“On Monday, the first public exhibition of Edison’s marvellous phonograph – the machine which talks, laughs, weeps and sings, and which imitates any mortal sound which can be produced – was given in Pronguey’s Hall, under the care of Messrs. O. G. McCall and Danforth, of New York.”
Hamilton Spectator June 4, 1875
It was a select audience, especially invited for the demonstration of what was considered to be one of the wonders of the age at that time.
Pronguey’s Hall on James Street North was occupied by a number of Hamilton’s leading citizens, including a large number of priests, ministers and others from the city’s churches.
In his demonstration of the phonograph, Mr. McCall gave a minute description of the working of the “machine,” which the Spectator reporter also on hand recounted in full for the paper’s readers:
“It consists of a simple cast iron cylinder, about eight inches long, and four inches in diameter, with a horizontal shaft about three feet long. This shaft rests in two arms and has a handle at one end to turn the cylinder, with the whole resting on a cast iron frame at the base. The surface of the cylinder and shaft is planed smoothly, and a spiral thread is cut into the whole length of the cylinder to move to the right or left as the handle is revolved. Attached to the base is an adjustable standard or arm that supports an ordinary mouthpiece of the telephone. To the under part of the diaphragm, or disk, in the mouthpiece is attached a portion of an ordinary No. 9 sewing needle. The cylinder is now covered with common tin-foil. The cylinder is next revolved, and words are spoken into the mouthpiece adjusted to the cylinder so that the point of the needle slightly indents the surface of the tin-foil. The cylinder is next revolved and words are spoken into it, and the sound waves, caused by the speaking, cause the diaphragm, or disk, to vibrate and make the point of the needle (as it traverses the tin-foil along the spiral groove) indent or cut into the plastic surface of the tin-foil the sound waves. Then on reversing the cylinder and placing the point of the needle over that portion of the foil where it first started and revolving the cylinder, the sound waves are generated by the vibrations of the plate or disk as the needle traverses the cylinder, causing the machine to give forth from this vibrating plate exact words or notes thrown upon.”
The exhibition began by Mr. McCall making a statement into the machine that it was the wonder of the nineteenth century, the cylinder was reversed and the declaration was repeated with remarkable distinctness.
Next, a quotation from Shakespeare was given, beginning:
“Breathes there a man with a soul so dead” etc. and the verse, with all the inflections of the speaker’s voice, was heard distinctly, just as uttered. Then followed a quotation from Poe’s “Raven,” with equal clearness. But the piece which gave the most enjoyment was the following:
“There was an old nigger,
And he died a long time ago,
And he had no roof on the top of his head,
The place where the wool ought to grow.”
“Yankee Doodle came to town,
Upon a streaked pony,
He put a feather in his hat,
And called it macaroni,”
Tra, la, la, etc.
These verses were given with remarkable distinctness, the speaker’s twang, the different modulations of his voice, being repeated on the cylinder’s reversal.
The operator also whistled a tune into the apparatus, and it reproduced note for note.
In answer to a question, Mr. McCall said on the common foils the sounds could be reproduced from 50 to 75 times, but in Edison’s perfected machine, they would use copper plate foil, reproducing many thousand times the first sounds. In the standard machine, they would do away with the mouthpiece, and the machine would take up the sounds emitted at a distance of sixteen feet. A ten inch square foil could be made to contain 10,000 words – so many as there are in any of Dickens’ works. Mr. McCall predicted a complete revolution in the book and musical world by means of this machine, as it would enable people to buy a novel in a foil at a fourth of the present price, allow them to take it home, turn on their phonograph, which could repeat the book at their pleasure in the author’s own words, and repeat it as desired. It would have the same effect on music. In the courts, it would be invaluable as a recorder of evidence.
Rev. Mr. Carmichael (jocularly) asked if it would record a kiss.
Mr. McCall said that his experience had seen that a kiss was a drawing in of the breath rather than giving out, and hence it would not take effect.
Rev. Mr. Carmichael : “It would be invaluable for the love letters, if it could be made to send the kisses.” (Laughter)
Mr. McCall : “It can send all but the kisses.”
The phonograph being demonstrated was only a model and the machine would not be available for purchase in Hamilton until the following October.
The improved phonographs are to be on sale in this city for nearly five months, hopefully by the middle of October.
The price of the first phonographs to be sold in Hamilton was going to be a staggering $100 each, a price far beyond the means of casual purchasers.
The Spectator reporter ended his column suggesting that “it remains to be seen whether the wonderful invention of Edison will be put to any practical purpose.”
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