The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-21
ATALK ABOUT rom EDISON,
rus INVENTORS FATHER "s'I
ING THE CITY.

Il
-. ,,o,vecn a representative OF ihh
'c,.,ss Mr. samuel Edison, and his com
,,sn,on and friend Mr. James sYmhs'on'
,.no are stopping in the ciis' at the OF
,n.,r hotel. These gentlemen are en- rou''
go, ,heir home in st. Clair county, Mico''
10 ..wem Mr.. Edison, do you object 10
..,,n, svhat IL the object OF your IMP !
uas m anv connections win inc N"I|-Ss
Electrical or other industries Win WIN"
your son il connected t.,e.o,,co
,,ha,ever. we are simply travelling through
,nnr beautiful Southland on pleasure nounu'
W. s,fnred in Washington. were wen IL
tod ~ various members OF congress
sSnsn ,hrourh the Capitol, Treasury an"
other uublic buildings, &c. by sPoc!"l ~
noin,ment we met the President y'stc'99.'a
morning at 1880, and were gwen WYNN
welcome. .a,,- and arc
ohorm,d with the many beauties oil !ou'
citv We'll not stop long, however, a. ~
.,rcs,osa IN take M oar i.'''~--'' a"@'" ~
..So aitboueh eighty years old, travelling
don.t lire me In the least. My iriend' MI
Ssminrtnn and myself some time since
mode an extended tour Of Europe, AZ ihe
suggestion Of Tom. and i ENJOY d u I'M
mensely. Then know you newspaper me
want Ia know IL there is anything new ~
the world Of invention ana as l a,n s' '','
talker 1 am going to turn YOU over 10 N!
friend here who j. better able 10 tell you
what YOU want 20 know"
Mr. James Symington, who is cult
vailed and most alahle gentleman, upon
being questioned on the subject gave tne
following description Of one oil the Meni'
Park Wizard's most recent ana 'aiu"pie
inventions:
SMELLING PIG IRON.
.,Tbis new mode Of smelling the pig iron
ia by means Of electricity ana magnetism
II is not necessary % 90 into delails III lhe
descriptiOn Of the minute and exquisite ma
,.binery used. You know that IN making
MIC iron there is a terrible loss. 10y thl'
method Won can separate the iron from the
sIav with not the great loss referred 10. B}
This process the Ore Is taken ana grouhu
They then Jet 10 run down. falling Wlthlh 'hv
influence OF the magnets. Inc magnets AZ
upon the mass in such manner as 10 ara"
ont only the pure article. leaving the stag
The patents for this Invention have been
secured for the United states and 6real
Britain, Tom a. now putting mp pam
costing $500 900 for his own use.
"Wben first became acquainted win lb'
EdsOns Tom was a little boy. Oh' 10
was a terrible chap: always asking ques'
tiOns. | told him all knew ana ItchVi
ah,ap didn't know.
s'Tbe thing that surprises NE i how The
man can live under such pressure as be
does. lie says il is 10y taking tn rs cas-!
never iretting, and not trying 10 loIc'
natures secrets from her, but just cOaAln.
them. He tried to get me 10 smoke VIII
him the other day, but told him lhit wa
the only vice had not learned. Wen, sal'
he. lust let's iii up the horn, and we wen
into the bari got my whisky, but the 81
rascal only took apolnaris. Tom employ
in his laboratory, machine shops. %c.' owe
seen thousand men, and when YOU cor
si,:er this. you will appreciate the inash
tube of his works. Among the great nun
ber of orders received from abroad for il
phopopraph (which bye the bye is CROWN
in favor daily one was received from IN
King of Prussia recently, but was mi'
placed aud the King had TO duplicate hI
order before Tom gave IT the requisite "a
tentiOn."
CALLED ON THE GOVERNOR.
The reporter. thinking the visitors wcul
like to meet a representative NlrsihlAi
took them 10 call on the Governor. IN
visit was a timely one, as the Governor ha
only that morning been approached by
weil-knOwn citizen Of Chesterfield, VINO d
sired him To use his influence IN placin
the gentlemau's son where he coul
receive the best tuition in matters pertal
ing TO electrical engineering. Mr.. Ediso
gave the Governor his sons address, an
suggested that "A note from the Govern'
would have the effect of securing the your
a position with the great inventor.
GLOW did your son first commence n
great work, Mr.. Edison ~ the Govern'
asked.
"Oh. he wa a born worker. never coul
get him TO play with the other boys, hut .
would stay at home reading. whiting
digging in banks. lie never went 10 scho'
more than eight or nine months in his III
and vet his aptness is seen. when say th'
he speaks four different languages an
answers his own foreign correspondence
When he was only twelve yeal
old he commenced his b siness ID
"A, newsbOy on the train. In the baggage
,ar ne fitted himself up regular labatof!
including retorts, phials, etc, unlll one On
an unfortunate accident 10 his phosphorou
set fire to the car, aud his specuiauons J
chemistry was summary interrupted y
the train men ejectng his effects from III
car Another illustration of his energy wa
that the following year after this. when on
thirteen years old, he had "a complete prlh
ing office on the train, set type au
published spaper in the moving DaggaE'
car. DO remember any incidents Ia III
electrical experiments? On yes; l remen
Der once he aud another boy had an old b'ac
cat. and rubbing its hair the wrong way
the dark, noticed sparks of elcctricltNi tht
Immediately applied wire TO her, ana IN
poor cat jumped abodt forty feet
MR.. EDIsON's Sons.
Mr.. symington here related an anecdoi
at the expense Of Mr.. Edison. which gIea
Nv amused the Governor. Ii seems tha
Mr.. Edison had been twice married, nj
Youngest child by his last wife being on
eight years old. Previous u this last ma
riage Mr.. Edison raised obj ctions to pay
ing the local school tax, tor, said Nj
Edison. II Is not just that l, having no chi
dren attendant upon The pubic schools
should pay tax for tho education O. 9th,
people's children. His objection not hay
ing the desired effect and The taxes sti
being imposed, he determined TO get eve
by getting married and adding no less ina
three additional names To tae ise-scho'
lists.
ernOr.
III am native Of Nova Scotia, ara pa
ticiDated in the Canadian rebellion, Ou
have since lived in Ohio, Michigan, a..
am taOr0ugh-gOing rebel, and long AZ
adopted Daniel Wehster's sentiments o
that score. that IL ithad not been for a RI
bellion we weuld not have achieve
ernor. the only thing 1 don
like about you Virginians, and that
that Won were forced to send your men lot
battle 20 be returned 10 you wounded an
disabled and no provision made for thei
maintainance, and think will have {
come down 10 Congress and see that all IN
brave old rebels get pension. IL Is u,
right that the pensions should all 90 TO on
side. when both sides pay them. Why, sl'
we are all proud OF this state, because :
many Of the other States were made rom ~.
.Well. MIR. Edison, l am glad % hav
met YOU gentlemen" said the Governor, a
he shook hands with his departing guest
1s,op over in Richmond on your return
and come around and talk with me-"
Mr.. Symington, who is journalist an
LAWYER is a natiyeo Of Scotland although