The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-11-16
SELECTED MATTER.
THOMAS ALvA EDISON.

The inventor of the phonograph.
FDmas AlVa Edison, was born IN OHIO
thify-onc YEAR ago. He commenced
hisenterprising career as 4 newsboy on
the Grand Trunk Railway Very soon
he had obtained the monopoly for the
sal: OF papers over the line, and employ
cd four boy assistants.
81 and by he conceived the idea of
Publishing for himself There was an
ole, springless car. with smoking room
attached 10 the train. on which he sold
.k---papcrs. and as NO one would travel
~ Il. Edison got leave to use H. He
Dough, Al old press and quantity Of
type. fitted it up in the smoking.room,
ind regularly ISSUED a small weekly PRINT
called the GyigG T,uGk HcydM price
three cents. containing gossip OF the
acighbOIhoOd, accidents and other mat b
.cr.
George Stephenson. Al work on the
Montreal tubular bridge. found Edison
engaged on hi> paper and was 50 pleas
ed with the boys carnesincss, that he
ordered IN extra edition tor himself -
Tn, connection with the prc,, intro
du,ci him 10 the telegraph. which he
siralghiWaS determined tO master
HaVYg learned how to send and re-
cciyc message. 4; the age Of seventeen.
be- obtained a siuaiian As telegraph op-
orator IN S,ra,'1rd. Canada Thence
he wen; from city to city of the S,ate>
West. south and Easi Cincinnati.
Indianapolis. Louisville. Ncw Orleans,
g2son and New York, leading An un-
sciGlcd operator lite now being dis
chirgca. uo~ leaving ot has own accord
AL hi, pare cash and time were spent
in providing experimental ciec;roIl 1p-
IaTaiu, To- illustrate hi> studio, orto y,
some 81 the - ginal ideas which ;h'ong-
Cd hi, brain.
~ ludianlpu., ne produce! be, iirS,
inventive Success. An Iliumlii, signalling
instrument. and II Cincinnati . sos
he perfected a dur lcN system for ,cuding
tWu message, m contrary directions over
one wire al once. lie wIs pooh
ed and udiCulcd until hc went 10 Bos.
ton in 1908. where ~ apprcciJtiye su
pcunicndcni OF the office recognized IN
hun the fire oi suppressed genius.
Il happened thar eight ycarS ago there
was unusual excitement IN the gold mar
kei. and al the climax oi the hurry the
company indicating instrument broke
down. The superintendent was out. and
no one could SCI % night In the midst
~ the confusion Edison stepped up and
'y--dutcercd 20 do u The manager
booked someWhl, doublou>ly a; the new
conner. but the emergency va, great.
and Edison'S offer WIS accepted. In 4
few moments the insiuIncn; Wa, work
ing as l,eiorr. and Edison was forthwith
engaged AZ 4 good salary IN the service
Of the COMPANY
From ;hi, time his career is thl; Of
an electrician and inventor. He soon
patented several valuaDiy inventions.
and becoming well known, was appoin;
ed lnycnior-in-C Chief io the Western
Union. the colossal telegraph monopoly
Of America. and TO other companies.
Two years ago he re,ire,i To Menlo
Park, a sequcs,crr,i spot on the Penn
sylvania Railway. iweniy-four miles
from New York. His establishment, here
consists Of ms laboratory dwelling house
sndihc cottages OF his workmen, clud
hg a restaurant started by smart Van
bee, for the convenience of Edison ;
tsitors.
The labsatory is a plain wooden
.sa<~ssEN two stories high, isolated on
Dcc. The lower part i oc-
Edison'S office and library.
Bhanics' shop. where dozen
c forging and shaping his ideas
~ and wood.
ACT-S,airS is the laboratory proper, a
&ng room lined from end TO end with
an array of chemicals. On tables and
ir Showcases about the room are lying
all manner of telegraphic apparatus.
lenses, crucibles, and pieces of his own
Observation-Disclosures, monographs
anil aerophones. a perfect tangle of
Geographic wires from all parts of the
kipn is focused at one end Of the room.
ka'ash-covered forge, cabinet organ,
a risty stove, with an old pivot chair, n
table well stained with oils and acids,
complete the furniture of this curious
den, into which the sunlight filters
through the chemical jars, and falls in
parti-colored patches on the dusty floor.
The moving spirit Of this place by
day and night is best described as an
owergrown schoolboy. His face is pale
and beardleSs. His nose and chin are
wcn shaped and prominent, his mouth
thin his forehead full and expansive,
butsnot very high; his hair is Of dark
chestnut brown, and silvered with gray.
The most striking feature Of his face is
his eyes, which are blue-gray, deep-se,,
intense, and penetrating. His smile is
boyish and pleasant, and his manner
somewhat xkv