Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-09-04
EDISON TURNED ON
/ FIRST LIGHTS 80
YEARS AGO TODAY
Told of Anniversary,
Wizard Suggests
Newer Topic.
NEW PHONOGRAPH HAS NO
SCRATCH TO OFFEND EAR
Promises World Perfect Disc
Record by Oct. 1-Son
Edits Shop Newspaper.

Edison gave to wondering Woliu 'he
first central station for the supply
of incandescent electric lighting Tor
commercial purposes. Today the SUB
iect of illumination is too antiquateo
for the wizard to discuss, he told an
Evening Star reporter at his labor
atory.
The anniversary will pass unop-
served and even unnoticed so lar as
Edison himself is concerned. In 1ac''
he had even forgotten the date-Sep-
tember 4-until 1t was called TO MS
mind in the request for an interview.
with a characteristic wave Of MS
hand he put the subject aside and
suggested that he be permitted 10
tall, on something new-the phono-
graph, for instance.
The Wizard of Menlo Park mas at
last accomplished that which ne
dreamed of years ago. he mas per
fected the phonograph to such state
as to reproduce the natural tone anu
timbre of the human voice and OF the
tone of all musical instruments. His
latest contribution, new disc record,
will eliminate most of the scratch no
t!ceable in the present pronographic
records, besides reproducing the over
tone in the singing voice. Mr.. Eol-
son expressed himself as being per-
fectly satisfied with the result OF MS
latest work. upon which he mas
worked day and night for the past
week. OF the 144 hours the wizard
worked 122 before he finally brought
about that for which he was work
ing. This latest invention will be
ready for the market about October j.
Son Edits Shop Paper.
When the interviewer arrived at
the Edison plant in West Orange ne
found the wizard with his 14-year-old
son Teddy The inventor was busy
reading the first issue of the shop
paper, of which Teddy is the editor,
reporter, printer and published. The
paper itself is really work of art.
| and the wizard, like all others who
have read 1t, was very much i'm
pressed with his sons ability. He
is q chip of the old block" said Ed
ison.
1.-THE subject of electric lighting is
antiquated," began the wizard, when
pressed for an interview on the sub
ject of illumination. why not take
up something new-something in the
present day-the phonograph, for In
stance, which l have now perfected.
after three years of work. Yes, /
probably would have finished 1t sooner
had l been able to devote my whole
time to 1t, but every time that l
sought to get at 1t something else
would come up that needed my at
tention. Yes, this is my pet-my first
love-and I believe that the public will
agree with me that I have now
brought 1t to state of perfection
From the time that I first invented
the phonograph, have never been
satisfied with the reproduction of the
human voice-it never sounded hu-
man to my ears. The tone was harsh
and the continual scratching irritated
me as it probably did thousands of
others. All these unpleasant features,
believe, / have eliminated, and
whether or not the public will agree
with me remains to be seen.
Began Three Years Ago.
Three years ago l set out to per-
feet a new record and, II need be, re-
construct the whole machine. From
time to time other things claimed my
attention, and / was forced to drop
my work, but at every opportunity |
took up where 1 had left off. About a
year ago | started TO work In earnest
and this time refused to be taken
from my work. AS you know, we
have always produced cylinder rec
ords. but in my latest experiments /
found that there was not sufficient
room on the cylinder type to bring
about the improvements ! wanted, so
l. set about to produce disc record
without infringing upon the patents Of
any of my competitors.
From time to time I thought that
had hit upon the improvement 1
desired, but in each instance the
scratching was still in evidence. Each
of these tests, you will readily see
suggested new improvements in the
mechanism, and when I finally hit
upon what / was after had prac-
tically reconstructed my entire ma
chine.
THE new disc record, which viii
rcpr duce the human voice in natural
tone and timbre, as we'll as the tone
of all musical instruments, will be
about twice as thick as those of other
machines of this kind and will have
records on both sides / expect to
have them ready for the market about
October l.
Satisfied with Results.
"Tne whole machine, however, Diff
fers very little from my original offer
ing. except in the technical parts. and
In the making of the records. We will
still use a diamond point as a repro
ducer, and this will have an up and
down motion, instead of working
crosswise, as at present. am per-
fectly satisfied with the results of
my work.
"Will take a vacation? What for?
No, have not decided what shall
take up next but II won't be long
before something will suggest itself
and ! shall be back at work"
Teddy Edison. the. 14-year-old son
of the Wizard. is a pocket edition of
his father He may be found around
the shops at almost any hour of the
Gay gathering news for his news
payer, of which he is editor, reporter.
printer and publisher.
Some time ago he hit upon the idea