San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-04
EDISON'S EARLY DAYS.
THE FIGURE HE CUT DURING HIS
FIRST HOURS IN BOSTON.


Messages at Greater Speed Than They
Dared Attempt-His Introduction to the
Western Union.
~ don't think" said friend of Thomas A.
Edison to group seated in the rear room Of
Orange, that you have ever heard the story
of how the Wizard first came east He was
onl, young man. careless, generous, jovial,
and totally ignorant of the value Of a dollar.
He had been knocking round in western
towns in various small telegraph offices until
the reputation of his wonderful swiftness as
an operator got him into the central office Of
a western city From there he was ordered
to report to Boston to fill vacancy. 1t was
warm weather for the season when he started
east, and he donned linen trousers and a
buster. By the time he reached Boston the
weather had got cold, raw and stormy. He
didn't care, and reported just as he was
Linen trousers and buster, topped by
slouchy, broad brimmed hat, weren't the
fashion In Boston in the best of weather, and
on a raw day a man with limp, wet buster
on and wet linen trousers sticking to bis legs,
was something to provoke smile. H. walked
into the superintendent room and said:
"'Here | am
1.-THE superintendent eyed him from head
to foot and said
"'Who are your
"'Tom Edison
"'Who the DEVILS Tom Edisonp
"The young operator explained that he had
been ordered to report for duty, and the
superintendent told him to sit down in the
operating room. His advent here created
much merriment, and the operators guyed
him loud enough for him to hear them He
didn't care, though. Several hours later a
New York sender noted for his swiftness
called the Office and there was no one to take
him.
''SHAKE, TOM EDISON
"'Weu, let that new fellow try him. any
way said the superintendent Young Edison
sat down, and for four hours and half wrote
out messages in clear round hand, stuck a
date and number on them and threw them on
the floor for the Office boy to pick up The
time he took in numbering and dating were
the only moments he was not writing out
transmitted words Faster and faster licked
the instrument, and faster and faster Edisons
fingers, till the rapdity with which the mes
sages came tumbling out and on the floor at
tracted the attention of other operators, who,
when their work was done, gathered around
to witness the spectacle At the close of four
hours and half, and the New York business,
there flashed from New York the salutation;
"'Hellol"
"'Hello yourself, licked back Edison.
"'Who the Hell are your ratified into the
Office with big IL
tom Edison was licked back.
shake Tom Edison came over the
wires.
with all my heart was the reply.
"'You are the first man in the country
said the instrument, 'that could ever take
me at my fastest, and the only one who could
ever sit at the other end of my wire for more
than two hours and half. I'm proud to
KNOW you
"Mr. Edison had been experimenting and
studying and improving telepraphy ever
since he was 10 years old He patented some
of his inventions. He left the Boston office
to try and sell his multiplex system to the
Western Union. He was a careless looking
young fellow when he walked into the office
one day in New York and asked them If they
wanted to buy patent
What is itP they asked.
"'Why, a means of sending two messages
over the same wire in different directions at
the same time, said the young inventor.
1.-The Western Union officials lay back in
their chairs and shouted in merriment.
Don't bother US with such nonsense as
that said one at last.
'Mr. Edison tried to sell it to one of the
rival companies that existed at the time.
They also laughed to scorn the idea of doing
such feat
"'Well,' remarked the inventor, as he
turned carelessly away, if you ever get any
thing the matter with your plant that you
can't straighten out yourselves, send round
for me-
GRIP ON THE BIG MONOPOLY.
He took little Office and announced him
self an electrical and Geographic expert.
Some time afterward the company had
trouble with its Albany wire. The wire
wasn't broken, but wouldn't work, and sew
eral days investigation on the part of the
company's electricians only served to puzzle
them the more. As a forlorn hope they sent
for young Edison.
How long will you give .ner he asked.
THE manager laughed.
Six hourSP asked Edison.
The manager laughed louder and told him
he'd need longer time than that Edison sat
down at the instrument, established commu-
nication with Albany by way of Pittsburg,
told the Albany office to put their best man
at the instrument, and began a careful and
rapid Series of tests with all currents IF all
intensities. He had his Pittsburg circuit in
strument by his side and directed the Albany
operator in each movement from his end.
The steps were simultaneous, and the Albany
man telegraphed the results of each test.
Edison compared them. made calculations