Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-07-21
TOLD EDISON ABOUT 1T.
Discontinue of the Versatile Guide
Of Bio Electrical Establishment.

Of Big Electrical Establishment.
In one of the great machine manu-
featuring plants devoted to electrical
appliances, visitors are constantly hc-
ing received from all quarters Of the
globe. The guides who take these Wis
itors through the works have all kinds
Of experiences.
II often happens that the visitor
who knows the least about electrical
matters will ask the stiffest questions
and make the most disconce"tiny re
BI.lrks. 1t Is rather staggering for
instance, after you have made your
clearest and most concise explanati )ll
Of the phenomenon Of the flow OF
electricity through a wire, as you un-
derstand II, to be met with the con-
fronting remark:
After all, Mr.. -. you do not
really know what electricity Isl"
The average working electrician
worries no more about the nature OF
the force he handles than he does
about the doctrines Of Confucius. One
Of the linemen demonstrates the idea
by. the recital Of a past experience:
when l worked on a third rail at
Hartford the boss says: "Youse fel-
lows don't care where the juice cones
from or where 1t goes to; all you care
about II Is where to get II and where
not to get 1t. So you, Hinnissey,
keep yer crowbar often that third rail,
or yen hev a beautiful short circuit
and a private-technical display thatll
make We so blind yen not tell bad
whisky from ice water for six
months"
One engineer at the factory who
NAV be called Steve, because his
name Is something else, Is frequently
detailed to take visitors about on ac-
count of his fund of information and
his clear lucid manner Of explanation.
On one occasion be escorted guest
from the west-a light haired little
gentleman who seemed duly impressed
with all he saw. but made no comment
He was apparently drinking in and
criticising every word which young
Steve uttered, and that usually con-
fident young gentleman grew nervous
and suspicious.
This fellow" he thought, must
be some smart electrician, and he Is
Just taking all my statements with
huge grain of salt"
At last, when they arrived back at
the office and Steve was feeling tired
and limp. the little gentleman held
out his hand and said:
I'm exceedingly obliged to you,
don't know much about the electrical
i III
come to Chicago. look me up"
Steve had recovered from this and
was beginning to look and feel like
himself once more, when he was again
detailed to escort a visitor through the
works. This was a silent and unde-
monstrative man who paid considera.
BILE attention to rather insignificant
machinery and details. Consequently,
Steve hastily concluded that he had
another barber to amuse.
Moreover, as this quiet visitor show
ed little or no surprise at or apprecia-
ton of the many really remarkable
machines and operation Steve was
aegrieved, and for the honor OF the
works determined to shake some en-
thusiasm out of him. So he proceed
ed to load him up with many Won
derful stories.
He pointed out a dynamo so power
full that 1t never had and never could
be run up to full capacity, 1t being
utterly impossible to control the cur
rent. He gave a dissertation on the
incandescent lamp, and Its manufac-
ture, asserting that its discovery was
due to the accidental observation OF a
lightning flash playing on two prong
ed fork in a pickle bottle. Waxing
eloquent, he rose on his toes. stretch
ed out his right arm and exclaimed:
"And so that inestimablt boon to
mankind, the incandescent limp, was
born"
At this moment his visitor stepped
up to a workman who was winding
coils slapped him on the back and
said:
Hello, DAM"
The man started, looked up, and his
face flushed with surprise and pleas,
ure as he grasped the outstretcheo
hand.
"God bless my soul! It's my old
boss" exclaimed. "Mr. Edison him.
self"
Steve staggered back and sat down
on a casting. He tried to think II
over, to recall some Of the stun he'd
been telling-but his mind was
blur. One thing only stood out dis
tinctly; he had told the Wizard or
Menle Park. the inventor Of the In
candescent lamp. that 1t was the evo-
luton Of a pickle bottle and a two
pronged fork! Then he disappeared
A week or two later he received
from Mr.. Edison a book on electrical
wonders, written for juveniles, on the
fly leaf Of which was pen drawing
of fork in a pickle bottle, and below
the inscription:
"And so that inestimable boon to
mankind, the incandescent lamp, was
born!"
Some time in the future, perhaps.
that little book may fetch a round
sum of money. At present no money
could buy 1t.