Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-07-24
EDISON AFTER DOLLARS.

81 saw Edison one day." says an
acquaintance, con the eve perhaps Of
his most important-certai his
most remunerative-- discovery, riding
in the cars to visit great foundry in
Connecticut He wore long linen
duster of antique design, a straw hat
which was partly frayed at the edges,
and he sat squeezed by the gorgeous
bulk of Prof. George A. Parker of the
University of Pennsylvania, into a
corner of one of the amen seats of
the railroad car. He was then not
only the most famous man on the
train, but one of the most famous
Americans the world over; and he
had all the simplicity Of greatness.
And on the following day, when he
stood in front of great dynamo,
the wind carrying his linen buster at
an angle of 40 degrees from his legs
and convenient morsel of his favor
ite fne-cut revealing itself by fire.
quent xpectorations, he was really
in the presence of immensely and
solving one of the riddles of the ages.
For it was there that he got his first
hint of the dlvisibility of electric
lighting current, and ii was at that
moment that the Edison electric
light was created in his brain.
Even then Edison had no money
sense. He had not learned as he af-
terward did learn, that next to hi.
own intellect the most powerful in.
fluence which he could have in the
solution of the problems he under.
took to solve was the possession o
wealth. He was generous to fault
not only with the money which he
earned but with his ideas. 1t was
not until he became associated will
certain capitalists who regarded hi
intellect with awe, and his lack o
money sense with something like
amazement tinged with contempt
that Edison learned the lesson of tn,
value OF money.
When he got this lesson he had i
thoroughly. He abandoned all o
the countless notions which foated t.
his brain unless he saw in them
money value; he measured his con
templated inventions not by tho sat
isfaction they would give him or tn,
fame which he would attain, but b,
their value as business commodities
He employed just as bank would
competent talent to handle his ac
counts and his cash, and in the cours.
OF two or three years he found him
self not embarrassed for ready cash
as he had frequently been before
not obliged to scurry about here anc
there to raise money, which was ar
abhorrent occupation to him, but {
capitalist, an associate of capitalists
man esteemed in financial circle,
not on y as a wizard with wonders al
his beck, but man with a bank &C.
count, capable of undertaking great
financial operations. he learned too
to curb his exuberant and enthusias.
tic nature, and he put on mask OF
severity and GOODNESS difficult at al.
times for him 10 maintain, but which
he found absolute y essential for BIZ.
protection. With his intimate. he
was boy again, and he tells then
frequently tina. when be gets through
feeling like a boy and wanting to act
with the simplicity and heartiness and
frankness of boy he wants to go
Edison's wealth is almost impossi.
Bile to estimate. 1t is very large, and
he is accommodating now rapidly. The
SNOWFALL has got to prodlgious size
and is constantly rolling. AS he is
only "A years of age, the chances are
before he reaches old age he will be
one of the enormously wealthy men
of the country.