Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-04
EDISON HONORED
BYELECTR|C MEN
At CONVENTION
Says He Is Working on Produ :
ton of Electricity from
Coal Direct.

PHILADELPHIA, June 4.-Thomas
A. Edison said last night in an inter-
view before the dinner of the National
Electric Light Association, now in
convention in this city, that he was
working out new problem-the de-
rivation of electricity direct from
coal. He is confident of success.
Mr.. Edison came here by automo-
bile from his home in Llewellyn Park.
Immediately after his arrival he took
short nap, and then received
newspaper representative. as he had
promised.
You want me to tell you the prob
lem 1 am studying now he said.
| well. it is to make electricity direct
from coal. 1t has been accomplished
twice, but not so that it can be APP
piled commercially. 1t is a vast prob
lem and too deep to attempt to eX-
plain, except to say that it will be
accomplished"
Edison was the guest of honor last
night at the first big formal dinner
of the convention, given in the green
room, by men prominent in electric
circles. but attended as well by men
of local prominence in other lines.
Among the guests who were in at
tendance at the dinner were: Joseph
B. Mccall president of the \. E. l..
| A; Daniel Rice, president of the Cen
eral Electric Company; Samuel T.
Bodine, w. c. L. Eglin, f. j. Gilchrist,
T. Commerford Martin, Randall Nor
gan, T. E Mitten, Charles Brush, in
ventor OF the arc light; Frank l..
Spra que and Samuel insult.
In the course of the interview the
inventor said:
at am a tenderfoot outside the
laboratory, but | have come down TO
Philadelphia to have a talk with some
of these cubs OF commerce. Thirty
two years go had Frank Thompson,
president of the Pennsylvania rail-
road. come up to Menlo Park, and
took him over an electric line three
miles long. | phophesied that some
day the Pennsylvania railroad would
send trains to and from Philadelphia
and New York by the force of an
electric current. He laughed at me.
You know what is in sight
I'm 1885 about six engineers and
division superintendent of the North
ern Pacific railroad saw demonstra-
ton of an electric car that would take
up it's power by o friction shoe from
a charged rail I told them that they
would some day run entire trains on
their mountain division in just that
manner. Their engineers reported on
my prophecy. What they reported
was an awful knock for my faith in
the third rail. Today they are run
ming their trains on that division by
the third rail system. and the report
those engineers made, gentlemen,
would make good funny reading"
Mr.. Edison displayed much interest
in the application of electric power to
flying machines, and in so doing dis
/ closed the fact that he looked to ma
ture for inspiration in his work. He
said:
Several days ago | was taking
walk in my garden, and | saw bee
flying among the plants. The bee was
making wonderful speed through the
air. This gave me a thought; nature
often does. ! had the bee captured
and took its measurements l found
it had a wing about one inch long
and a body that weighed approx
mately 1000 times as much as the
wing. This showed that the bee got
the power to raise itself in the air
only Dy the speed OF It's WinSS. i ne
wings of the bumblebee must beat
the air more than 200 times a second
| am trying to get a battery Of eX-
tremely light weight. and some day
aeroplanes may accomplish the feat
of the bee
Mr.. Edison intimated that the per-
lection of the storage battery would
hasten the electrification of all rail
roads. He said that he was perfect
ing a battery that would stand the
heavy work in city. He had very
decided opinions on the work of the
wireless telephone across the ocean.
but what's the use of a wireless
telephone across the ocean, he said.
ct would hate to pay the call
charges"
The Public Policy Committee of
the National Electric Light Associa-
ton. and the representative of about
SO, 900. 900 in invested capital con-
demned legislative tendencies toward
public ownership of public utilities, in
report made public yesterday.
The report included suggestions for
giving all employees the opportunity
for partnership by encouraging thrift
and making it possible for them to
buy utility securities on the install
ment plan, and urged that the best
interests of the public would be
served when State water power and
other franchises we're administered
by private capital under national and
State supervision.