The Washington times., 1906-12-22
EDISON TO MAKE
AUTOS CHEAPER
Wizard Says His New Storage Battery
Solves Problem of Economical
Power.

NEW YORK, Dec. 22.-Thomas A.
Edison has accomplished a surprise for
fhe world. He has worked out success
Tully the problem of cheap power. lie
promises TO put On the market within
six months a new storage battery which
viii enable every man TO travel in his
oWn private carriage at about the cost
OF car fare Without danger, without
breakdOwns. without cost. almost. a
carriage. once supplied with the new
power for see, viii travel without re
pairs for fifteen years. for 100000 miles
II necessary, says the wizard.
Mr.. Edison reiterates the declara ton
that he has invented storage battery
which will solve the problem OF con-
sested traffic in the big cities Of the
world as soon as he can manufacture
enough of the batteries. He is erecting
two large factory buildings. now nearly
completed, and is installing in them new
machinery, especially for the manufac-
ture Of the motor battery.
Says Horse is Door,.
In fifteen years from now the horse
Will be curiosity; we shall be paying
80 cents 10 look at him in side shows"
said Mr.. Edison 70 an interviewer.
Last year you were sure that YOU had
Yes, last year / was sure" replied
Mr. Edison. but now l am dead sure.
There is a difference between the two.
It's one thing. for instance, To- be sure,
and another thing 10 be-Wau Street
For three years 2J.udO storage batter
les have been constantly AT work i'm the
test shops of the Edison plant at Or
Rnge. N J
I never believed that nature. So pro-
.s4 pa
lead as material ingredient OF the bat
terry said Mr. Edison. Il have always
found her ready for any emergency. and
buScd on this confidence that she has
never betrayed, I COmmuned diligently
complished the task"
Rut he hadn't to the satisfaction of
his commercial instinct The question
81 the weight OF the battery was most
important as was that of its durability
Cobalt Solves Riddle.
Nickel rust failed. other things failed.
everything the ingenious Edison. with
his trained. scientific mind. could con-
ceive failed.
Then I tried cobalt" he said and
punciuated the statement with a broad
smile.
And it worked
1t certainly did, but cobalt. beius
one OF the rare metals, the problem was
not solved I secured the country to
warrant its use. ana discovered lots Of
II IN Canada. in Wisconsin. I'm Oregon.
and in Kentucky, Then / knew that I
was all right"
What are you working at now in cen
nection with this phase Of the dis
cOvery2'-
"One of the most difficult problems in
metalluTgy Is to separate cobalt from
thc ores with which il is associated. Al
present il is done only At great ex-
pense. and so tor the last few months
Nc have been devIsing a plan of getting
cobalt within a ratio of cost already
calculated for the price # each cell
Success Comes at Last.
And YOU have succeeded?"
Completely. / can positively prom
ise that the new battery will be on the
market in the spring. The factory
buildings are ready and the machinery
IS being installed"
But there may be some surprise that
nature is holding back that will inter
Iere2'
Absolutely none. 7 haven't kept - 900
batteries working for three years with
out disCounting all chances of failure -
The actual cost or reCharging the new
battery is a matter OF a few cents Ter
cell, the greatest achievement being i'm
making il light IN weight, in compact
shape and above all. durable
The new storage battery is not de-
signed Tor fast automobiles.
But | am an automobile manufac-
turer- and ! have thought only of solv-
ing the problem OF street traffic, which
is serious in all the great cities OF the
Mori-s.+ saws Edison.