Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-14
EDIsox's FIRST BIG CHECK.
1t Was So Large He was Much Sur
prised.

1t Was So Large He Was Much Sur
prfsed.
From the New York Press.
Among the many inventions that sprang
from the fertile brain of Thomas A. Edi-
son was the instrument generally known
as the ticker-the little clinking GLASGOW
cred affair that one sees nowadays in any
pretentious bar room, Keeling of its yards
and yards of paper ribbon bearing on the
surface i'm clear letters the score from the
Polo Grounds, the result of speed trials be-
tween the thoroughbreds of the eastern
tracks ard much important news. 1t is
only within recent years that we have had
this development of the machine that was
originally intended to give to spectators
In stock markets a line on how their money
was going or coming.
Mr.. Edison, however, isn't collecting roy
elites on the Ickers turned out by the
manufacturers, and to few persons is the
fact known that the man who evolved the
electric light, the telephone, the kinetos
scope and numerous other wonders OF the
century is identical with the inventor OF
the original ticker. This comparatively in
significant work of the wizard was the
means by which he obtained the first money
beyond his salary a telegraph operator
To a party of his friends who entertained
him one evening recently in the rooms Of
the Arion Society, Mr.. Edison related how
he sold the patent rights for the ticker
when / came to New York to sell my
invention" Mr.. Edison said, II was largely
in doubt as to its value. 1 knew IL was
useful contrivsn nee, but it was with some
diffidence that entered the presence OF the
manufacturer with whom 1 opened negotia-
tons for its disposal AS a boy had often
longed to possess $S00O, and had a good
mind to hold out for that much money.
though L felt secretly that would be doing
well to get 5000. So when the manu-
facturer asked me how much / wanted for
the patent rights 1 stammered and asked
how much he was willing 10 pay.
=" Come around in the morning he said.
and j went home to dream about that
5000 fortune / was going to get-perhaps.
When 1 saw him in the morning he said
termination:
I'VE have decided to pay you $4,000
not a cent more
81 almost tainted, but in less than five
minutes 1 had stuck my name to con-
tract, and was out in the street looking in
q half-dazed way at a check In my hand.
Payable to the order of Thomas A Edi-
| son forty Thousand dollars (si0,000).' Then
I began to think, and the forty Thousand
seemed like forty millions. and / said TO
myself: Tom, you've been swindled. The
check is not good And when L went to
the bark-I had never been inside Of one
check / was not surprised when the teller
scrutinized it, glanced al me and pushed it
back with a shake of the head and re-
mark that / was too excited to under
stand, but concluded that my fears were
| confirmed So 1 stuffed 1t in my pocket
| and went to see friend, to whom 1 re-
| lated my experience.
Let's see the check he said Why
that's all right. You must be Identified
| And We went back to the bank. The cash.
Ter knew smy friend and the money was
| socn counted out Still wasn't sure 1 was
awake Until 1 began to feel and hear the
| snap of the new banknotes. 1t was a big
| bundle CT money. and / stuck some of il
| in every pocket, so that almost everywhere
| 1 put my hand could feel it bullying out.
| when 1 went TO the hotel that night do
| you think 1 took my clothes on? Not
| much. 1 slept in them. so 1 wouldn't wake
I'D and find that IL was all a cruel dream