The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-28
THE GREATEST INVENTOR.
4 Most Important Interview With
Thomas A. Edison.
ABOUT The FUTURE OF ELECTRICITY.
The "wirard Of MenIo Park" Turns Pro
phot-Wondsrfui Things to Come-Ih
whole world VIII he Interested,
Copyright for The Times. 1S9l.)

Copyright for The Times 1S9f)
Thomas AIva Edison is the greatest
living inventor. More than this, he is
the greatest inventor that ever lived.
jIe is many sided a man Of parts. Other
men have. 10y individual inventions,
been TeVolutiOuiZing powers on single
lines but Edison has been such Il factor
IN so many departments, that II Is am
Guilty TO point out the direction In when
the influence of his genius ceases 10 eX-
fist. 1t Is "A mistake 10 call him the great
est electrician. lie does not claim That
honor 1t belongs to Tesla, who was
written Of last week. but Edison has
done Il all. or nearly all. with the ala
OF electricity the development of which
science was the great opportunity which
created him. Opportunity Is great
creator. 1T created Napoleon. 1t created
Washington, 1t created wellington. ana
yet even in defiance of TINS, Edlsoh
stands forth, for it may be SAID that u,
created the opportunity which created
him. The key to his personality Is to
be found In one, or his SAYINGS, w, e
dent know a millionth part OF one per
cent about anything" With this idel
I'm mind. added To indomitable VIII, ana
anunquenchable desire for investigations
we have the man simply ana clearly
defined. Above all things he knows nm
self and that is the secret OF his success
81 find" he says. that the CoIcelt OF
man is In inverse ratio to the square
tinc exposition of truly cpisramauc
statement. but II is typical OF him ana
Would Won know Edison more thorough
" than this, look to his Inventions
They clearly outline his life. they are
the best monument he could nave. NO
man has done more ana proDaDly ~"
man will do more TO better ihe CoI.uI,
ton OF his generation than Edison mas
done to better the condition Of his. ana
yet he says the next half century VII
be fully as fruitful of results as the Iast
has been. This, coming from man WY
has succeeded I'm pcrpetuating the speech
OF his generation 50 that IL may %
heard through ali succeeding time Who
has made light without heat; VINO naS
made one telegraph wire 40 tl1 MoiIHt
~ sixtecn-is certainly interesting II
places him IN the position OF a. ser nj
prophet. Such being the case IL ~ sun am
more interesting TO learn what sun S,,, u,
oracle would have TO say on inc i"'"l
OF electrical science in general
uv rREAcuys IN THE WILDERNESS
=, Won would hear his sermon you must
90 10 The Wilderness Like the greatest
Oracle of all, he breaches from H'ou, 1
tain where he has buried hiisC oli,,, "ar
his ideas In IA great endeaNoI ~ Hs 49,
nature with science. ii Is hau "'S
tonrnev out OF the city, over SLOW Solls
railroads. along inland waterways paSt
fashionable watering places t on " ri"', NJ
artificial lake. and up a S1Icu tuUning OF
~
,Jaco among the Orange hills. There you
yin find him clad In long llhen uu''C w.,
and "A dilapidated straw nat slt''rb or ~
"a log, perhaps, Watching MS ~ 10
"a missing For Edison, contrary 10
some stories about him, lounges arouhu
and takes Ii easy at times. ,..orios A."
wv lie around and tell funny stories,
he says. until an idea cs@ry S' II ont 70
mis- Is sample OF the inventor > ne ne
-, "Ilison' for that Is the name OF tne
Collection OF shanties that SURROUNDS MS
works. -. % rod buildings
chistered around a great mole III the
mountain top. Mr.. Edison Went l"Sis
three wears ago To eNperlmehl WIN Hi9
magnetic ore separator on the IRON sIitW-
"a SS'ountain rocks Most OF upper New
Jersey has iron sprinkled thfoueh tne
soil II is too fine 10 De nhl0I IA ~
ordinary way. SO out or ule p iat' va
The inventor came the plan Tor separat-
Inc the metal from its chan by means Oh
magnetism. AS an experiment IL rs s'u,
pendous and If IL succeeds II VIII atu
another mark TO the long MS to NM Rn 1
ALREADY chalked UP 10 his iaNoI; bui
sneak not of IL 20 him II Is tabooeu
subject al present When 1t Is a success
ne will talk OF IT, but not uhtll lhch, VI
his other. affairs and lny md hs ,s also
ready 10 predict something OF what lhe
future OF electricity VIII be-
THE NEXT aEsAr DISCOVERY.
.yvbat will be the next great discovery
an aiectricity ?" he was asked
"Well. that" he replied, would pe
little difficult TO reply 10. There are SO
many lines and so many OF US pursuing
nur investigations on these lines that II
iesves a wide field TO choose from, me
fellow who solves his particular proplIh
nrst can answer ~. but mol uhth the
problem * solved. There are more pos
sirIities I'm some lines than IN others.
THE expcrimenters who are STRIVING aiter
high sneed on railroads viii. II they sue
coed in their object, become rear epoch-
makers The desire 10 cover Instance AT
a remarkable speed and set there ia no
time Is strong, but i think the seneial
public looks upon IL In wrong hght.
There Is practically 40 limit TO the speed
that can be attained on railroad. IL Is
wrong 10 assume that there Is. The only
limit there could be, would be the point
al which the engine AMI cars would break
up or ny TO pieces. Viewing IL from the
commercial standpoint IL will depend on
various external Influences. But / think
that great speed will finally be attained
aud Ii will be when we are able 10
obtain electricity direct from coal.
osrArrsr PROBLEM oY ALL.
.The discovery OF a way of converting
coal directly into electricity. will be the
turning point OF all our methods Of pro-
pulsion. Naturally steam will be entirely
superseded by the current. There will
externsls which 20 with steam engines
We are rapidly approaching the time Of