, 1884-11-02
A QUEER GENIUS.
A Few "reminiscences OF Edison's
Life in Cincinnati
Receiving n Visitor dressed Only IN
shoes, a shirt and Plug
Hat-Bothered By
Strangers.
IClnclnnatl Times- star.

cincinnati Times-Star.l
1t is not generally known that Thomas Ed
ison. the ~wel.known inventor, was a West
ern Union telegraph operator in this city In
1867.
Ed Armstrong, the father of the patrol sys-
tenn, was also an operator in the same Office,
and from that time until the present has
been his intimate FREUD and correspondent.
In speaking Of him Mr.. Armstrong said: He
had a room at 81 West Third street, and was
the queerest genius l ever met. He was not
tall, but angular, with q slight stoop in his
shoulders, while his clothes looked like they
had been thrown at him and stuck,
and he had walked off not knowing
they were there. He was an in
veterate smoker, but held his cigar In a man
ner entirely peculiar to himself. Instead Of
catching 1t between the foreinger and thumb,
like most men do, he would grip it with his
sntire hand as IL IL was a crank and his
mouth the wheel to turn. When 1t would
burn up TO his little finger that finger would
fly up, then the other, and 30 IN, until the
cigar was consumed up 10 his mouth. He
would then walk along holding the stump to
his lips with his thumb and forefnger and
his other fingers scattered out in front Of his
noR
For a long time he wore an old ragged
suit around the office that was an abomina-
ton to decency. But one day be suddenly
appeared dressed in q spanking new suit,
with "a leer on his face and smoking a cigar.
b boys would not believe 1t wns him until
they heard that peculiar funny voice OF his,
that sounded like a cross-cut saw running
through rotton wood, or q hog scratching
himself ON a splinter.
A few days later be allowed up, but one
leg OF the brooches was completely soiled
and ruined with acids He had been ex-
perimenting, and stained them as yellow o.
u Chinaman's uniform. Yet he wore that
suit around the office for five months after
ward.
Another popularity about the man was
his handwriting. None of the letters were
connected, yet 1t was as plain and legible a.
print Though painfully slow and laborious
for any one else to write in this way, he
could receive from the fastest operators In
the country.
when I visit ID him In New York. 1 was
shown into a private room, and after send
ing up my card. he Immediately sent for me.
When l entered his laboratory be wore moth
ing but a pair Of shoes, u shirt and a plug
hat Yon can imagine how he appeared to
me. After getting done laughing, / finally
shook hands with him md said:
Tom, why.don't you keep you clothes
orr
He twisted his face Into that peculiar lesr
OF his and answered:
II am seriously bothered by visitors. OF
course they must all soc me, but when they
come In and see what condition I am In they
Immediately leave, thinking. doubtless, l am
crazy"
hat evening while talking to me he sud-
denly turned around and said:
aEd what has hacnuna NJ thai faIloU wa
used 10 receive 30 many dispatches from
while l was in CINCINNATI His name was
was, oh-oh, pshawi you know who 1
meant
Il knew who be meant, but could not ~
call the fellows name just thon- An hour
later l left him, and going dow on Market
street met some friends, and we all stepped
into a restaurant to get supper. While thsrs
looked out and saw Edison walking along
the street looking up at the names OF the
people over the doors. 1 called him In and
wanted to know what he was doing, when be
answered: I am trying to find that dsvilsh
fellows name Later in tho evening he
went home, getting the city directory, com
nenced at A and went to 2 trying TO find
the name, but still unsuccessful. He then
took c~olon, and the moment he cana
To pink he exclaimed: @Ah, 1 have it" The
name was Pink Tarvin. 'Tarvtn was = well
Known steamboat pilot In Cincinnati At one
time. 1t was 8 o'clock in the morning when
he found the name and got to bed. He was
very fond OF n joke, and nicely took in Anton,
The Tribune correspondent. Learning that
he was coming, Edison called all his com.
rades around him and told them that he
wanted them to pretend that they were work
ing themselves to death when Arton came.
The great newspaper man was received by
Edison witt due propriety and n broad grin
When Arton went into the room on the first
floor Of the laboratory, he saw about a hun.
dred men pouring out and mixing liquids,
arranging batteries, and apparently exhaust
ing themselves at hard work. On the second,
third and fourth floors 1t was the same, and
when he returned to New York he wrote up
a most wonderful account Of his visit TO the
laboratory Of the great inventor
When Tom read the article be grinned like
= monkey, but was as mum AZ an oyster"