The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1889-05-11


Washington Onsnnat oommsrcal 0ssstts
The other day Q smooth fAced man, wearing
handsome clothes and displaying Q soiled collar ard
necktie al awry, and shoes that never experienced
the skillfull manipulations OF bootblack, and
finger malls that never met q manicure, leaned his
elbow on Washington counter and conversed In
the jolliest way with circle OF Newspaper friends.
he looked like tramp, but he really In one Of the
most famous men In the world, and his name is
known In every part of the globe OF course h In
an Ohio man. His name In Thos Alva Edison, and
he was once peanut boy and news butcher on O.
ljerkwater railroad In the Buckeye state. During
little luncheon Edison, between hearty drinks OF
beer, his favorite beverage told In bis quaint way
the story OF his first acquaintance with any large
sum OF money. 1t was In the days when he was
struggling along with his earlier inventions, and
didn't have big capitalists to back him. In fact,
he didn't have any bank account himself, and
hardly knew what one was. Bank checks were
things he had never had occasion to use, and had
about rs 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 Western Union Teie-
graph for $40 900, and was coming over to New
York to get his money.
lie had heard of Wall street and its bulls and
bears and had been told that II full of "sharks
who would fleece man very quick. So he made
up his mind that Wall street was q very dangerous
place. and that IL he had occasion to go there
he would be lucky If he got away without losing
his overcoat and umbrella.
At that time General Lefferts was president of
the w. u. One morning Edison came into the
companys general offices TO close up the sale of his
patent After q few preliminaries he was given O
check for $4,000.
He looked at 1t curiously for moment or two
and appeared to be puzzled what to do with Ii.
lie knew that he had sold patent to the w. u.
Co. for $4,000, but he did not any money.
Observing his perplexity General Leferts told him
| that IL he would 20 to the Bank of America In
| Wall street, he could get the check cashed. $50
started said Edison, latter carefully folding mp
| the check, and went toward Wall street. So un-
certain was in regard to that way of doing busi-
ness that thought while on the way that If any
man should come up to me and offer me two crisp
thousand dollar bills tor that piece of paper /
should give him up the check very quick"
On arriving at the Bank of America he hesitated
about entering, fearing still that something might
be wrong. At last however, he mustered mp
courage and determined to try 1t. He knew that
Gen. Leferts had told him he would get his money
here 80 he braced ahead and half trembingly showed
his check out to the cashier.
The latter scrutinized 1t closely, gave Edison .
piercing glance and said something which Edison
could not understand, rs he was hard of hearing.
/ That was enough. He was now more than ever
convinced that his "check" wasn't worth S40, 900,
and again thought as he rushed out of the bank
with ii that any man who would give him $4,000
could wax away with the check.
He hurried back to the w. u. and said he
couldn't get any money. General Leferts then
sent Q man with him to identify him. He said :
"This man Is Mr.. Thomas A. Edison, to whose
order the check is drawn"
"Why, certainly, Mr.. Edison" said the cashier,
very obsequiously chow would you like your
$40, OO0-in what shape2"
40 any way to suit the bank. 1t doesn't make
any difference to me so long as get my money"
Edison was given $40 900 in large bills. After
dividing the roll into two wads of $4,000 each he
stuffed one into each trousers pockets, buttoned mp
his coat as tightly as possible and made break to
get out of Wall street as quick rs he could. The
next day Edison began work on his first laboratory