The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

10 THE PHONOSCOPE December, 1898 THE PHONOSCOPE Copyrighted 1396 published monthly by THE PHONOSCOPE PUBLISHING CO. 4 EAST 14th STREET , NEW YORK, U. S. A. -SUBSCRIPTION :" United States aud Canada .... $i.oo per year Foreign Countries 1-5° " Single Copies ioc. 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 Projectiug 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 ioS 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 souud aud sight would be acceptable. An exhibition of the Graphophone Grand took place in the Astor gallery, at the Waldorf-Astoria, recently and there was a large and interesting audience present. The opening address which was recorded by Mr. J. J. Fisher, was reproduced on the machine, every word being clear, distinct and natural in tone. Following is a copy of the address: "Ladies and Gentlemen : • As I entered this hall I overheard a conversation in relation to my origin, and as that is a point on which I am rather sensitive I ask your indulgence for a few explanatory remarks. A gentleman spoke of me as the latest invention of Edison. That is a mistake. In 1877 Mr. Edison did attempt to reduce to practice certain ideas in relation to recording and reproducing sounds, but that old tin-foil Phonograph was. a mere toy of no practical value and was very soon dropped by himself, as well as by the public. In 1886, nearly ten years later, Dr. Bell and Professor Taintor, of Washington, patented the discovery that sounds could be recorded by a process of engraving on a wax -like material. That discovery which was embodied in the original Graphophone, is the life of the talking-machine art, which has no existence before it was made and could not exist without it. In 1888, Mr. Edison borrowed the discovery of Bell and Taintor and used it in an instrument to which he gave the name borne by his absortive attempt of 1S77. That new Phonograph has always been tributary to the Graphophone patents, and it is now made under a license from the American Graphophone Company, the owner of those patents. The question of the authorship of this invention has been several times judicially examined. In a recent decision in favor of the American Graphophone Company, the Court (Judge Shipman) speaking of the failure of the early Edison Phonograph and comparing it with the Graphophone said : "Bell and Taintor made an actual living invention which the public are able to use." In me, ladies and gentlemen, as I said at the beginning, the discovery of Bell and Taintor has received its highest development, and if you will permit me to say so, the results I give you approach so near to perfection that I do not expect to be surpassed very soon. The credit for the original discovery belongs to Bell and Taintor. The credit for carrying that discovery to its ultimate development in me is due to Mr. Thomas H. Macdonald, who stands now by my side. So much for history. You see, ladies and gentlemen, that I have rather a high opinion of myself and really, when I contemplate my own possibilities, my value as a time and money saver to the businessman, the clergyman, and the literary man, my value as a teacher of languages and other studies which appeal to the ear; when I consider all that I am able to contribute to the amusement, the entertainment, the edification and consolation of mankind, I am amazed at my own modesty. Just think of it, I command the whole realm of sound, other instruments can discourse sweet music, but which of them has so varied a repertoire as mine? Which can approach even' the variety covered by our simple program here to-day? What but the talking machine can sing you a comic song or render an anthem, can recite for you an amusing story, 01 the Lord's Prayer, according to your taste ? What but the talking machine can record and reproduce your own voices and the voices of your families and friends ? What would not any of us give for a faithful record of the words of our loved ones who have gone before ? Or of the voices of the great dead ? What price would be too great to pay for a record of the voice of Grant, or Sherman, or Sheriden, or Lee or Jackson, for a reading by Dickens, or Thackeray from his own works, from Hamlet's soliloquy by Edwin Booth, for a speech ofLincoln, or Douglass, or Conklin, or Blaine? But this is a theme on which I could go on forever, so, without detaining you longer, I will simply add that anyone desiring further information on this fascinating subject can obtain it at either of the offices of the Columbia Phonograph Company, whose numbers are on the pragram." [Contrary to expectations this machine is scarcely larger than the ordinary Graphophone ; it has a giant's voice, but not a giant's body. The only thing noticeable about it is that the mandrel and cylinder are about four and one-half inches in diameter. The reproduction is distinctly' audible in any part of a large hall, and can be heard as far as the human voice can be heard ; the extra loudness and volume being due to the great speed at which the machine runs. The machine has resulted from experiments made by T. H. Macdonald, manager of the factory of the American Graphophone Company. — Ed.] * * * The following letter is so interesting and truthful relative to the entire patent situation in Great Britain also the stand which the Edison Bell Company take in the manner of proceedure against a poor man that we feel confident it would make very interesting reading matter for our numerous readers. Kirkgate, Leeds. I should have sent you a ^"5 for what you offered me in your last letter, but as I had gone into law with the Edison Bell Company and did not know how it might end I waited a while to see if I could move in the matter safely. It appears that on the day the writ came due in Chaucery court of London, my solicitor appeared, but they did not, and of course we naturally thought the Edison Bell Company had given the game up, but a few days after they got an order of the court to serve one with a writ of discovery, as to machines I had, also records and wherefrom and a lot of harassing questions, and I was to appear the 16th of this month. As I had spent all I could afford in law, I told my solicitors to let the affair drop if they could, by not acknowledging the receipt of news from me, etc. How they've gone on I don't know as yet, and although I am very anxious, as you may guess, as to their intentions. You see they have money, while I am poor and they can go a long way further than I can and so reduce me to beggary and ruin if they choose to do so and I feel sure they're not going to give me a chance if they can help it. However, I await watchfully further developments. At the same time it does seem very peculiar when you come to go into the facts, as thev transpired from the very first up to to-day. First, six years ago the Edison Bell Company raided all the slot machines (North American Edison) in use in England and said theyT were infringements of Edison Bell's patents and they should seize them unk ss the people who had them either paid them £20 or purchased an Edison Bell machine from them for £60. This had the effect of people hiding their machines and dropping out of business. Next they got at the sellers and makers of all the machines, parts, wax records, etc., who were in the trade in England. This caused a big law suit and the London Phonograph Company and some others fought the Edison Bell Company for some time, all at once news came, not through the newspapers, or law reports, but quietly wafted by the very people who had been fighting the Edison Bell Co., 'that the Edison Bell Co., had beaten them and they had been granted the privilege of actingas agentsand called themselves "Edisonia," notifying all others that "they should take proceedings against any one not paying a royalty to them or the Edison Bell Company." This looks strange, doesn't it? on the face of what has now taken place; please note these remarks. The Edisonia offered the Eagle Graphophone and a few appendages for £7.7.0 (price in Washington was 40 odd shillings I also asking buyers to pay a small royalty per year, if they used the Graphophone for anything but their own family or out of theirown house. Disgusting idea this, wasn't it? They also offered to let anyone exhibit if they paid £10 royalty and seemed to have worked hand and glove with the Edison Bell Company. This goes on for a while, though the Edison Bell Company offers a new idea and on their own account advertises the sale all over England of the Edison machine you offer me to be shown and sold by a lot of big newspapers for £4 bare machine, or £7 with a few extras (horn, etc.) This is the last of their ideas, at least the latest, but now the papers are flooded with advertisments, Gramophones for £2, records for same at Graphophones at all sorts of prices, records at any price, and Edison Standard, Home, Domestic and North American M type all at upset prices to get a sale. I enclose you a sample advertisement cut from one of the biggest of our weekly papers, the "Answers," belonging to a big firm of wealthy publishers in London, so you may guess there's a screw loose somewhere, where, I don't exactly see, perhaps you can enlighten me; in the mean time Phonographs are dead out here, everybody knows all about them, etc., so I shall try and get out of my little lot, at best price I can and wait while I see how the land lies, unless you can propose a better place; fact is, unless you have the very best machine, the very best records, and the very, very best show, the Phonograph is a gone coon. I dare say if I could sell out and get a compact smart looking show, small if possible to carrywithout such a lot of adjuncts, some nice tubes, and glass case not too large, but showy and some rattling good records, with a thoroughly good machine, I should be inclined to give Blackpool another try next season, but it would be with something that is really tip top and people would stay and spend money and time with one, better than are doing with the regular army of Phonographs to-day, or it would be of no earthly use. I have lots of friends in good position all over the country who would be pleased to see me doing well at anything and I am getting no younger day by day, so don't want to harass myself with a white elephant, as we say here. Now, I think it's time I'd done my grumble, old friend, for so I must call you, although weonlyT met once and that for so short a time, still I fancywhen I wrote to Washington and the Columbia Phonograph Company you'd very likely see my letters, etc. So I feel as if we had known one another years. Well, I really hope your business will be a. success; you deserve it for y-ou are a real tree and I thoroughly believe a conscientious man, mind, I do not speak from my own knowledge but from others I have met who have traded with you in my line, and they, one and all speak exceedinglywell of the varied bits of biz they've done and been satisfied all through, and if the Edison Bell Company could only be quieted down, there is a fine opening for your best goods over here, in Leeds, Manchester, L'pool, London, Glasgow, Edinboro, Sheffield and lots more places if they were properly worked and a feeling of security and honesty promulgated betweeen buyer and seller. It does seem a pity to let things go by when such an opening appears, why, if I had my way, the idea would be to get a lot of every kind of goods Edison makes and that has his name on, as guarantee, then take a large room in, say Glasgow for a start, advertise it as free and give them a show and let them see the lot and also put the prices on each for cash (or any other way that would be found secure from losses'! I would say-, stop here two or four weeks and all the time notify other towns, when we might be expected and also where and what we were doing, boom it all over, take a fair price for the goods and I'm sure it would be a success. However, you can think these matters out probably much better than I can — only that's an idea I had just this present crisis. T. S. G. Great Fun Ahead There is a craze for taking pictures in France which will soon strike here. Americans are seldom blind in matters of this kind but Frenchmen are certainly leading in this popular pastime. It is not the camera craze that is referred to but the taking of pictures by the Cinematograph. This machine is little larger than the various makes of cameras and can be carried about like an ordinary satchel. It can be directed toward any scene, a crank turned and the series of pictures taken. Entertainments are given by the reproduction of these scenes. Main private partiesare given by wealthy people who have given up camera work and horseless carriage fad and taken up the Cinematr graph as a diversion. It cannot be long before the American people will take up this entrancing study with great zest. The expense is not great but the fun is.