The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-12
HOW THE TICKER
 WAS ORIGINATED Important Instrument Is Made
 a Success WORK OF MIR. EDISON An Incident in the Early Career of the Wizard of Electricity-The Talk That Stirred His Early
 Ambition.
WORK OF MIR. EDISON
Q, the New York Press.

the commercial and industrial life of the day that we accept it quite as matter of course, with small thought for the de- tails of it's development or the fact that it's marvellous growth lies mostly within the compass of two generations. How many of US, for instance ever knew anything about the actual origin of that now almost indispensable instrument the 'ticker?"
 A few days ago in one of the down town offices a party of men were ex- amining a new electrical contrivance, when Commodore Benedict, who was present and whose keen criticisms not only commanded attention, but showed intimate and progressive knowledge of the subject, grew reminiscent and finally led the thought and talk away from the discussion of that particular exponent of mighty and still myste- rious force back to it's humber express sion in the days when he was q member of the old Gold board. The bit of history related is well worth preserving, and while it is not possible to put into cold type the conmodore's charm as a racon- teur, the story he lld is substantially as follows:
 ''The Gold board bom.' he said, was a very small on' and in those stirring times so crowde every day with people eager to know the quotations there was scarcely room enough for the members to turn around, while the press was con- stantly kept up by the throng outside who wanted to get in and could not and who were unable to hear the calls For the benefit of these the board had pla- cards hoisted from time to time giving the prices. The rapid changing of the figures necesstated the employment of several attendants and many mistakes occurred in consequence. These quota tions were largely distributed to the pub lie by clerks and messenger boys, and the unreliability of the reports thus nat urally increased.
 "One day one of the members, for mer preacher from Missouri informed me that he believed a way could be de- vised by means of electricity to furnish these quotations to outsiders and that they would be not only accurate but of ficial
 Why don't you go ahead then and get it up?' I asked.
 '..'No money was the reply. T have the idea in my head, but have no means to carry 1t out
 "I'M stake you said; go ahead and see what you can do.'
  then the question was to find some one able to put 1t into practical shape There was but one electrician in New York city at the time, and after long search we found him located in small shop in a dilapidated building near the old Tombs After a careful examination or the model he said:
 That will do the work, and can put it up.'
 .sHe was at once directed to construct a machine and give it a practical test The result was most satisfactory, and the possibilities of the business were quickly grasped when he afterward in formed us that 20 machines could De worked at the same time as well as one We were not slow in ordering them. Wires were strung over the buildings and in due time the 20 machines were installed in as many different ofnces at a rental of $1 day each. Everything went on swimmingly for while, then first one and another machine would get out of order and finally stop work feared something was radically wrong with the mechanism and had grave doubts as to the advisability ol going on with the undertaking, but the inventor kept reassuring me by insisting that the principle was all right and that some way was sure to be found to remedy the difficulty. After long investigation We
 
 stoned by 8 woman throwing feather he'd across the wires. This removed, the machine commenced running again and restored confidence in the ultimate sue cess of the business. But then, as now, they would occasionally get out or order anG we lacked the technical Knowledge to remedy the defects. After having had more or less trouble the inventor finally told me he believed he had found way to correct matters and had procured from the Western Union Telegraph com pany the services of bright young op- orator to take charge of tl-e Keyboard.
 GA few mornings after this conversa- ton I happened to go to the board room very early. several hours before the us- ual time for the board to open, and there I saw A Iank cadaverous-looking boy in tently occupied with the Keyboard. NeNer ha wing noticed the new operator and not a little startled to find any one there at that hour I asked rather sharpiy: ".Who are YOU and what are you do- ing here?'
 l" I'm Tommy he replied, and I'm try ing to fix the thing.
 "Struck by his tired, hungry face, asked if he had had any breakfast
 No; don't want any; have no time
 |" Where did you sleep last night?
 '' Didn't sleep; stayed here
 "Trurther inquiry revealed the fact that he had actually stayed in that chair all night, too intent on trying to adjust the machine to his satisfaction to think of rest. After few more manipulauons he finally looked up with the nrst snow or spirit I had seen and said:
 " It's all right now
 Handing him some money l told him to go out and get his breakfast, asking him. little curiously, perhaps, what he usually ordered for his morning meal.
 Pie he replied, and sometimes cof- fee and a doughnut.
 diet, I told him on his return to go and buy a cot. put it in the storage room upstairs and to sleep there whenever he found it necessary thereafter to stay all night. His persistent efforts with the balky machine had so appealed to me that I informed him then and there his pay would be raised at once to $2 day. which was quite an advance over what he had been getting, and which was am ply justified by the fact that he was able to correct the difficulties which had trou- bled us.
 And this was the actual beginning of the Gold and Stock telegraph, which was sold later to the Western Union Teie- graph company for $100.000 and a yearly royalty of $15,O00 during the life of the patent. The last heard of the inventor bi,ocatf 1,a wac stilI preacling in Mis-