New-York tribune., 1907-08-25

,s-ea with his work in the city. Later he trans
se-rea his place Of residence to Llewellyn Park.
near West Orange. y J. where he stin lives.
II was in 1879 that aIr. Edison achieved his
greatest triumph by presenting TO the world the
incandescent electric lamp 1t is said that he
worked for days and nights without taking
either food OF rest from the time the idea came
70 him until he had perfected it Congrcitula-
tons were showered upon him from every part
If the world. For months public attention WAS
focused upon him Success as great as his
would have turned the head OF most men. No;
50 with the recluse at Menlo Park. His mod
esty and humility never forsook him even in the
moment Of his greatest triumph, Asked by
friend if BE did not intend TO lie back upon his
nsrs and take q much needed rest after accom-
risfaing 50 much. ne cheerfully replied:
oh YES. I am going to tackle another l.InI
n. work. That is the kind Of rest i need
At another time. accused Of t--ing i great
scientist. the inventor quietly remarked:
I am not a scientist l DO not study the laws
If nature as did Newton. hepler Faraday and
Henry. ! am only q professional inventor My
experiments and studies have been conducted
solely with the object OF inventing that which
viii have a commercial utility"
Probably because he consistently disobeys the
generally accepted laws Of nature in the mat
ter OF the amount Of food he eats and the sleep
he takes Mt Edison has peculiar ideas upon
both subjects. Replying 10 q friend who criti-
cised him for allowing his work TO interfere
with his taking a needful amount Of rest he
said:
Most people sleep too much. Sleep is simply
q bad habit contracted by our ancestors The
ant the most intelligent OF insects. does not
sleep at al. I sleep only when l am tired out.
and when 90 il is the perfect sleep Of sheer
exhaustion Five hours out Of twenty-four is
enough for any man. More simply has the ef
feet Of duliing the Intellect
Visited one day by an admiring friend who
brought his young son 10 see the great inventor.
Nj Edison was asked 10 give the boy word Of
advice that he might remember in after life
Without q moments hesitation he placed his
hand in a kindly manner upon the boys head
and said:
My boy. when you want 10 accomplish any
thing, don't look al the clock
The Wizard OF Llesellyn Park as he is so
often called has been twice married His first wife
was a Newark woman by whom he had three
children two sons and one daughter. His cid
est son, named after himself, achieved corsid-
erabe notoriety in New York a few years ago
Leaving his fathers employ, he came 10 New
Ygrk and for q time was a conspicuous figure
among the young men who freGuented the the
aires He married q chorus girl named Marie
Toufaey, and became associated with number
Of cure al" schemes. Finally his father took
action in the federal courts to restrain the
Thomas A Edison. jr. Chemical Company from
using the family name In this he was unsuc-
cessfui. but the postoffice authorities in Wash
ingtoa were induced TO issue an order restrain
ing the company from using the mails, on the
ground that an electric vitalizer which it Of
fe-ed for sale vas fraud. Subsequently young
Edison became reconciIed TO his father and re
turned TO the parental roof His second son,
". L. Edison. conducts an electrical business in
tits city.
The inventors second wife was the daughter
o. James Miller. an agricultural implement man
alact1rer Of Akron, Ohio. In his second family