The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-05

Htteo up With a certain signaling appa-
ratus. which have pretty well formulated
IN my mind: part of which consists OF 8
whistle The vessel will also nave a
receiving apparatus, very delicate
instrument. My experiments suggest
to me that it is possible to
convey ineligible signals through the
water Tor distance of ten miles and in all
directions. A code Of signals by whistle
could be agreed upon. A vessel is at sea
storm, or even in clear weather. with some
other ship, seen or unseen. Ali that 1t is
necessary to do will be to put the signal
ing machine in operation, use the code
upon the whistle. Some one upon another
ressei. or perhaps half Dozen would adj
Just to his ear the delicate receiving in
strnment. practically keeping it there
during fog or storm, and he would hear
and report the signal and easily make up
from his own instrument in reply. This
fnlng believe to be perfectly feasible and
capable of commercial development within
q very short time"
The conversation changed from his in
Yentive purposes to his habits OF life.
II have no regular habits" he said. 81
gp TO the laboratory and work, just as al
ways have done. | sleep we'll and eat WELL
SPmetimes when am driven with work I
ctrtall my sleep. but make it up. can
still sleep twenty-four hours without wax :
ing. and l never dream. so that when do
az last awake am perfectly refreshed. 1t
IS WORK that tells, and my opinion is that
that IS pretty much all there is to genius. -,
When 1 asked Mr.. Edison why he lived
the year around in the country. so far
away from the commercial associates who
are developing his various business inter-
ests, he said:
II don't like New York, and l never go
there or to any city when | can avoid it. I
h hoo
half dozen times since 1t was finished
although there is 4 room there reserved for
me. Doy you know" said he, that think
New York is going to be outstripped by
Chicago in the next century. New York
will be the Liverpool, but Chicago the
London of this country, l suspect don't
think there will DE any other great cities
Denver or Salt Lake City or Omaha are GO
ing to threaten Chicago's prestige. They
are going to be big cities. no doubt, but
they can't threaten Chicago. There is 60
ing to be ship canal, 1 think. cut across
Michigan and New York, which will make
Chicago great seaport; but that is not
exactly in my line"
estimate of the number of persons who
directly or indirectly gained support for
themselves and their families by reason of
the commercial development of your in
ventions?" | asked
"YeS, l made an estimate not long ago.
Let me see. think that We figured I'D
about $50. 900 persons who make their liv-
ing either directly or indirectly out of the
development OF these inventions. Yes,
am very sure that is the figure"
l suggested to Edison that this was a
larger number than earn support through
their connection with Mr.. GOu,d's indus
tries, that number having been fixed at
100, 00O and was, l believed, even greater
than the number of employees connected
with the Vanderbilt or any other great
railway system. He said he presumed
that was so, but it should be remembered
that the incandescent lamp was now used
all over the civilized world whereas their
railway systems were confined to q single
country. Knowing that Edison had some
earnest views respecting life suggested to
him by his scientific studies, I ventured
to ask him If he cared to make them
known.
WELL" he said, II believe that a hu-
man being is nothing more than an aggre-
CATION of cells. each playing part in the
economy of life. 1 think a man, speaking
by analogy, resembles a municipality like
New York city. New York city is nothing
but an aggregation of an almost infinite
number of influences or details or ener-
gies. When combined they make New
York. 1t is great giant individual. so to
speak. So man is an aggregation of