The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-26
INFORMATION FOR EDISON.
Visiting a Factory. He Learns How He In
vented the Electric Lamp.


Visiting a Factory, He Learns How He In
vented the Electric Lamp.
In one Of the great machine manufac-
turing plants devoted to electrical appli-
ances. visitors are constantly being re-
oeived from all quarters Of the globe. The
guides who take these visitors 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 disoonoertng remarks. 1t is
rather staggering, for instance. after you
have made your cearest and most concise
expla nation OF the phenomenon of the flow
of electricity through wire. as you under
stand IL, TO be met with the comforting
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 Confuclus. One Of the llnemen demon
strates the idea by the recital of past OK
perienoe:
when | worked on third rail at Hart
ford, the boss says: 'Youse fellows don't
1t goes to: all you care about it ia where TO
get it and where not to get it. SO you
Hlnnissey, keep yer crowbar often that
third rail or youll hev beautiful short
circuit and a pirate-technical display
thetll make we so blind yen not tell bad
whiskey from ice water FOR six months,
One engineer at the factory, who may
be called Steve, because his name is some
thing else Is frequently detailed to take
L.. f,.,, r
information and his clear, lucid manner
OF explanation. On one occasion he es-
oorted guest from the West n light haired
little gentleman who seemed duly i'm
pressed with all he saw, but made no com
ment He was apparently drinking in
and critcsing every word which young
Steve uttered, and that usually confident
young gentleman grew nervous and sus-
picious.
This fellow he thought, 'must be some
smart electrician, and he IL just taking
all my statements with a 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 exceeding obliged to you. don't
know much about the electrical trade. I'm
barber. II you ever 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 undemonstratve man
who paid considerable attention TO rather
insignificant machines and details. Con-
sequently, Steve rather hastily concluded
that he had another barber to amuse.
Moreover "a this quiet visitor showed
/ little or no surprise at or appreciation Of
/ the many really remarkable machines
and operations Steve was aggrieved, and
/ for the honor OF the works determined 70
shake some enthusiasm out of him. So he
proceeded TO load hi n up with many Won
de rful stories.
He pointed out dynamo so powerful
that il never had been and never could be
run up to full capacity; it being utterly
impossible to control tho current He
gave dissertation on the incandescent
lamp and it's manufacture, asserting thar
/ it's discovery was due TO the accidental
observation of a lightning flash playing
on a two pronged fork in pickle bottle
Waxing eloquent he rose on his toes,
stretched out his right arm and exclaimed:
And So that inestimable boon to man
kind the incandesoent lamp. was born.
At this moment his visitor stepped up TO
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 pleasure a. he
grasped the outstretched hand.
God bless my SOUL It's my OLD ooss,
he exclaimed. -Mr Edison himself
Steve staggered back and sat down on
a casting He tried TO think it over. to re-
call some of the stuff he'd been telling -
but his mind was a blurr One thing only
stood out distinctly; he had told the
Wizard Of Menlo Park, the inventor OF the
incandescent lamp that II was the evolu-
ton of a pickle bottle and two pronged
fork Then he disappeared.
A week or two later he received from
Mr. Edison book on electrical wonders.
written for Juveniles, on the fly leaf OF which
was a pen drawing of fork in a pickle
bottle and below the inscription;
And so that nestimabe boon 10 man
kind the incandesoent lamp, was borni'
Some time in the future perhaps, that
little book may fetch a round sum OF money.
At present. no money could buy IT,