The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-06-06
/" EdisOn's Latest "-The Instrument
that will Measure Star Heat,

There was printed in New York Sun
a paragraph touching the attest, and, in
some respects, the most peculiar of
Thomas Edison's discoveries. This is a
new heat measure, deriving its potency
from the same wonderful "carbon
used in the Edison Telephone, and SO
sensitive that it is capable of detecting
the ffty-thousanth part of degree
Fahrenheit. To San reporter who
visited him on Thursday Mr.. Edison said
that he had not been able, owing to the
pressure of other work, to construct the
instruments necessary to show the full
ability of this new power, but that he
had not satisfied himself of the feas-
ability of SO employing it that it will reg
lister heatinfuences smaller by thousands
of divisions than any that have yet been
registered. He was in the act of
prophesying that he would be able to
draw sufficient heat from a star to close
an ordinary electric circuit, when one of
the great punches of visitors lately crowd
ing to Menlo Park came bursting in
upon him, filling his laboratory, closing
the circuit of explanations to the repor-
ter, and generating in the inventor a
certain heat of impatience superior to
of the excursion party, as given with
striking unanimity of sentiment by sew
eral of Mr.. Edison's assistants, is rather
humorous, though the gravity with
| which they rendered it was unmistak-
able.
A short time ago a new conner in
| Menlo Park introduced himself to Mr..
Edison, and pressed the acquaintance
zealously, without much assistance or
much need on the part of the inventor.
He made free with the laboratory, and
generously and free handedly allowed
himself the run of it. A week ago, the
acquaintance having ripened through
the zeal of the one who instituted it, the
visitor said he would bring some friends
up from the city to see the phonograph
Mr.. Edison said he hoped he wouldn't
bring more than dozen, and the gentle
man said good naturedly that he would
confne himself to that number.
At five o'clock on Thursday afternoon
the excursion reached its destination
All of sudden the head of procession
numbering about thirty persons entered
the quiet laboratory. 1t was led by
the volunteer host himself, brisk, gray
bearded person, with flaming rose il
his button hole; and its last member wa.
laboring man, who carried pailful o.
milk punch. Mr.. Edison disappeared
with suddenness that did not seem &C
cidental, but his friend took upon him
self the control of the place with CORES
ponding facility, and in five minutes hat
all of Mr.. Edison's workmen employed
in various missions.
This lasted for an hour or more, whel
the inventor was seen again comm,
rather sheepishly over the brow of tn
hill. The brisk gentleman grabbed him
made pleasant joke about the great in
ventor's deafness, and used him un
grudgingly even as he used all tn
others. The punch was drank, all tn
monographs and telephones were Sc
going, and the pleasure continue,
uninterruptedly until nine o'clock, whel
the las. train came along.
Mr. Edison says that the bores ar
coming upon him so thickly that one O
| his earliest inventions in the futur
, must be something by which he shall b
! protected from their disastrous inroads
AS the Sun reporter passed Out
, Edison's secretary whispered partin
/ word. He said that whole carload ha
lately telegraphed from Boston ths
they were coming to Menlo Park
hundred strong. He was not aware this
they had ever been invited.