The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-03
gDIsON'S FIRST ClgCK.

His Introduction TO Wall stFset-A Check
He Didn't Know What to Do With.
Exchange,
The other day a smOoth.iacod man,
wearing handsome clothes and display
ing a soiled collar and necktie all awry,
and shoes that never experienced the
skilliul manipulatIops Of a bootblaCk,
and finger nails that never met q mani
cure, leaned his elbow on a Washington
counter and conversed in the iolliest
way with circle Of newspaper friends.
He looked like a tramp, but ne really Is
one OF the most famous men In the
world, and his name Is known in every
part OF the globe. His name Is Thomas
Alya Edison, and he was once a peanut
boy and news butcher on q jerkwater
railroad In the Buckeye State, During
q little luncheon Edison, between hearty
drinks OF beer, his fayorite beverage,
told in his quaint way the story OF his
first acquaintance with any large sum Of
money. II was In the days when he was
struggling along with his earlier ipVep'
Llons, and didn't have big capitalists to
back him, In fact, he didn't have any
bank account himself, aud hardly knew
what one was. Bank checks were things
no had never had occasion 10 use, and
had about as much idea OF their value
rs the man In the moon,
Edison had finally sold his patent on
the gold and stock indicator TO the West
ern Union telegraph tor$iO, 900, aud was
coming over to New York TO get his
money,
He had heard Of Wall street and lts
bnlls and bears, and had been told that
II was full OF Sharks" who would fleece
q map very quick, So he made up his
mind that Wall street was a very danger
Gus place, and that II he ever had ocCa-
sion to so there he would be luck II he |
got away without losing his oyercoat aud
umbrella.
AZ that time General LeGarts was
President Of the Western Union. One
Edison came into the com.
pany's general offices to close up the sale
81 his patent. After a few preliminarles
he was given a check for $4,000.
He looked at II curiously fora moment
Or two and appeared to be puzzled what
10 do whit. He knew that liza had sold
a patent to the w, U, Co, for $40, 900, but
he did not see any money. Observing
his perplexity, General LeiTerts told him
that II no would 60 10 the Bank OF
In Wall street he could get the
check cashed. $50 started" said Ed.
son, latter carefully folding up the check,
aud went toward Wall street. So uncel..
tain was | in regard to that way OF doing
business that | thought while on the
way that II q auy man should come up 10
me aud offer me two crisp thousand dol.
lar bills for that piece OF paper should
give him up the check very quick"
On arriving at the Bank OF America he
hesltated about entering, fearing still
hat something might be wrong. At last,
however, he mustered up courage and
determined to try 1t. Heknew that Gen.
LelFsrts had told him he would get his
money here, so he braeed ahead and half
trembling showed his check out to the
gashier.
The latter scrutinized It closely, gave
Edison piercing glance aud said some.
hing which Edison could not under.
Itand, Us hU was hard OF hearing.
That was enough. He was now more
han ever convinced that his "check"
wasn't worth $4,000, and again thought
II he rushed out OF the bank with 1t
hat any man VINO would give him 1000
could walk away with the check.
lie hurried back 10 the w. U. and
aid he could not get any money. Gen.
,ral LstIerts then sent q man with him
o identity him. He said: "rhis man IL
Thomas A. Edison, to whose order the
,heck Ia drawn"
dWhy certainly, Mr.. Edison, said the
,ashier, very obseQuiOusly: "How
would you like your $4O,OOO-in whit
Ihape2'
20, any way to suit the bank. II
Doesn't make any difference TO me so
ong as get the money"
Edison was given $40, 900 in large bills.
After dividing the roll into two wads Of
10000 each no stuffed one into each
rousers pockets, buttoned up his coat
Is tightly as possible, and made a break
o get out Of Wall street rs quick as he
,ould. The next day Edison begun
work on his first laboratory in New
York.