The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-01


oughly studied, and the materials now
! new world, with the dawning con-
seriousness Of the message natures IN
tried forces had in store for him. Alas,
an extra jolt of the springless car one
day played havoc with the rudely con-
! structed laboratory! In the wreck was
bottle of phosphorus from which the
water had evaporated. The phosphorus
ignited and set fire to the car, and, be-
fore he could say Jack Robinson, the
hapless young chemist, editor and ven
der was soundly cuffed by the infuri-
ated conductor and thrown bodily from
the blazing train!
The destruction of the boys railroad
laboratory transferred his operations
to the basement of his fathers house
in Port Huron. In order that his chrm-
icals should not be disturbed, he labeled
every bottle poison"
Soon after this time he made his Sec
ond venture into the journalistic field
/ by the publication of a newspaper
called Paul Pry. It was a more ambi-
tious publication than the Herald. and
had host of contributors and large
subscription list. Its fate, however,
was scarcely less disastrous than that
of its predecessor. A contributed arti-
| Gle gave offense to q subscriber, who,
meeting the editor in chief on the banks
of the ST. Clair, deliberately pitched
him into the river.
His success in telegraphing the war
column early impressed young Edison
with the power of telegraphy. His
curiosity on that subject was thence
forth Unsuitable. He read everything
on electricity that he could get; he be-
sieged the telegraph Offices and the
railroad shops along the line, and was
the terror Of the engineers: and he
never failed to beg for ride on the
engine, where he frequently made mis-
chief by trying to solve for himself the
why and wherefore of the steam horses
construction.
In the telegraph offices he could see
the cup with its copper, zinc and acid
and hear the click of the sounder; but
whence came the magical power' De-
termined to find out for himself, he
constructed short line from his lab
oratory to the residence of his young
assistant and chum, James Ward. Com
mon stovepipe wire, insulated with bot
ties placed on nails and driven into
trees, and carried under an exposed
road by means of piece of abandoned
cable fished up from the Detroit river,
was the equipment used. The young
ster had seen sparks emitted from a
cats back. Judging that there must
be good battery where the indications
were so strong he inserted cat in the
circuit, using the fore and hind feet as
electrodes.
The connection made, he tried to
start the electric current by rubbing
the cats back. Despite the animals
telephone resentment Of the liberty
taken the experiment was not without
success. A tremendous local current
and perfect electric arc were produced,
attended by considerable disturbance,
but as the battery would not work the
line was soon abandoned.
His second venture in practical tele-
graphy was the turning-point of his
life. The story is told as it was related
to the writer by Mr.. j. q. Mackenzie,
who during the early sixties was the
station agent and operator at Mount
Clemens, Mich.
As newsboy Edison's run took him
twice week through Mount Clemens
on the train known as the mixed di-
vision. This train reached that station
between four and five p. M. Young
Edison was popular with the railroad
men, whom he delighted to entertain
in his train laboratory with chemical
experiments, and had made stanch
friend Of the Mount Clemens operator.
Mr.. Mackenzie and his wife and family
lived over the station.
1t was summer day. The mixed"
arrived in good time, and the train was
cut loose ahead of the baggage car in
order to pick up car Of freight on its
way to jackson. This left the passen-
ger and baggage-car at the north end
of the station platform. The engine
and freight-cars backed in on the
freight-house track and pulled out the
car on to the main track, without
brakeman, giving it gentle push to-
ward the baggage-car. The track was
very level
My son, then two aud half years
DID," said Mr.. Mackenzie, ''unobserved
by his nurse, had strayed upon the
main track and was amusing himself
throwing pebbles. when Edison, who
stood near with papers under his arm,
turned and saw the child's danger.
Throwing aside his papers, he plunged
between the cars just in time 10 drag
himself and the child clear of the ap-
preaching cars. Excepting scratches.
both escaped without injury. The act
was heroic, and our gratitude was I'M
bounded. l was just then unable,
however, to substantially reward the
young hero. Then l remembered his
absorbing interest in telegraphy. Many
n time had driven him from the Office,
for his curiosity led him into all sorts
OF mischief, to my annoyance. Al
said. stop at Mount Clemens from
eleven a. m. to four p. m several days
each week, and will perfect you as an
operator and get you position The
offer was eagerly accepted.
Edison soon had erected line from
the station tank to my brother-in-law's
sleeping room over the station. The
instruments used were made by Ed
ison's own hands at a gun-shop in De-
uoit In construction aad operation
they were perfect Subsequently the
boy put up perfectly equipped work
ing line from the station to the village
drug store-a distance of one mile. II