed a film much larger than any other which has been manufactured. The film was considerably larger than the Biograph size, and, as understood, will throw a picture which will cover the entire stage curtain of the Metropolitan Opera House. He asked Mr. Maguire where the film came from, and the reply was that Mr. Edison was the manufacturer. He was then asked if Mr. Edison was going to put upon the market a machine for throwing a mamouth picture, and he was singularly non-committal. The film in question is about two inches long by three and three-quarter inches in width. The smallest details are brought out in a most perfect manner, and under a glass this picture is remarkably beautiful. The question is what is on the carpet, and what further improvements in the animated picture business is coming? A complete stage, as fine as the stage in almost any theatre in New York, has been built on the roof of the Roosevelt building for the American Mutoscope Company. It cost about $5,000 and is 30x40 feet. Its furnishings are elegant and it is provided with as fine a set of scenery as scenic artists can paint. It is mounted upon a semi-circular track with a radius of about thirty feet so that it can be moved to secure any angle of light. The camsra is mounted on a platform directly over the pivotal point and moves simultaneously with the stage. Here all the interior views, such as the pillow fight and the Bowery barroom, are taken. The camera is a four-foot cube. It is fitted with the usual photographic lens, but instead of the negative plate a strip of very sensitive negative film, made of celluloid, is used. It is two and one-half inches wide and between 200 to 250 feet in length. While the exposure is made the strip of film is run before the lens by a small electric motor inside the camera which gets its power from a storage battery.