Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-15
EDISON'S EARLY DAYS
THE FIGURE ne CUT DURING HIS
FIRST HOURS IN BOSTON.

But He Astoaished the Old Men BY TaktnG
Me...ges IT Greater Speed Than ny
Dared Atteaps-ah lnsrsd.es.-o 10 shs
western Caioa.
II don't think" said friend Of Thomas A
Edison to group seated In the rear room Of
one Of tbs most comfortable obstetrics OF
Orange. that 700 have ever beard the story
Of how the Wizard first came east He was
only young man. careless. generous, jovial
and totally ignorant Of the value Of dollar.
He had been knocking round in western
towns IN various small telegraph offices until
the reputation Of his wonderful swift neo -
an operator got him into the central Office Of
q western city From there be was ordered
to report to Boston to ill . vacancy It was
warm weather for the season when be started
east, and be donned linen trousers and .
buster By the time be reached Boston the
weather had got cold, raw and stormy. Hs
didn't care, and reported Just as he VISA
Linen trousers and buster. topped by .
slouchy, broad brimmed hat weren't tbs
fashion in Boston in the best Of weather, and
on a raw day a man with limp, v ct duster
on and wet linen trousers sticking 10 bis legs,
Was something to provoke q smile H. walked
into the superintendent room and said
Here am
The superintendent eyed him from bead
TO foot and said:
who are your
tom Edison
"'W no the devils Tom Edisonr
The young operator explained that lie bad
~.
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 .
New York sender noted for his swiftness
called the office and there was no one TO take
him
SHAKE, TON EDISON"
"'Well, let that new fellow try him, any
way, said the superintendent. Young Edison
at down, and for four hours and half wrote
put messages in a clear round hand. stuck =
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 Edison's
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 salu,ation:
"'Hellol"
"'Hello yourself, licked back Edison.
"'Who the Hell are your ratified into the
office with big FL
" 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 70
know you.
MIR Edison had been experimenting and
studying and improving telepraphy ever
since be was 10 years old he patented some
Of his inventions. He left the Boston oIlice
to try and sell his multiplex system to the
Western Union. He was u 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 itf they asked.
why, a means of sending two messages
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 merriment
Don't bother US with such nonsense as
that, said one at last.
MIR 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 a 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 strengthen out yourselves. send round
for me-.
GRIP ON THE BIG MONOPOLY
LiIIo