The Portland daily press., 1896-05-09

~N-~~
wanted him to become college professor
of mathematics AMI physics, and with
that purpose sent him to the Polytechnic
Sohoul at GratZ.
In this school there was o grammer dy-
namo and Tesla got the not ion into his
head that dynamo could be operated
without commutator or brushes, such
as this one was equipped with and he
began work then and there on the ideas
that later developed one of his great in
yentions, a rotating field motor.
The idea of becoming n professor van
ished, and he took up the engineering
curriculum. For the next few years he
kept up his studies, and succeeded in in
venting several things in connection with
the telephone. Then he went to Paris
where he saw wide field. After few
years there in the course of which he
met many Americans, who told him Of
opportunities in his field of investigation
here, he came to America. He hunted
cut Thomas A. Edison, and went to
work in his laboratory. In Thomas
CommeTfoEd Martins book, "The Inyen-
lions, Researches and Writings of Tos-
la" Tesla's connection with Edison is
mentioned. and the author says:
1t was impossible, however, that
with his own ideas to carry out, and his
own inventions to develop Mr.. Tesla
could long remain in even the most de-
liGhtful employ; and his work now at
tracing attention he left the Edison
ranks to join company intended to
make and sell an arc lighting system
based On some of his inventions in that
branch Of the art. With uncsasing dill
genoe he brought the system to perfection
and saw it p aosd on the MAJ k It. But the
thing which most occupied his time and
thoughts, however, all through this
period was his old discovery OF the rotat-
ing field principle for alternating current
work, and the application Of it in mo-
tors that have now become known the
world over.
Up to this time the alternating current
wasn't in favor with electrical engineers.
They knew little about it and did not
realize its value. 1t wasn't until 1856
that Tesla himself succeeded in putting
into practical operation the idea he had
conceived when he was student at tie
Poly teohnic Institute. 1t is the compile
tlon and practical working of this inven-
ton that will enable the Niagara Falls
Power Company to transmit it's power
FAR FROM THE BALLS
where it is generated with the aid of the
forces of nature.
3ut before telling what Tesla has done,
more may be told about Tesla himself
and where and who he works. He is a
man of very regular habits. wherein he
differs from Edison, who works fifty OF
seventy-fve hours at stretch. sometimes
on things that interest him. Tesla .isYup
every morning at $50 O'clock. He has
a lot of gymnastic exercises that he
goes through vi th regularly. He has
light break fast and then he loses little
time getting to his work. He takes an
hour for his luncheon in the middle of
the day, and the afternoon is devoted to
hard WORK. He usually works until
8 O'Clock in the evening, but often it is
until midnight. His laboratory is at 46
East Houston street.
He has clerk who attends to visitors,
keeps away cranks, keeps a scrapbook,
and sees that everybody who has real bus
mess with the inventor is provided with
she latest copy of some scientific paper
until Mr.. Tesla is disengaged. He also
has dozen or more mechanics who ore
MS loyal to him as Edison's men are to
him; but the nature Of his work and the
magnitude of the problems he sets him
self to solve do not permit Of their rem
dering him the same sort of assistance
that the Wizard s men furnish to their
employer. A friend Of Tesla's was asked
what was the most interesting trait of
his character. He replied:
'sHis love Of humanity and his friend
to succeed and willing to work. Tesla
wants things accomplished. He is jeal
GUS of no man. 1 believe if he worked
on problem twenty years. and was
about realizing success just as another
succeeded, he would be as happy as if he
had succeeded himself. His interest in
his work is entirely desire to advance
the science for the benefit of ell mankind.
l think this is shown by the fact that he
Is not rich man. He could have been
millionaire if he had had any desire to
be So"
II he had devoted his time and ener-
gies and his inventive genius to money
making there is no question but that he
would be rich today. Tesla can invent
anything. Tell him what you want
and he will work at it until he accom-
plishes it. But if he devoted his time to
inventions of that sort, the broader prop
ositlons and problems would go by the
board. He would have no time for them.
1t is to solve them that he delights to
work"
Now to take up some of the things
Tesla has dore. 1t may be said, to start
with, that to talk about Tesla's inyen-
ticns leads ono into a maze OF electrical
terms that defy the Misunderstanding of
the mind not educated in electricity; and