Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1889-07-06
sD,soN.s FIRST CHECK.


rhs ws.zrass Dsna~stty is asttsag rs
esshsd as ths Bank.
'.wizard" Edison came over from
Menlo Park the other day on some bus
mess CONNECTED with some OF his nu-
merous enterprises. and during the
afternoon spent several hours with one
OF the officials OF the big electric ligh,
company.
During lunch the great electrician
became chatty and told. In his quaint
way. the story OF his first acquaintance
with any large sum Of money.
II was In, the days when he was
struggling along with his earlier in
ventious. and didu't have dig capital.
lists 70. back him. In fact. he didn't
have any bank account himself. aud
hardly knew what one was. Bank
checks were things he had never had
occasion to use. snd hsd about as 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 Telegraph Company
for 90. coo. and was coming over W
New York 70 get his money.
He had heard OF Wall street and its
bulls and bears, and had been told that
II was full OF sharks who would
fleece man very quick. So he made
up his MUD that Wall street was .
very dangerous place. and that II he
ever had occasion TO go there he would
be lucky II he got away without losing
his overcoat and umbrella
At that time General Lefferts was
president OF the Western Union. One
moruing Edison cau.s into the com
pany's general Offices 10 close up the
sale OF his patent After q few pre-
liminaries he was given a check for
$4,000.
He looked at II curiousiy for mo-
ment or two. and appeared 10 BE- puz-
xled what TO do with H. He knew
that he had sod patent to the West.
srn Union Company for 80. 900. but he
didn't see any money. Observing his
perplexity. General I.efferts told him
that II he would go down to the Bank
of America, In Wall street. he could
get the check casned.
$50 l started out" said Edison,
''after carefully foldirg up the check
and went toward Wall street So un
certain was in regard to that way D.
doing business that I thought while cu
the way that II any man should come
up 20 me and offer me two crisp thou
sand-dollar bills tor that piece OF papel
I should give him up the check YER,
quick"
On arriving at the Bank OF Americs
be hesitated about entering. fearing
still that something might be wrong
age and determined TO try II. He knew
that General Lefferts had told him h,
would get his money here. so he brace.
ahead and half trcmblingly showed hi
check out 10 the cashier. The latte
scrutinized 1t closely. gave Edison
piercing glance and said something
which Edison could not understand. a
he was hard OF hearing.
That was enough. He was now NOR
than ever convinced that his ''check
wasn't worth $4,000. and agai
thought, as he rushed out OF the ban
with IL. that any man who woul
give him 5000 could walk ava
with the check. He bufrie
back to the Western Unio
and said he couldn't get any none,
General LsfYevts then sent man wit
him TO Identify him He said tbs
.sThis man is Thomas A. Edison. /
whose order the check Is drawn
why. certainly. Mr.. Edison" sal
thc cnslii5s..S@ry obsequiously. ..ho'
would you like your &4O.000P In whu
shape"
..Oh. any way TO suit the bank.
doesn't make any difference 10 me !
long "a get my money"
Edison was given $4,000 in lars
bills. After dividing the roll into tw
wade of go. 900 each. he stuffed on
Into each trousers pocket. buttoned u
his coat as tightly as possible, an
made break TO get out OF Wall stres
ms quick ms he could. The next da
Edison began to work on his first lal
oratory at Newark. IN. Y. journal.