Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-07
HOW EDISON GOT HIS START
Youthful Devotio Brings Friendly
Ala 10 the Ambitious
N~ewsboy.

I was still doing my work as newsboy
on the Grand Trunk when the train stopped
one day at the Mount Clemens station for
freight. AS 1t usually stayed for half an
hour 1 had improved my time by making
several. acquaintance in the nelgborhood
Of the depot. on this occasion l was stroll
ing about the station when l noticed
Jenny, the little 2-year-old son OF J.. U.
Mackenzie, the station master. Jenny
and I were great friends. He was a bright
little fellow and we used to enjoy some
lively romps together. / was about to call
to him when l saw that the train had be-
gun switching. Some Of the cars were left
at the northern end OF the track while the
remainder, some twelve or fifteen, with
the engine, were backed on to the freight
house siding. Here a large baggage car
was standing, filled with freight of vari-
Gus descriptions and waiting to be coupled
on to the train. The engineers purpose
was to give this car a sufficient push to
send it down the track by its own momen-
tim until it reached the other section on
the northern end.
or course, Jenny was nawar of the
situation, and when l glanced toward him
again, just as the baggage car was started
forward, 1 saw to my horror tina he was
sitting between the rails, directly in Its
path. 1t was too late to shout to him.
Before he could be warned of his danger
he would be crushed under the heavy
wheels. With the little fellows bright,
sunny smile before me I made a desperate
resolve. Running down the platform 1
sprang or to the track before the rumbling
car and jerked the boy from under its
wheels just in time to save his life. It
was so sudden that 1 didn't realize my
own danger and, Of course, 1 didn't a
any especial credit for the exploit, for 1
think that almost any one with any heart
would have done the same thing. But 1t
made the father very grateful and he be-
gan to think of a way to show his appre-
citation. He was a poor man and could
not give me money. What could he do?
Then he remembered my fondness for
telegraphy and, to my great surprise and
delight, offered to teach me how to be-
come an operator. At last the dream OF
my boyhood was to be realized. You may
believe that l worked hard those days,
still keeping on with my duties as news
boy during the regular run and coming
back in the evening to take my lesson In
telegraphy.
From the very first I think the idea OF
improving the telegraph was before me.
The telegraph line Of that period was
rather crude and cumbersome. The du-
pick telegraph was just in its infancy and
quadruplex telegraphy was still a dream.
OF course, with my youthful enthusiasm
1 soon mastered the rudiments of the key
and began to make satisfactory progress
in the work OF operator. Before 1 was II
I was a full Pledged telegrapher and TAX
ing as much pleasure in my work, 1 think
as the average boy of that age gets out OF
base ball or foot ball. or course, this
kind Of life stimulated my mechanical ia
c%ulties, so that / began to absorb every
fact / could find IN relation to electricity,
BY my love for chemistry would not
down, and all Of the money / could spare
l put into retorts and test tubes and chem.
icals.
Ny first nvention-that is, the first thai
brought me to the patent office-was ar
electrical vote recorder, which my boyisH
dream imagined would revolutionize the
parliamentary procedure OF congess. II
was a rather simple continuance. wher
the apparatus was installed in the House
of Representatives each member OF con.
gress would find two button on his desk
one labeled aye" and the other may
On the desk Of the speaker there would
be a square frame containing two dials
One was for the affirmative votes, thu
other for the negative, and below eact
heading were spaces in which the numbeI
Of ballots would be indicated. For in
stance, when a congressman voted nay,
II he were the fifth man, the humble
five appeared on the Indicator. II h
voted AYE" a similar result appeared oil