The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-19
GRADUATES OF EDISON.
MEN WHO HAVE MADE THEIR
STARTS UNDER EDISON.

Most of Them Are Naturally Elec-
tricians, but Lawyers and Editors
Now Well Known Have Served
Their Edison Appreticeship-Tes-
la, Kennedy, Krusie, johnson and
Scores OF Others Became Famous
or Rich After Their Training
With Edison.
New York, Jan. 17-Thomas A Edi-
son has invented many great men.
Some of these have become scientists,
like Kennedy; some have become in
ventors, like Tesla; some have become
well-known business men, like Samuel
insult; others have become engineers,
like Lieut.. Sprague; many have be-
come millionaires. This win surprise
many persons who have looked upon
Mr.. Edison as mere inventor of me-
chanism, yet it is a fact that more than
twenty men who have received training
under him have gone forth from his
laboratory and have become noted men
in the world In fact, it has almost
passed into an axiom that intimate as
ISOLATION with Thomas A. Edison
means ultimate success and fortune
for any man.
One who has been with the inventor
for many years, who has watched these
men come in as pupils and go out
splendidly equipped for the battle of
life was asked to tell who they are
and the process of their instruction.
"It is a fact" he replied, that many
of the men who have worked here with
Mr.. Edison have become prominent in
many ways. 1t has been set down to
coincidence and to the opportunities
they have had for forming powerful
friendships while in the laboratory, but
there is another and more potent rea-
son for their success. 1t Is the result
of contact with Edison. He seems
able out of raw material and by the
power of example to create working
force in a man equal almost to that
in himself In the first plce, he would
never have man around unless he
were quick to learn and to execute.
He can not endure stupid man, and
he is very frank to tell man that he
is stupid and to clear him out. The
result is that the men who have got
ten along with him all had good natu-
raj capacity. 1t was a survival of the
fittest. All men thrown with him find
him Democratic and willing to listen
to any suggestion they may make to
him. He always had the effect of
making his men work hard by giving
them a first-class example. He taught
them that if" an experiment failed II
should be regarded only as an incen-
tive to make more experiments. That
is the lesson a man learns from Ed
ison-never to give up. In fact, any
man with reasonable ability will have
his faculties Quickened by contact with
Edison. The laboratory is like a UNI
versity and he is its active president
At any rate, no ordinary university
has turned out a greater percentage OF
great men than this laboratory. See
how the list swells.
Tesla stands first among Edison
graduates in point of fame. He came
to the works a mere youth, with little
knowledge of practical electricity. he
entered the testing laboratory ana
learned how to experiment. OF course
his natural capacity pushed MIN on,
but at that time he said to me chat
succeeding under Mr.. Edison was not
the result of what one learns from the
inventor SO much as it was absorbing
the spirit with which Edison works.
Undoubtedly Tesla received his great
est impetus from and owes his present
achievements TO wha the learned from
Edison.
Among the men VINO have made a
mark in the electrical world is A. r..
Kennedy He has been president or
the Institute of Electrical Engineers.
Mr. Kennedy was with Mr.. Edison as
mathematician and is supposed to be
one of the best in the world. He is
the only man in America who is able
to interpret some of the very intricate
systems of mathematics which nave
been evolved by that great English
electrician, oliver Heavysides.
IAN of Mr.. Edison's early partners
became we'll known in the world and
wealthy They were Charles Baton
elor, John KruSie, e. II. Johnson ana
S. B. Bergman. Mr.. Edison has often
said that Bachelor was the cleVerest
man with his hands that he had ever
known. He was the most patient man
+ ever. saw. He put the first filament
in the incandescent lamp. The filament
as first made were exceedingly tender
and were to (be clamped in. AS they
we're of almost microscopic size II was
an undertaking which seemed almost
impossible. / have seen him work
for hours and then break kSe filament;
Then he would go on, staE again ana
make another one, until he made per-
feet one. He was noted for his patience.
We used to nickname him 'Edisons
hands He built eleven different fac
tories for Mr. Edison, and he managed
ALI of the European works for years.
He was a large amount of money DE-
fore he retired from an active career
"John Krusie, who died not long ago,
was superintendent for Mr.. Edison, II
tina tern may be used, for many years
in his laboratory. He. was an exceed
ingly clever man and a thoroughly
good mechanic. The underground sys-
fem in New York city for the dlstrl-
button of electric light was first IN.
stalled by John Krusie. have Thought
that Mr.. Krusie ruined his health by
building the underground systems IN
the daytime and putting them under
the pavement all night. He was
noted the world over for his mechan-
zeal ability. .,,..
"E. II. johnson was with Mr.. Edison
in the telegraph and telephone days
and then when the electric light was
developed. He was noted for his ability
10 talk on any subject for any length
Of time. He was probably the finest
Oro,,,oter in the United States. He
first took the electric light TO England
and placed it there for Mr.. Edison he
is another rich man.
rs. II. Bergman was one OF Mr.. Ed
sons workmen, and when Mr.. Edison
left Newark he took Mr.. Edison's place
there. AT that time he attended to the
manufacturing end. Since he has be-
come the largest manufacturer OF cleo
trio apparatus in the United States ana
now owns very large works in Ger
many. He is generally supposed to be