Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-20
THE MAN BEFORE EDISON.


The Original Inventor of the Electric
Light-A Lost Idea.
Anybody that chooses and knows how can
make incandescent electric lights now The
only person who had any right to prevent
them has been asleep for a good many years
at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. Most
people think Edison invented these lights, and
so he did, but he was not the first. Some years
ago, young man in advance of his age, by
the name of Starr, came to Mr.. George Pea
body with a new invention, asking advice
and assistance Mr.. Peabody was not only a
philanthropist but a shrewd man of bust
ness. He saw at once the possibilities of the
electric light, and gladly furnished Starr
with the means to go to England and take
out a patent after consulting experts and
scientists there. In those days every new
discovery had to have the stamp of England's
scientific approval to make Its way elsewhere.
Mr.. Starr, like many genius before and
since, was by no means an experienced and
cautious business man, so Mr. Peacody en-
gagged man named King to go with him as
his business agent and to conduct the nego-
tiations.
The two men set sail for England. had a
prosperous voyage, and met with fiattering
reception. The invention was exhibited TO
the first authorities in the kingdom, was care
fully scrutinized by them, and was unani-
mouSlv pronounced 10 be a brilliant and sue
ceSsful one The two men remained for some
| time in England, and received nothing but
consideration and encouragement A patent
for the invention was obtained, but by a
| usage allowed by English patent law, was is
| sued in the name of the solicitor, Mr.. King,
| instead of that of the inventor, Mr. Starr
| The unsuspecting inventor does not appear
to have observed this, or made any objec-
ton, or at least there is no record that he
did so.
The two men started on their return to
| America. They had been at sea but very
| few DAYS when Mr.. Starr was found one
morning in his berth dead, from some myste-
rious and unexplained cause. His body was
buried at sea, and his companion continued
his journey, and presented himself to Mr.
Peabody with his report That gentleman
listened attentively to his account of the
Journey, with its various business transac
tions and its tragic finale. On concluding
his narrative Mr.. King asked the millionair,
if he would continue to back up the inven
ton with his money and influence Mr.
Peabody's reply was to rise, open the door o
his private office where the interview haC
taken place, and sternly point toward it
The discounted attorney, without word
went ont through the door into oblivion.
And that is the reason why Edison had t
invent the electric light all over again. Tn
invention lay in a stale mate, as it were !
| l. 1
velop it, but he had disappeared 1t was no
known till 1876 that Starr was the real in
ventor and even then, as he was dead, an
fthe patent issued to another man, nothin
could be done Finally Edison went to wor
on his own hook and thought out his scheme
but the highest English courts have just dt
cided that the King patent anticipated hi
and makes them invalid And as the Garlic
patent has lapsed, the idea, under this d,
cision, is common property.-Once Weel