The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

10 THE PHONOSCOPE August, 1898 THE PHONOSCOPE Copyrighted 1S96 PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE PHONOSCOPE PUBLISHING CO. 4 EAST 14th STREET , NEW YORK, U. S. A. SUBSCRIPTION : United States and Canada .... §i.oo per year Foreign Countries 1.50 " Single Copies 10c. each Back numbers can be obtained at regular rates. ADVERTISING RATES FURNISHED ON APPLICATION All communications must be addressed to The Phonoscope Publishing Co., 4 East 14th Street, New York City, to insure prompt attention. THE PHONOSCOPE is the only journal in the world published in the interest of Talking Machines. Picture Projecting and Animating Devices, and Scientific and Amusement Inventions appertaining to Sound and Sight. Correspondents in London. Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Alexandria and Constantinople, Australia, South America, Central America, Canada and 10S cities in the United States. The Publishers solicit contributions from the readers or The Phonoscope, and suggest that any notes, news or items appertaining to sound and sight would be acceptable. The talking-machine, having passed the stage where it -was regarded as a scientific marvel, is now entering very largely into the home and business life of the people as an article of common use. To what extent the demand has grown is shown in the fact that some of the largest manufacturing plants are devoted exclusively to the making of talkingmachines and supplies. The making of records for talking-machines is a very large industry in itself. Several establishments in the country are engaged in making records, the largest being located in New York City. As in the case of the bicycle, the increase in manufacturing facilities and consequent reduction in price of the machines has had much to do with popularizing them for home amusement. A few years ago when the machines were less perfect than now, the prices ranged from $100 to $300. Now efficient talking-machines can be bought for $10. As an entertainer, the talking-machine is valuable through its power of reproducing records of vocal and instrumental music. They can be heard through ear tubes made with several branches so that two or more people can listen at once. The amplifying horn, however, is more popular than the ear tubes, although there is little doubt that the music sounds clearer and louder and more natural when heard through the ear tubes; but the horn throws the sound out into a room so that the music may be heard bf a whole roomful of people. An interesting and delightful side of the talkingmachine is that which depends upon its power of recording as well as reproducing sound. Records of the voice, of songs, of stories told by some friend of the children's prattles, or of am sound, can be caught on the talking-machine just as a camera makes a snap-shot photograph. In fact it serves the same purpose in the realm of sound as the camera does in the realm of light. The talking, machine has brought to the world a new and wonderful mode of communicating speech. The telephone provides a way for carrying the tones of the voice over a period of time. As a matter of sentiment, perhaps its most valued faculty is that of preserving for reproduction in after years the words and tones and very accents of loved ones. Records may be made of each successive step in baby's effort' to talk, and such records will be found of inestimable value in after years when baby has taken his place at the front in the battle of life. In the business world the talking-machine has made many friends. Its adaptability to the needs of a busy man is apparent. It is a valuable time saver, and as substitutes for stenographic amanuenses, these machines do not admit of comparison. Their field of usefulness is still being largely developed, and shortly every banker, broker, merchant, or other business man will have to count a talking-machine as a necessary part of his office staff. Iprt3e Contest A Gold Medal Awarded by "THE PHONOSCOPE" We take great pleasure in announcing the fact that The Phonoscope will award a gold medal as a prize to the musician making the best violin record, and have appointed The Stieren Home and Commercial Phonograph Company, of Pittsburg, Pa., as managers of this contest. This is the first prize ever offered to the phonograpic world and the enterprising managers of The Phonoscope grasped this opportunity to settle an argument brought about by the various companies, all confessing to make the best violin record. Each musician desiring to compete for the prize will have the privilege to enter three or four records which must be entered by the artist and delivered by September 24th. All contestants should notify the Phonoscope Publishing Company at once, sending their full name and address. Violin artists from all parts of the world are cordially invited to contribute, there being no expense whatsoever merely the trouble of making the records and sending same to The Stieren Home and Commercial Phonograph Company' Pittsburg, Pa. The selecting of judges will be left entirely to the above phonograph company and will be strangers to the artists, which will secure impartiality. All The Phonoscope desires is to have the best artist win. Considering the interest taken by the various Eastern phonograph companies up to the present time this contest will no doubt prove vers' spirited. The records will be returned to The Phonoscope upon the expiration of the allotted time, to be placed on file for future reference and any one desiring to hear them can do so by calling at the office. Full details of the result will be published in this journal with a half-tone picture of the winner and the names of the contestants. We will also offer as another prize a handsomely bound volume of The Phonoscope together with a half-tone engraving of the wizard Edison suitable for framing, to the person writing and sending us the best letter on the subject, giving their reasons why the record is the best. Should this experiment prove a success ( which it no doubt will , ) we will offer special prizes in the near future for the best vocal and band records. In conlusion we will state that The Phonoscope is the only trade journal in the world published in the interest of talking machines, picture-projecting and amusement devices, and scientific and amusement inventions appertaining to sound and sight. Possessing, as we do, exceptional facilities and and connections all over the world, we propose to gather news and information pertaining to the above subjects from every corner, and to present it to our patrons through these columns in an interesting, clear and instructive form, but without any partiality or bias. We also publish a revised list each month of new films for screen machines, the very latest popular songs and new records, compiled from lists sent us by the leading talking machine companies of the United States. Our advertising pages con tain all the leading individuals and firms in their respective line and each and every one can be relied on. This publication has been entered at the New York Post Office as second-class matter, a fact that will insure its being a journal devoted to the general and combined interests of its advertisers without favor to any particular one. We are very desirous of securing a subscription from every one interested, and ask those who are not subscribers to consider whether it is not well worth the small sum we ask for it. If satisfactory, send in your name and address, together with one of Uncle Sam's greenbacks, and thus keep posted during the coming year. H Wonbetf ul y~ Instrument Since the invention of the kinetoscope and kindred instruments we have become quite accustomed to the idea of instantaneous photography. Nearly every-one knows that it is possible to take a picture in the 100th part of a second, yet few persons are aware that there are in use photographic shutters which move with a speed of the 1,000th part of a second. Now, however, we are astonished by the news from Berlin that a clock-maker named Lobner has invented an instrument which can take 2,880 photographs in a second, or at the rate of 172.800 per minute. One of the uses to which the instrument may be put is the measurement of the speed of moving projectiles, or of falling objects, and in scientific experiments. If it proves as successful in practical affairs as it seems to have been in the preliminary tests, this wonderful contrivance will be welcomed by savants the world over. Hew Corporations The North American Biograph Company, is the name of the new institution which sets sail from Ithaca. It will be equipped with a steam engine, electric lighting plant and one of the finest moving picture machines to be found in the country. The proprietors are A. B. Scattergood, L. R. Peck and Mr. Cowley. The following corporations filed their papers of incorporation at the Secretary of State's office : Portland Ponograph Company has been organized for the purpose of renting, selling, owning phonograph, gaphophones, slot-machines and carrying on a general novelty business, with $5,000 capital stock of which nothing is paid in. The officers are : President, Donald Fuller of Portland; treasurer, Joseph L. Ells, of Portland. Certificate approved August 4, 1S9S. The Harris Novelty Company which has recently been organized in Williamsport, Pa., will commence active operations next month, manufacturing phonographs and phonograph accessories. The style of phonographs to be made by this company is a revelation in that line of appliances, they being able to produce and put on the market up-to-date machines giving most excellent results, to retail at from $3 to $5 each. The manufacturing of the various parts of their appliances will be done largely in this city in other plants, the hard wood cases being manufactured by a furniture company, and the metal work by several of the machine shops. Only the smaller parts of their appliances will be manufactured and the assembling done in their own plant.