Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-03-30
THE NAPOLEON OF SCIENCE.

Thomas A. Edison of Menlo Park, n. j.,
have excited universal interest. His
stock indicator, automatic and duplex in
struments. telephone, electro-motograph
airograph, electric pen, and, above all,
his speaking machine, mark him as the
Napoleon OF inventors. Indeed, at the
Professors age, Bonsparte had barely
reached the rank of First Consul. As
any particulars concerning tho history of
this extraordinary young inventor must
prove of more than usual interest, the
writer details conversation with Dir.
George s. Stewart, better known AS Fattie
Stewart, an old telegraph operator, now
employed in the office Of the Associated
Press
~ first knew Tom Edison" said Mr..
Stewart, ain 1866. AT that time l was
an operator in Tennessee. Tom was en-
ployed by Col. Coleman. the Superinten-
Memphis. He was a gawky boy, about
eighteen or nineteen, and was reading
everything about electricity that he could
pick up. He had lean hungry look,
and always seemed to be under the inhu
ence of some secret excitement. He got
into his head the idea of sending duplex
dispatches, and all his spare time was de-
voted to experiments in the office. Cole
man stood it for some time. but at last
began to growl. He allowed that Tom
was crazy, and that amy damned fool
ought TO know that wire can't be worked
both ways at the same time.' lie declar-
ed that he wouldn't have Tom puttering
around the Office with such Stiffness, and
finally discharged him in disgust. The
boy went back homo to some town in
Michigan, and lost track of him.
"Some time afterward was transfer
red to the Boston office. At that time
wire No. l, as it was then called, was
considered tho crack wire of tho country.
The fastest men were working it, For
some cause the operator in Boston resign
ed. 1t was difficult to find man to take
his place. A half dozen follows tried it,
but found it too much for them. One
after another they dropped it like hot
potato, and sloped wiser than when they
came. There was man in the office
named M. f. Adams. lie thought the
world OF Tom Edison, and recommended
him for the place, vouching for him as
frst-class operator. G. f. Millker, the
manager, telegraphed to the little town in
Michigan, asking Tom if he would come
on and accept the position. Tom answer
ed yes, and without further words started
for Boston, via tho Michigan Central and
Grand Trunk Railroads. In running
through Canada he got showed under,
and was kept on the track in one spot for
twenty four hours, cold and hungry,
without bed. AS usual, he owned but
, one suit of clothes, and that was on his
back. Unfortunately, il was a summer
suit. lie might have frozen to death had
he not bought an old rough roundabout
, overcoat from Canuck railroad laborer.
But he finally got through all right.
81 was in the Boston office when he
, arrived, and must say" continued Mr..
, Stewart, bringing his fist down upon the
table, "he was the worst looking speci-
3 men of humanity | ever saw. The mod
ern telegraph tramp isn't a marker. He
| wore pair Of jean breeches six inches
too short for him. a pair OF very low
shoes, the Canuck jacket, and a broad
brimmed butternut hat a relic of his
life in Memphis. The wide rim was
badly torn, and hung down so that you
could see his oars through the opening
There was the slightest trace OF dirt on
his upper lip, that he called moustacho.
His hair hadn't been combed for week,
} and he wore the blacklist white shirt that
was ever seen on the back Of a human
being. Nervously pinching his upper
lip-a habit that he had-he inquired for
the manager, and was sent to Milliken.
"Are you the boss p Tom asked -
Millken smiled and said he was manager.
Tom then introduced himself and asked
when they wanted him to go to work.
Milliken stared at him as though he
couldn't believe his ears, and said |:
AT half past fve.' 1t was then we'll
along in the afternoon. Tom began to
look around the Office for clock, and
Milliken said: Young man, you have
to work pretty heavy wire.' Tom gave
what he called his moustache an extra
iat oil ha in ha
world blurtsd out, "Al right, boss. III
be here at half past fve.' He sloped 50
quick that it made Miliken's head swim.
"The operators burst into a peal Of
laughter. They had seen and heard
everything, and their remarks we're any
thing but complimentary to Tom. 'Oh,
said one Of them, he won't last as long
as that Jerseyman that tackled the wire
the other day. why, that fellow cant
read by paper, let alone by sound, shout
cd another. A third declared that Tom
was the worst no ever saw and when u
fourth wondered whether the walking
between Michigan and Boston was very
good, there was general roar.
"Well," continued Stewart, "halfpast
five came, and so did Tom. Everybody
was on the qat vtve. Millken was just
taking from the vault the supply Of blanks
for the night operators. AS Tom came
up he pointed to a pile OF them, saying,
Take what blanks you want and I'll
, show you your table, Tom innocently
7 picked up the whole bundle, and followed
Milliken to his table. The operators be-
gan to grin and snicker. They all thought
that he would get bounced after trying to
catch one message. IL was the No. l