Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-27
EDIsoN's LATEST IDEA.
Utilizing Earth Currents in Place OF
TcIcgraphWircs.


TclcGraphWircs.
NEWARK, July 22.-Vheu Thomas Edi-
son, the whilom "wizarl" of Menlo Park,
brought his bride to his $50, 900 residence
on the Orange Mountain about two
months ago, he also determined TO bring
his workshop within easy access from
his residence. Carrying out his purpose
the great electrician has been busy for a
period OF SIX weeks putting up work
shop In East Newark, and there he was
found TINS morning, Weezy, blue-eyed,
little stouter than beWas two years ago
and a triile more settld.
81 am a WOrkingmn now" he said,
smiiingly. II bring ny lunch with me
in the morning, tor | cannot afford to
spare the time to go hone to dinner, Of
course you know that have become a
Jerseyman once more. | have gwen up
my laboratory in New York, and every
tnlng is now at the facbry here in East
Newark"
"ls 1t permanent arrangement
''No; will build new laboratory for
myself next summer at 4lewellyn Park
(the place of his residelce). | have
planned that it shall be down in one cor
ner OF my garden"
"Will 1t be an extensive neY
sob, yes, it will be god deal bigger
than my house." answered Mr.. Edison.
81 expect to have within physical and
chemical laboratories, blacksmith shop
and other departments. l am going to
have 1t little more complete than any
other in the country, il possible. | like
Jersey. Almost all th, success l ever
lad was at Menlo Park
cat what are you working now?"
81 am simply trying to cheaper the
electric lamps and the carbons. | have
had men almost all overthe United States
and South America looking for vege-
table or mineral substance from which
carbon points might be made. Prof. He'd
den, OF Newark. nIneralOgist, in
travelling through the tOuthern States
tailed to find what l wan;ed, but he dis
covered the 'Heddenite' ald fortune in
North Carolina"
''Have you done nothing recently with
electricityW
You newspaper people, said Mr. Edi-
son, laughing, "think thai always must
have just completed SOM wonderful in
vention, which l ought totell you about.
Why don't you devOur each others tic-
ton? An American correspondent wrote
to Berlin paper recently tremendous
story abOutmy having invented a wonder
full shirt OF gelatine, made transparent by
electrical treatment. This shirt was sup
posed to be built in layers of almost in
conceivable thinness. Each layer was
white and adhesive and could be taken of
when soiled, and as there were Just
$50 layers and it was calculated that each
sheet would last day gdatine garment
would last a year. Well, this marvellous
tale went the rounds of the European
press and at last it was reprinted IN Bra
zil. TIE gullibilIty OF tie South Ameri-
no onnrD0ia5ad NJ iG
known that soon after the shirt story met
their eyes, the BraZiliars began to send
me drafts and checks for shirts. One
idiotc diamond dealer" added Mr.. Ed-
son, mirthfuily, "sent me a draft for 8l00
on the Bank OF England He wrote that
he did rot know how much the shirts
were, but he did not thilk they ought to
cost over 100 apiece.
seriously" said he, drawing out a
sheet OF paper and pencil, 'there is but
one idea | am thinking OF that l care to
talk about. AS soon as | can find time to
20 to Florida L am going 10 make some ex-
periments with earth currents. | cannot
do it here because there Is too much
mineral in the soil. In Florida it is all
sard. There are currents Of electricity
passing all the time through the earth
their directions, however, are unknown.
| propose TO arrange eight currents, ra-
dating in as many directions from CEN
trail point. l will place man at each Cir
cait TO test the power of the currents. tits
well known that if an earth current
crosses a wire at right angles there is but
little If any appreciate effect made upon
1t. The greatest power is felt where the
wire and currents run in parallel direc-
tions. In Boston | have run wire six
hours with the aurora borealis without a
battery. If had had rod at that time
running from New York to Boston
would have had electric power enough on
it to run all the machinery in Boston,
CATER you understand the earth's cur
rents, what then"'
''Well, "a knowledge of them may revo.
lutiOnIze telegraphy. 1t may revolution.
ize the meteorological bureau system and
make it possible TO forecast the weather
exactly. l have an idea that 1t may dc
something still greater, but l do not care
to talk about 1t at present. TelegraphiC
wires sooner or later will be thing of the
past, | believe. They are expensive anC
cumbersome, and why use them if yol
can make an instrument that will bt
sensitive to the natural earth currentsp