The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-02-27
NUMBER 6.
EDISON AT WORK.

Thomas Edison aud his works Thu,
'ketch is made up of talks with Edison
nImself, and stories o' his early struggle,
old by the great inventor in confidenris
chats. The publication offers an inter
9sting glimpse into Edison's working
life and methods. The story is told by
Mr.. Lathrup in the first ~ rson, and
writer IN the Philadelphia Record make,
he following extracts.
EDISON TELLS ABOUT HIS NOVEL,
Do you want to see my novel?' Edi-
'un asked me one day at his house, aIteI
had presented him with some of my
published works in the line of fiction.
On my saying Yes" he at onct
brought nut from desk a short bu
very tn ok blank book, made of common
soft paper, turning the pages of which
ne showed ne a number of rough sketch
s, accompanied by penciled notes it,
writing. The sketches represented plans
n general outlines of mechanical con
rivances in great variety. Fash one
naG page to Itself, and the date when
It was scribbled down was recorded in
every case. Nearly every day in tht
month was represented bv some addi
ton to the medley of entries, some OF
which he rXp'aruFd TO me
IDEAS THAT OCCUR TO HIM,
These ideas are occurring 10 me all
he time" he said. IS me OF them ART
for new inventions, others are proposed
improvements in existing machines
both other peoples and my own machln.
-. just got them down here when
ever they strike me day or night, snd
keep them with the hope Of getting leIs
ure t. devel"pe them"
The curious litl~ manuscript volume,
IN its particular way, answered precise
ly to the character and Use of Org
writer's note book. He was right III
calling it his novel," for it was full OF
he keenest imagination. In this habit
Of syste matcaIiy registering his ideas,
and holding fast to the first suggestion
while broOding over their many posi-
b,lltIes, we get at least one Clew OF Eli
sons method a. an inventor.
Before he WAS ten years of age he han
read several standard works of history
md literature, and at twelve he was
wrestling with Newton's Principia when
ne took hls place as train boy. But nol
satisfied with the meagre profits of sell
,ng papers on the cars, he wrote, set uu
in type, printed, and published mall
ew-pappr If his Own-the Grand
Trunk Herdld-which had genuine -
,ut extensive circulation among the EN-
. oyes of the road. Robert Stephenson
the famous engineer, ordered n special
edition of it for bis O~n use, and the
young editor sold altogether few hun
bred copies a week at 3 cents each.
My news" III on SAID to me, speak
ing of this period, was 30 purely lnc
that outside of the cars and the shops
don't suppose it interested a snlltar!
numan being, But l was very proud OF
nv banrlng, and looked upon myself as
simon-pure newspaper man. The tyU,
used was giving TO me by Wllbu' F,
Storey, proprietor of the Detroit Free
Pre- s, who, In certain way, was h,
founder OF nv fortunes"
Mr.. Storey's precise relation to EGi-
sons rise in the world seemed a it'll
remote, when learned the ci-Cumstan-
ces. But the account of the way in
which the lads thoughts were turned To
telegraphy, and so into The channel
which they have since followed, to hi
own great gain and the worlds benefit
ls interesting.
AS A NEwsBoY
"At the beginning ol the civil war.
said Mr. Edison, continuing this subjecl
Il was slavIDg late and early at sci.
ling newspapers: but, to tell the truth
[ was not making a fortune. l worked
IN so small margin that had to bt
mighty careful not to overload myself
with pap RS that | couldn sell Gu tn
other hand, could not afford to carry
40 few that should find myself sold Ou'
long before the end OF The trip. To en-
able myself to hit the happy mean
formed plan which turned out admir-
ably. | made friend of one of the
composltors in the Free Press flee, anC
persuaded him to show me every day I
galley proof of the most impurtan
news article.
From a study of his head lines ] sooT
learned to gage the value of the day
news and Its selling capacity, 80 that
could form a tolerably correct estimate
of the number of papers | should need
As a rule, | cold dispose Of about POO
hut if there was any special news iron
The seat of war, the sale ran up 800 o
over We'll, one day my composite
| DIOuRnl luC d plOOl Fllps VI "HlOu hta'
w the whole WAS taken up wi h a gigan
tic display head 1t was the first repuI
OF the battle of PttSburg Landing after
ward called Shiloh, you know-and
gave the number of killed and wounde
a. go, 900 m-n.
MADE A HIT SELLING PAPERS.
Il grasped the 81 udtIon at onct
Here was a chance for enurmours sale
II only the people along the line coul
know what had happened. II only the
could see the proof slip was then read
T ing Suddenly an idea occurred TO M
rushe off to the telegraph operate
aud gravely mad proposition TO hin
: which he received just as gravely Ii
: On his part, was to wire to each of Il
principal stations on our route, asklr
the station master to chalk up on Il
= black bulletin. bOard-ust d for announ
ing the times OF arrival and departure
r tralns-the news OF the great battl
. with ITS accompanying slaughter. Th
! he was to do at once; while | agreed,
Il return, 10 supply hun free IrHti'. Il
norh,ng,' Hdrper's Weekly a Harper
l Monthly anu a uaI,y ev-nn & paper uu
e lug ,n- mex SIX months FROM that dat
II This bargain struck. began to /
t think me how | was TO 9't enough p
!. lpers to make the grand coup intende
= | had very little cash, auu, | feare
2 still |, 81 credit. | went to the superl
a tendent of the delivery depart ment al
- preferred modes r. quest for 1000 CO
o les of the Free Press On trust. Blu
J. was not mucn surprised when my
4 quest was curtIy aud grutiV refused.
k In those days, though | was y et
II cheeky boy, and felt desperate, for
saw a small fortune iD prospect II Z
7 telegraph operator had kept his WORD
t. point en- which | was sill tTi
I doubtful Nerving myself for a gee
stroke. | marched upstairs into the off
le of Wilbur F. S Grey himself and AK
~ TO zee him A few minutes later | "
N shown in TO him II Id him who l vi
and that l wanted 1900 copies of the pal
y on credit. The tail, thin, dark eyed
le cetIc- looking man stared at me fOf
moment, and then scratched few woI
y on a slip Of paper. Take that dow
IN stairs said he, and you will get wi
YOU want And so | did Then l
Il. happier than have ever felt since.
:, Il took my 1900 papers, &, t three bC
u. to help me fOlu them, and mounted
nr train, all sgog to find out whether
u telegraph operator had pit his wo
lr At tho town where our first stop v
made usually sold two papers. As
'o Lrain swung into that station | lOOl
a. ahead, and thought their must be a :
q, going on. A big crowd Ii led the pl
" form. aud as tie rain drew up | beg
~ t. reaiiz- that they wanted my p pc
lie B fore We left | had sold hundred
k two at five cents apiece. At the NJ
ID Highest of all in Leavening Pow