The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1880-04-01
Mr.. EOlsON'S BARGAIN.

DuTlnK long series OF experiments
made some time ago with dampened
chalk as a conductor. in connection
with the mOtOPhone, an attachment
and adjunct To the telephone. Mr..
Edison discovered that the same prin.
ciple could Ike applied successfully to
the production of a mechanical move
ment at a distance. Upon this princi-
pie he constructed his elcctrO-nOtO-
graph. Up to that time there had
been but one method by which this
could he accomplished. This method
was first applied by man named
Page, and the validity Of his patents,
after long and costly controversy in
the courts, was recently established
by q decision by Judge Blatchford.
The Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, being the assignee of Mr.. Pages
widow, were thus sustained in their
claim to the only means of transmit
ting mechanical motion to u distance.
Fearing that Edison during hi-
constant and untiring experimenting,
hacked by genius, might some day
strike upon second mean, Of trans
uniting mechanical motion 10 u
distance, and thus furnish rival
companies with, a means Of successful
competition, the Western Union
Company made contract with Mr..
Edison by which they were to he
allowed 10 make the first bid upon all
electrical inventions. They agreed 10
pay him slO,OW q year for the priyi-
iege. Some weeks ago, therefore,
when the nature of hi. new invention
was. learned by that company. they
called upon him to name his terin-
Mr.. Edison promptly named slUb,OoO.
This was thought To be too high fig-
ure, and Mr.. Edison and the cOui pany
named an arbitrator to adjust the
difference.
While these were endeavoring 10
come to al understanding, agents Of
the rival cOnipany-the American
Union Telegraph COmpany-Opened
negotiation. with Edison. \ pos-es-
sion Of this Invention would have
enabled the latter company To operate
their wires without la any way in
fringing ola the Page patents claimed
by theWestern Union. This fastened
matters, and Without more ado the
Western Union Company agreed, ON
Saturday last, to the terms originally
asked by Edison, namely. 100000
cash.
BY this purchase they do not ac-
qulre right to the electromagnetic
principle, - has been stated, but only
to the application Of that principle TO
telegraphy: That y to say, IL the
decision Of Judge Blatchford in the
Page patent case IL sustained, the
Western Union Company will hold
the only two means Of producing me-
chapical motion at distance. and
will thus have complete control Of all
mesns Of teiegraphic communication
In this country.
The result Of this new application
81 the eleetrO-moto2raph 10 Telegraph
ic purIsJ.s-s opens up . new system Of
aide aud distinct from the Page pat
eOt-. Edison. theory ]. thai the Z
friction generated betwe cen two tosiieS
eases, even entirely eliminatd, through I,
carrenf Of electricity IL pa--ed frnrn .
metallic point through piece of.'haik I
chemically prepared, and thus ren3sr-
ton normally existing tetween the .
metallic point and the prepared chalk /
is eliminated. and the result j. that /.
Lhe metallic point glide nverthe sur ,
face of the chalk without resistance. !
The moment the current l. shut OF. /
the normal friction j. nj once Jere.iy (,
ef. Prom thu. il will h. zen that hy 4
the use of currcnt Of electricity aud
= pie,c "f chalk chemically PREPARED
"n which ret. q metallic point con 4
i,Hl movement ]. prs,lur-l AT die
HI