Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-28
HIS STUDIOS.
A Story OF Edison - His First Big
ChectT.

a NfOrJ Oh kufrDb ~, A'e
Check.
r"F B. Min Cincinnati Gazettel
The other day a smooth-faced man,
wearing handsome clothes and display
inc a soiled collar and necktle all awry,
and shoes that never experienced the
skilful mnnipulaiiOns OF bOOtblack,
and finger nails that never met mani
cure, leaned his elbow on Washington
counter and conyersed in the jolliest way
with q circle Of newspaper friends. lie
looked like a tramp, but he really IS one
Of tho most famous men IN the world and
his name IL known in every part OF the
globe. OF course be isan Ono man. his
name is Thomas Alva Edison, and he was
once a peanut-bov and news-butcher on
icrk-water railroad III the buckeye
State. During a little luncheon Edison,
between hearty drinks of beer, his IA
vorite beverage, told in his 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 dldn have
big capitalists TO back HIM. In TACT, be
didn 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 as much
idea Of their value as the man IN the
moon.
Edison had finally sold his patent on
the gold and stock indicator to the West
ern Union Telegraph Tor $4,000, 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
il was tull oil " sharks who would fleece
man very quick. 30 he made up his
mind that Wall street was a very dan
gerous place, and that if he ever had
occasion TO 20 there he would be lucky
if he got away without losing his over
coat and umbrella.
At that time General Leilerts was
president OF the Western Union. One
morning Edison came into the COM
pany's general office to close up the sale
of his patent. After few prelmlnaues
lie was giveh "A ckecR for StO,OD0
he looked at II curiously Tor mo-
meut or two ana appeared 20 be puzzled
what to DO with 1t. lie knew that he
had sold patent to the Western Union
Company for $4,000. but ne did not
see any money. Observing his per
pleMty General Lefierts told him that If
ht would 20 to the Bank of America, in
Wall street, he could get the check
cashed. $50 | started said Edison,
latter carefully folding up tine check,
and went toward Wall street. So un-
certain was ! N regard to that way OF
doing business that l thought while on
the way that if any man should come
up to me and offer me two crisp thou
sand dollar bills for that piece OF paper
l should give him up the check very
quick.
On arriving at the Bank OF America
he hesltated about entering, fearing
still that something might be wrong. AT
last. however, he mustered up courage
and determined 10 try il. He knew that
General Leterts had told him he would
get his money here, 50 he braced ahead
and half tremblingly showed his check
out to the cashier.
The latter scrutinized it closely, gave
Edison piercing glance and SAID some
thing which Edison could not under
stand, as he was hard OF hearing.
That was enough. lie was now more
than ever convinced that his "check
wasn't worth 5000. and again thought
as he rushed out OF the bank with 1t that
any man who would give him S2,OOt
could walk away with the check.
He hurried back to the Western Union
and said ho cOuldnt get any money
General Leiierts then sent man with
him TO identity him. de said " This
man is Mr.. Thomas a. Edison, TO whose
order the check is drawn,
why, certainly, Mr. Edison" said
the cashier very obsequiously, " how
would you ike your $40. COO-in whai
shape ?"
"Oh, any way to suit the bank. II
doesn't make any difference to me Sc
long as get my money"
Edison was given $40 600 in large bills
After dividing the roll into wads o
so, 900 each he stuffed one into eacf
, trousers pocket, buttoned up his coat a
tightly as possible. and made break e
get ont of Wall street as quick as he could
The next day Edison began work on hi
first laboratory at New York.
Horsford's Acid Phosphate
MAKES AN IxyIsoRLTISG DRINK