St. Landry democrat., 1880-01-17
EdiS0ra's Progress.
IN. O. DemGcrat.l

Menlo Park on New ears eve, 1t mas
heen necessary for Mr. Edison to close
the doors of his work shops and lanora-
tory to the general puollc. LII inns ne
will certainly be sustained by Inleill-
gent opinion everywhere. a man may
be ever so willing to crafty popular
curiosity and to remove popular skep-
|. ticism as To a matter of profound and
universal interest, syet he cannot pc
expected to. submit TO the invasion OF
his working place by mob, to the, Ill
,terruption Of important labels aud to
tile destruction OF delicate and valuable
machinery. For more than two weeks
Menlo Park was thrown open to the
public. Every opportunity was afforded
people to see the entire operation OF the
new electric light, to become acquainted
with its every detail. Mr.. Edison and
his assistants neglected no means OF
explaining and exhibiting the whole
system. There was no secrecy, no re-
servation, nothing remained hidden,
everything was Kept III view. 1t the
skeptical scientists did not go and con-
vince themselves, it was their own fault.
They were specially invited. If the
public are still in doubt, it is not be-
cause of any unwillingness on. MI.
Edson's part to satisfy them. Now,
however, it has been found necessary
to close the workshop and resume busI-
ness. The experience OF those two or
three weeks convinced Mr.. Edison that
he could not afford any longer to aban-
don his labors for the qualification OF
persons who, if they were not deiiber-
atelyiBal ieionsyw ere certainly destruc-
tive and dan gerous. lie has conseG ueni-
hly closed fiis laboratory and workshops
against indiscriminate visits and has
resumed the experiments and the labors
to which he and his corps are devoted.
Those who are not yet convinced may
remain skeptics or await the practical
demonstration, as they please; but,
meanwhile, Mr.. Edison is determined
not to be overrun by any more gangs
of such ruflians as invaded MenIo Park
on New Years Eve and came near doing
irreparable injury,
This morning we republish an article
from the New York Sun, of the ninth
in which it is related that Edison has
succeeded in discovering a source oi
supply for the platlnum that be needs
for the little wires connecting the bur
ner i'll his vacuum with the outside
conductors. This seems to remove the
last remaining doubt as to the practicai
items of cost in the Edison apparatus
and gives to the entire enterprise !;
powerful and important impulse. One
great difficulty heretofore has been the
fact that the only available supply OF
in Russia, and that these, having mo-
nopnly, regulated the price to snit them
selves. 1t was feared that in the event
of launching an enterprise SO vast as
that of the Edison Electric Ligi,tine
Company, these two CORPORATIONS would
exact such terms as to secure to them
selves the lions share Of the profit, il
not actually 10 cripple it altogether. If
however, Mr.. Edison has secured suiti-
cient supply himself, there remains nc
further impedime except the construc-
ton of machinery that will furnish the
electricity on large scale. That con
summation is rapidly being attained
and, in the interval, Mr. Edison is en-
gaging in further experiments with a
view to improve$ his lamp. We think
that no one who has kept pace with the
developments in the case can doudt
that Edison has solved the problem fully
and conclusively. b .... =
BLIND ToM.-Blind Toms birthplace
is Georgia, and he began to excite at
ton as Il musician at the age OF -four
years. All sounds afforded him de-
light; even the crying of a child scallsed
him to dance about in a state of ecstasy
When at home he often bit his bro
theirs and sisters to make them emit
cries of pain. If kept away from a
piano he would beat against the wall
drag chairs about the the room. and
makes all sorts Of noises. When at
London filte was produced for him,
sff1kry complicated pattern, and hav
y ing twenty-five keys. He frequently
rises up at III ght and plays this instru-
ment, initiating upon it all sorts OF
sounds which he may hear at the time
Once, when the agent attempted to
make him stop playing 9 piano in a
high toned hotel, at O'clock in the
morning. TOtn seized him and threw
through the door. Z lii washington, he
threw man down stairs who came in
TO his room. When at home, in Geor-
gla, he lives in a building two hundred
yards from the honse, and there re-
mains alone with his piano, playing all
day and night, like one possessed with
madness. Bad weather has an effect
upon his music. In cloudy rainy sea
sons, hesp plays som bro music in minor
ehOrd; and W hen the sun shines and the
birds sing, beinaulges in Waltzes and
light music. Somtimes he will ham.
mer away for hours, producing the most
horrible diseord imaginable. Suddenl,
a change comes over him, and he indui.
ges in magnificent bursts of harmony
taken from the best productions Of the
masters. Since his childhood he has
been an idiot, and played nearly as vel
at the age OF seven as he does now; bui
now his repertoire is much larger, as hi
can play any thing he has ever heard
He now plays about seven thousand
pieces, and picks up new ones every.
where. 1t is a curious fact that he will
not play Sunday school music if he car
help it, having great dislike for it,
lBesna Herald. I
DICKENS FAMOUS DUTcHMAN.-A
benevolent lady who was visiting the
Eastern penitentiary several days age
asked to be shown the cell occupied b,
Charles Langheimer, the miserable OLD
~ sneak thief who was written into fame
by the pen Of Charles Dickens oyer