The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-06-07
THOS. A. EDISON
IN THE CITY
The Wizard" tells this
Paper Of bis Search
for Cobalt
The Worlds Greatest inventor
Visits The Hustler Office
and Subscribes

@0Oos A. EuISOup pOpuISEly kQOWu rs
'the wizard, the greatest inventor of
the age, arrived in Hedersonyille At
noon on Monday. His party, composed
Of Mr.. Edison, his son Charles, and q
Mr.. Miller, were in one car, and two
others, with baggage occupied 9 second
automobile. Mr.. Edison and his party
took dinner and spent the night at the
Blue Ridge Inn, leaving Tuesday morn
ing for Brevsrd, their first stop on their
way to Webster. jackson county.
In an exclusive Interview given .
representative Of this paper, Mr.. Edi-
SON said:
81 am now on my way to Webster,
jackson county, to verify the reports of
three prospectors sent out by me to
search for deposits of cobalt. mineral
I believe to be found in this state. They
have discovered deposits Of cobalt near
Webster, and we now expect to locate
its source.
"For the past few years have been
working on . alkaline storage battery,
and Ia the course of my Investigations I
have tested great many different met
als. and among them cobalt. AS this
metal IL comparatively rare, and there
fore expensive, We have been on the
lookout for possible sources of cobalt
bearing minerals which would make it
better available for my purposes.
'n we are successful In our search,
1helleye the question of electric traction
Co be solved. It will be the means of
hrinstpg automobiles for al purposes
within the reach Of the average man,
and will reduce thelr price wonderfully.
With one charging Of my new electric
battery, . car will run from 100 to 125
miles, and will reduce the weight of the
machine vastly. It will help solve
traffic congestion In the streets of our
great cities, rs an electric delivery
wagon, for instance, would occupy but
pne-half the space and possess four
lines the speed of Q horse. We now
have orders for 100 wagons equipped
Eith this new battery, for the Adams
Express Co., and it Is their intention to
Immediately replace their Thousands of
horses with electric delivery wagons.
81 believe the mountains of this state
be full of minerals of all kinds, but
whether In sufficient quantities to pay
nder present mining methods is ques-
ion ip my mind.
~ think the country through which I
have just passed presents every appear
Rnoe of being remarkably fine farming
and. What impressed me forcibly was
he fact that have yet to see the hrst
Balloon In your state, and have not yet
noticed drunken man since being In
North Carolina.
| "The honesty OF your citizens is re-
InarkAble. We have left our cars for
three hours ct q time on the public
pad, entirely unguarded, and have re-
urned to find not one thing missing. In
SOme parts that I know of the cars
would baYe been stripped of everything
In that length of time, and
I think the honesty of the citizens of
North Carolina quite remarkable"
Mr.. Edison is unquestioaably one of
the most unassuming and democratic of
our great men. He held an impromptu
reception in the lobby Of the Blue Ridge
Inn, and shook hands with and had
q pleasant word and smile for everyone.
When introduced to the Florida editors
Ind on being told they were all newspa-
per men, he made Q c0mical effort to
break through the ring surrounding
him and pretended to be very much
While ct dinner. he was served with
soup and two square crackers. Holding
one OF them In the air, the great inven-
tor said, with laugh, "Well. there's
two quare mealsr'
< Mr.. Edison was dressed in linen suit,
5omewhat the worse for the hard usage
b has had, and the most Characteristic
features Of the great inventor were his
piercing blue eyes, his ready smile, and
his wonderfully mobile features.
The machine driven by Edison was in
the usual condition for touring, with
tOnneau and cape cart top. The tom
eau OF the second machine, however,
Fas removed, and replaced by box
like structure in which was packed .
complete camping outfit, baggage, pro-
visions and small amount Of labratory