The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-12-29
A CHAT, WITH EDISON
The Many Electric Wonders Of the
Wizards Workshop.
Practical Methods Pursued by the Great
1nyentor-RecentE Experiments la the
Application of Electricity to Rail-
way Transportation.

Application. OIL 1LlScCrlclCf TO 1ssaA-
Way Transportation.
If YOU meet Edison this morning he has
rust found something, and If you meet him
tomorrow he has added q new discovery to
the realm of scientific invention. 1t is aard
to keep I'D with him. Probably no investi-
gator in the field Of science has ever been
surrounded by sucn perfect conditions for
prosecuting his researches. This has not
always been Sc, OF course, for Thomas Edi-
son has discovered among other things tho
way CT making money
His laboratory is about mile from the
station at Orange, N. j. His charming
home is not far removed in the beautiful
rural isolation of Llewelyn Park. Within
tia inclosuse where his working plant is
situated stands q large th,'ee-storied brick
building. This is the laboratory, perfect
beehive Of energetic experimenting.
When one enters the laboratory no is con-
fronted by 2 printed poster which informs
the intradinE visitor yhat Tar. Edison is so
occupied with his work aud the stream OF
callers is so great that ne is constrained TO
hide himself absolutely. Happily, an ap.
pointmcnt to meet him robbed this placard
Of it's husiness-liie lnhospitality. He was
engaged at the moment, however, in work
which he could not easily interrupt, and
begged for q quarter Of an hours delay.
This tune Of waiting admitted Of Is cur
:. sory glance :.v shs building. There Is fine
library room with numerous alccres oil
from its two stories. It is finished in hard
wood, with 81 parqaetty floor stre1Vn with
Persian rugs, aud tue large space brilliant
IL lit by electric lights. There are hun
0reds Of these being constantly tested in
the building, and there is g. seeming ex-
trayasance in the lavish ill11niaation, which
in only /; seeming one. flc has one hundred
and fifty men III constant employment III
this place at Orange Mr.. Edison is ccn-
Quoting experiments in about sixty differ
ant things, some Of them entirely outside
the field OF electricity, tEus,:~;l. OF course,
his lahors are chiefly l.. tt,4s Important
branch, ,yhere SO much is still unknown.
An engine Of forty horse power fuua ak tho
machinery III the shop, though there z3 q
dynamo OH che second floor which is used
H. when the larger en:ine is not working.
On the third floor there is at the western
extremity ~ good sized lscture-room, .There
lectures on interesting points in physics
aud chemistry and mechanics gre delivered
to the employees. Mr.. Edison never lect~
ures himself, although ne has the valuable
gift of explaining his inventions or some
scientific application which they involve
with such cenrness that even tho ordinary
mind, little used to thought on such sub
jects, can grasp the idea at once.
In this room is a grand piano, one made
for Josef Hcfrnaun, ana sent to Mr. Edison
after that young phenomenon had completed
his concertseaso IN thus room is the pho
uograph. Boxes, filed with wax cylinders
five inches long. stand on the floor. These
cylinders are the phonetic records OF some
phase Of sound and when enc is fitted on
the brass cylinder of the photograph and
the glass-tipped ends ct bifurcated rubber
tube put into the cars, the auditor hears the
blast OF !. full band. clearly discriminating
the different instruments; OF some vocal
sclo with piano accompaniment; or sone
conversational remarks, Or an address by a
speaker.
The quarter Of an hours grace to the in
ventor was more than up after a walk
through the laboratory. In a moment Mr..
Edison came in, with cigar-box under hts
arm, dressed in q black suit and flannel
shirt, with a carlassly-Inotted tie. Any
one meeting him by chance in the building
would tako him to be one Of the hunlblest
employees He seated himself aud put his
hand back of his ear AT the first remark
shot at him Ill the ordinary tone of CONVEX
telephone, Edison, the inventor OF the pho
nograph, is deaf. He has a round face,
brown hair, a good-natured, off-hand air
and is fond Of an easy posture when he is
talking.
"What is your last trick in the field of
science, Mr. Edison?' was the first Ques-
zion.
81 am not scientific man, was the
rather unexpected response. II am an in
yentor. There is difference between
them, although it may never have struck
YOU A scientific ;aan busies himself with
the theory. He is absolutely impractical
An inventor is essentially practical, They
are Of such different casts Of mind that you
rarely lind the two together. do not
think they can very well co-exist in the one
man. AS soon as I find that something /
am investigating does not lead to practical
results, drop it. / do not pursue it as a
theory The scientific man would be con-
tent to 20 on and study it up purely as a
4 theory. [ do not care for that. .
ssWhat about electricity in connection
with facilitating railroad transportationg''
That is great problem. # some means
iii can be discovered by which electricity can
~ he produced from coal without its energy
IA being spent.in heat, and the means OF doing
i This can be accompl shed at 9 reasonable
npenditure, then the applica q electric
SsT 90 motor to electric aims an l
~ "a g valuable