The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

Vol. III. No. 4 THE PHONOSCOPE 1 5 back the head while taking any high notes. Our bass and baritone artists made highly successful records. Our tenor sang "The Holy City" most beautifully, but his voice lacked that peculiar quality necessary for Phonograph record making. The tones of his voice were like the invisible rays of the spectrum beyond the violet ; it seemed impossible to record them. Charlotte discoursed learnedly about the number of vibrations per second caused by his high C— about a thousand I think she said. Mr. Openeer lessened his discomfiture by remarking that a Phonograph tenor was an exceedingly rare phenomenon. "As rare as a Phonograph soprano" he added bowing to Mrs. Openeer who was our next performer. "And although my wife has a beautiful voice I have never yet taken a really good record of it." We made a passably fair record of Mrs. Openeer's fine soprano voice by draping the opening of the horn with mosquito netting ; but it wasn't real good and we had to put it in the same class with the tenor's ; and also with Charlotte's violin record, which came next on the programme. The amateur will do well to avoid the sorrow that is almost inevitable in attempting to make a record of a high tenor, a soprano or a violin. The most effective records we made during the entire evening were two chorus records. All stood close together in a bunch about three feet from the horn and sang "Marching through Georgia" and it came out fine. Our success led us to try another "Onward Christian Soldiers" and it was every bit as good. The piano accompaniments of all our records were very good indeed. In every case the piano stood about three feet distant, with its open back towards the Phonograph. A square or a grand piano is not so well adapted for this accompaniment woik, although a solo may be recorded very nicely by bringing the horn close up to the raised Cover of jthe instrument. We now removed our recording Phonograph from its lofty perch, to accomodate our banjoists and also those of our guests who were to make talking records, and preferred to sit rather than stand. The banjo should be played as close to the horn as is possible. We made several capital records, so loud and natural as to tone quality that I would defy anyone listening with eyes shut or in the next room to tell the difference. The talking records were mostly all good too. The performers were cautioned to speak very distinctly, sounding the S's and soft C's with particular emphasis. Some of them caused lots of merriment when they were reproduced, owing to the been gross flattery ; or yet again his failure may have made him a little jealous of the others. But, somehow, I didn't exactly like his remark. I Slot Machines •Milt funny and irrelevant side remarks of the speakers ; most of whom had never talked into a Phonograph, and seemed to forget that the machine would catch and repeat all that was said. Last of all came the ginger snap horns and the "frozen records." The tenor declared that these were the best of all. He may have been perfectly honest, (for they were real good) or it may have think on the whole, while perfectly polite and courteous to Charlotte and me, his hostesses, what he said simply proved the proverb, ' 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach ;" for the rest of us unanimously agreed, not even counting in our "frozen records," that our Phonograph Party had been a grand success. Copyright, 1899 National Phonograph Co., New York. Reprinted by special permission of the National Phonograph Co. "Spantarbs" Moult* IHot Jfybt Vitascope Man Badly Treated by Hen He Hired to Himic the Battle of San Juan A photographer for a moving picture machine had hard luck at Orange, N. J., recently in his attempt to depict an engagement on San Juan Hill. He engaged eighteen negroes to represent the Spaniards and an equal number of volunteers from the Second Regiment, N. G. N. J., for the American army and costumed them appropriately, taking the two commands upon Orange Mountain, where they were to engage in a bloody conflict. He paid the negroes 75 cents each in advance, gave them some beer, in order that they might be in fighting trim, and then adjusted his photographing apparatus. When ready the Vitascope man found that the "Spaniards" had disappeared, taking with them 200 rounds of blank cartridges. The police found a number of the pseudo Spaniards later engaged in a game of craps, but as they fled no arrests were made. Znx on Halfnno flliacbmes Company Must Pay the $10 War Levy Says Washington Internal Revenue Collector Frank R. Moore of Brooklyn, received word from Washington recently to the effect that the owners of talking-machines and such cognote instruments must pay the $10 tax required under the War Revenue Tax Law. The owners of such instruments had protested against paying the tax and the collector appealed to Washington for a decision with the above result. Collector Moore said that now as the matter had been officially decided the tax would be paid or prosecution would ensue. Assemblyman Finn's bill has been signed by Gov. Roosevelt declaring guilty of a misdemeanor any person who operates or maintains any nickelin-the-slot gambling machine, and authorizing the authorities of any places in which they may be operated to destroy them. Slot=Machine Banking Various committees in the United States have waged war on the slot-machine, for the reason that it was regarded as being in the same sphere or category with a very reprehensible banking system, which, according to a pious old lady, was started by a certain wicked King of Egypt. In London, however, it is proposed to vindicate the device by making it an attachment of legitimate banking. The Thrift Bank (limited) designs using the slot-machine to encourage habits of saving among the poorer classes. The scheme is to equip factories, railway stations, and other public places with these machines. By dropping a penny into one of them the depositor will secure a ticket, and any person holding tickets that represent five shillings may exchange them at the bank for a certificate of deposit for that amount. The deposits after thus being acknowledged by the bank, will bear interest at the rate of 2^ per cent and will be subject to withdrawal under the usual conditions. While penny saving would, at first blush, appear to be comparatively a small matter so far as the individual depositor is concerned, it is estimated that should the system prove popular the aggregate deposits would reach an enormous sum, and that in course of time there would be numerous very good sized personal accounts. It is also assumed that the bank would profit largely, seeing that probably many of the deposits would never be claimed. Whether the scheme is practicable is a question, but its workings will be watched with interest. Certain it is that if one tenth even of the money that is annually played into slot-machines in this country went instead into savings institutions, there would soon be less discrepancy in the per capita wealth and credit of the people. The London slot-machine, penny-saving scheme may be visionary. Indeed, despite the strictness of British banking laws, it is likely to strike a good many persons as a little "fakish." Be that as it may, however, it is suggestive of great possibilities in the way of turning to good account money that is now squandered, and for the most part by those who can least afford such "amusement." IRew Corporations American Symmetroscope Company, Bangor, Maine. Capital, $100,000. Incorporators : W. G. Cousins, W. B. Amsinge, Boston, Mass.; F. P. Irving, Troy. Leeds and Catlin Company of New York City ; to manufacture and sell talking-machines ; capital, $10,000. Directors, E. F, Leeds, L. R. Catlin and James E. Thursby, Brooklyn ; Louis C. Wegefuth, New York. Len. Spencer is now filling a $3,000 contract with the National Gramophone Company at their Philadelphia record-taking plant. Len's extensive repertoire of vocal and talking specialties is to be made a special feature in the new Gramophone catalogue.