West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-01-10
WIZARDS EARLY DAYS.
HOW EDISON. THE GREAT IN
VENIoR, CAME EAST.
Me Cut a Funny Figure. But As
tonished d Operators-Dispos-
ing Of His Tclegraph Inventions.

ri don't think" said a friend o
Thomas a.. Edison some days ago to
group seated in the rear room OF one o.
the most comfortable hostelries D
Orange, ''that you ever heard the story
of how the Wizard first came East. liz
was only a young man, careless, gencr
Gus, jovial and totally ignorant of tho
value of n dollar. lie had been knocking
round in Western towns in various small
telegraph o ices until the reputation OF
his wonderful swiftness as an operator
got him into the central dice Of a
Western city. From there he was
ordered to report to Boston to fill n va
cancy. IL was warm weather for the
season when he started East, and he
donned linen rousers and a buster. BY
the time he had reached Ioston the
weather had got cold, raw md stormy.
He didn't care, and reported just as he
was. Linen trousers and buster, topped
by aslouchy, broad brimmcd hat, weren't
the fashion in roston in the lest Of
weather, and on a raw day a man with a
limp, wet duster on and wet linen trous-
ers sticking to his legs was something TO
provoke a smile. lie walked into the
superintendents room and said
"'HeIe / am
"The superintendent eyed him from
head TO loot and said
"'Who are yonP
"'Tom Edison
"'Who the deuce is Tom EdisonT
1.-The young operator explained that he
had been ordered to report for duty. and
the superintendent told him to sit down
In the operating DON His advent
here created much merriment, and the
operators guyed him loud enough for
him to hear them. lie didn't Gaze,
though. Several hours later New York
sender noted for his swiftness called the
Office and there was no one to take him.
"'Well, let the new fellow try h H.,
anyway sad the superintendent
Young Edison sat dewn, and for four
hours n a half wrote out messages in n
clear round hand, stuck a date and mum.
Der on them and threw them on the hoor
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 Edison's fingers, till the
rapidity with which the messages came
tumbllng ont and on the floor attracted
the attention of other operators, who.
when their work was done, gathered
around to witness the spectacle. At The
close of four hours and a half, and the
New York business, there flashed from
New York the salutation:
"'Helloi'
"tHello yourself, licked back Edison.
"'Nho the dickens are you.' ratified
into the o Fec.
"'Tom Edison was licked back.
"'Shake, Tom Edison came over the
wires.
"'With all my heart was the reply.
"tYou are the first man in the coun-
try, 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
a half. I'm proud to know you
'tMr Edison had been experimenting
and studying and improving telegraphy
ever since he was nineteen years old.
He patented some of his inventions. He
left the Boston of.ce to try and sell his
multiplex system TO the Western Union.
He was a careless looking young fellow
when he walked into the Tee one day
in New Yosk and asked them if they
wanted to buy a patent.
"'What is itF they asked.
"'Why, a means of sending two mes
sages over the same wire in different
directions at the same time said the
young inventor.
"The Western Union officials lay back
in their chairs and shouted in morri-
ment.
"Don't bother us with such nonsense
as that sad one at last.
''3Ir. Edison tried TO sell il TO one Of
the rival companies that existed ut the
time. They also laughed TO scorn the
idea of doing such a feat.
"'Well," remarked the inventor, as
he turned carelessly away, # YOU ever
get anything the matter with your
plant that you can't straightcn out your.
selves, send round for me-
"He took q little Office and announced
himself az electrical and te cgraph'c ex-
pert. Some time afterward the compan
had trouble with its Albany wire. The
wire wasn't broken, but wouldn't work.
and several days of investigation on the
part Of the company's electricians on'y
served to puzzle them the more. As a
forlorn hope they sent for young Edison.
"'How long will you give mep be
asked.
"The manager laughed.
"'Six hOuTsP asked Ed son.
''The manager laughed louder and
told him he'd need longer time than that
Edison sat down at the instrument. e..
tabiished communication with ALBANY
by way Of Pittsburgh. told the ALBANY
Office 20 put their best man ~ the instrn.
ment, and began n careful and rapid
series Of tests with al currents OF nllln-
tensities. lie had his Pittsburgh circuit
instrument by his side aud Il recied the
Albany operator in each movement from
his end. The steps were simultaneous.
and the Albany nan te.eg1a ned the
results Of each test. Edison compared
them, made calculations. aud en- two
hours and n half told the officials that
the trouble existed at certain point he
named on the line, and told them what
IL was. The officials te~lcgraphed the
Office nearest this point, aud an hour
later messages were tripping gay
~ between New York and ALBANY.
The company made him their superin.
tendcnt Immediately. Now be- was Zoo I'd
position 90 command repoct and atlcn-
ton. lie induced the companies 90 test
bis patents, and sold them rapidly. lie
much improved his multiple systcm.
and sold That 90 The Wcstcru Union no
ten times what De would have taken for
% 40 the time they laughed at Dis
fret proposition. lie simply informs
the Western Union now when De- has in.
vented something new in tlcvraphv.
1000 81 WnrFt 10 uf.Amr .