The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-05

An UNPLEASANT ATMOSPHERE WHERE RUB
BER GLOVES ARE COMFORTABLE.
is for ore milling, for Edison extracts the
iron that he needs for instruments from the
baser metals. The building next TO this is
the storehouse for chemicals, where the
heavier stuff is kept.
Next to this is the galvanometer ROOM
or building, for conducting experiments
with this delicate instrument. The needles
Of the galvanometers require the electrical
equilibrium, and the machines rest on
masonry which is solidly built some feet
into the ground. The bolts and every
metallic part of the instrument are of brass
to avoid detection of The needle.
When one enters the laboratory he is
confronted by a printed poster which in
forms the intruding visitor that Mr.. Edison
is 50 occupied with his work, that the
stream Of callers is so great, and that he is
cons rained to deny himself absolutely.
Happily, an appointment to meet him made
with himself robbed this placard of its
business-like inhospitality. He was engaged
st the moment, however, III woT,t which ne
could not easily interrupt, andNegged for
quarter of an hours delay.
This time of waiting admitted of cursory
glance at the building. There is fine
library room with numerous alcoves off
from its two stories. It is finished in hard
wood, with a marouetry floor strewn with
Persian rugs, and the large space brilliantly
lit by electric lights. There are hundreds
of these being constantly tested in the build
ing, as there is a seeming extravaganza in
the lavish illumination, which is only a
seeming one. He has $50 men in constant
employment in this place at Orange. Mr.
Edison is conducting experiments in about
sixty different things, some OF them en-
tirely outside the field of electricity, though,
of course, his labors are chiefly il this i'm
portant branch, where SO much is still I'M
known. An engine of forty-horse power
runs all the machinery of the shop, though
there is a dynamo on the second floor which
is used when the larger engine is not work
ing.
On the third floor there is at the western
extremity a good sized lecture room where
lectures on interesting POINTS in physics and
chemistry and mechanics are delivered
only to the employees. Mr.. Edison never
lectures himself, although he has the valu-
able gift of explaining his inventions. or
some scientific application which they in
volve, with such clearness that even the
ordinary mind, little used to thought on
such subjects, can grasp the idea at once.
In thlS room is grand piano, one made
for Josef Holman, and sent to Mr.. Ellison
for this room after that young phenomenon
had completed his concert season. In this
room is the photograph. Boxes, filled with
wax cylinders inches long, stand on the
floor. These cylinders are the phonetic re-
cords of some phase of sound. and when one
Is fitted on the brass cylinder of the phono-
graph and the glass-tipped ends of a bifur-
Gated rubber tube put into the ears, the
auditor hears the blast OF full band,
clearly discriminating the different instru-
ments; or some vocal solo with piano ac-
compartment: or some conversational
remarks, or an address by speaker. Mr..
EdiSon's account of his travels in Europe
vas poured into the ear with every intona-
u0n, emphasis, or faintest vocal color, or
pause. 1t gis a wonderfully entertaining
instrument, 1t is an inexpensive machine,
one cell being enough torun it for twelve
hours Five screws regulate everything
that has to be done.
The ceiling of the adjoining room was
blazing with electric lights, which studded
us entire length. They were being tested.
The quarter of an hours grace to the
inventor was more than up after walk
tdrough the laboratory, and after repair
Ing to the library on the ground floor Mr..
Late, the genial business manager of the
establlshment went out to get Mr.. Edison.
In moment he came in with a cigar
oox under his arm, dressed in black suit
ana flannel shirt, with a care.essly knotted
ne Any one meeting him by chance in the
building would never dream but at he
was one of the humblest employee He
seated himself, and put his hand back of
MS ear at the first remark shot at him in
the ordinary tone of conversation. For
IKE Bell, the inventor of the telephone,
Edison, the inventor of the photograph, is
Qeaf. lie has round face, brown hair,
good-natured off-hand air. and fond of an
easy posture when he is sitting talking with
one.
What is your last trick in the field of
science, Mr.. Edisonp was the first ques-
ton.
am not a scientific man." was the
rather unexpected response. 81 am an
inventor. There is a difference between
Them, although it may never have struck
you. A scientific man busies himself with
we theory. He is absolutely impractical.
AN inventor is essentially practical They
are OF such different casts of mind that you
rarely find the two together | do not
Dlng they can very well co-exist in the
me man. AS soon as find that something
am investigating does not lead to practi-
cal results, drop it. | do not pursue it as
d theory. The scientific man would be
content to go on and study it up purely as
theory. do not care for that"
~, Then what have you done latelyp' was
he modified form Of the question put to
the inventor who was not a scientist.
-, Last night perfected for the first time
tne duplication of the cylinders for the
monograph. Now there can be dozens as
easily as one, and absolutely as exact as
tne original, A thousand years from now
II the cylinder which transcribed a cornet
solo of Levy's is around. somebody can
near 1t as well as you could to-day by put
ting the cylinder on the instrument"
=, There has been some talk of late about