The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-27
EDIsoN,s LATEST IDEA.
An Instrument for Utilizing Earth Currents
In Place of Telegraph Wires.

In Place of Telegraph Wires.
Philadelphia Press.
When Thomas Edison, the whilom ''wizzard'
of Menlo Park, brought his bride to his $50, 0OC
residence on the Orange mountain, about two
months ago. he also determined to bring his
work shop within easy access from his residence.
Carrying out his purpose the great electrician
has been busy for period of six weeks III put
ting up q work shop in East Newark, and there
he was found this morning, breezy, blue-eyed,
little stouter than he was two years ago and
trife more settled.
II am workingman now, he said, smilingly.
Il bring my lunch with me in the morning, for
cannot afford to spare the time to 60 home to
dinner. Of course, you know that. have be-
come Jerseyman once more / have given up
my laboratory in New York, and everything Is
now at the factory here in East Newark"
"Is it permanent arrangement
mo; will build new laboratory for myself
next summer at Llewellyn Park 1.-THE place of his
residence have planned that it shall be done
In one corner OF my garden"
will it be an extensive onel'
"Oh, yes, it will be good deal bigger than my
house." answered Mr. Edison. 81 expect to
have within it physical and chemical iaborato-
ries, a blacksmith shop and other departments.
am going to have it q little more complete than
any other in the country, if possible. like Jer-
sey. Almost all the success ever had was at
Menlo Park"
'sAt what are you working now?"
II am simply trying to cheaper the electric
lamps and the carbons have had men almost
all over the United States and South America
looking for a vegetable or mineral substance
from which carbon points might be made. Pro.
fessor Hedden, of Newark, mineraogist, in
| travelling through the Southern States, failed to
| find what wanted, but he discovered the He'd,
| denite' and fortune in North Carolina
Have you done nothing recently with cleo
tricityq"
| laughing. think that always must have just
completed some wonderful invention, which
ought to tell you about Why don't you devour
each others iction9 An American correspond
emit wrote to Berlin paper, recently, ire
mepdous story about my having invented won
derful shirt of gelatine. made transpare emit by
electrical treatment This shirt was supposed
to be built in layers oe almost inconceivable
thinness. Each layer was white and adhesive
and could be taken off when soiled. and as there
were just 365 layers and it was calculated that
each sheet would last day, a gelatine garment
would last year. Well, this marvellous tale
went the rounds of the European press, and at
last it was reprinted in Brazil The gullibility
of the South American may be appreciated whom
it is known that after the shirt
story met their eyes the Brazilians began
to send me drafts and checks for shirts.
One idiotic diamond-dealer," added Mr. Edison,
mirthfuiy, ''sent me draft for Gl00 on the
Bank of England. He wrote that he didn't know
how much the shirts were, but he did not think
they ought to cost over hundred pounds apiece.
Seriously" said he, drawing out 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 60 to Flor
ida / am going to make some expert
ments with earth currents. / cannot do it here
because there is too much mineral in the soil
In Florida 1t is all sand There are currents Of
electricity passing all the time through the
earth; their directions however, are unknown.
propose to arrange eight currents radiating in
as many directions from central point will
place a man at each circuit to test the power Of
the currents. 1t is well known that if an earth
current crosses wire at right angles
there is but little if any appreciable
effect made upon it The greatest power is felt
where the wire and currents run in parallel d.
rections. In Boston have run a wire six hours
with the aurora boreais without battery. If
had had a rod at that time running from New
York to Boston | would have had electric
power enough on it to run all the machinery ir
Boston"
After you understand the earth's currents,
what then9"
'Well. a knowledge of them may revolutionza
telegraphy. II may revoutionize the meteorolog-
ical bureau system, and make it possible to fore.
cast the weather exactly. have an idea that it
may do something still greater, but | do not care
to talk about it at present. Telegraphic wires
sooner or later will be a thing Of the past, be-
lieve. They are expensive and cum bersome. and
why use them if you can make an instrument
that will be sensitive to the natural earth cur.
rapfe91