The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1914-04-29
EDISON At 81
JUST LIKE A BOY
Ten Ounces Of Food Fit Him
For Fifteen Hour Work Day.
CONT. ovEREAT, HIS ADVICE

pairs Energy, Declares Great lnvsn.
tor-saves Only What Would BE
Salary Of q Railroad President-De.
cries Mexican Intervention.
Thomas A. Edison beginning his six
ty-eighth year brimful Of health and
vigor, says that people eat too much
and that's why they are always get
ting sick and worked out. In the
course of an interesting interview the
wizard Of electricity said:
Il started in years ago to feed my
self about ten ounces Of food daily. l
cut everything l like. but | don't eat
much Of any one thing. persuaded
Mrs. Edison that l had the right idea
and after some argument she tried 1t
and has kept right on"
Short Work Day-Fifteen Hours.
How hard do you work now, MI.
Edison?" vas asked by IA reporter,
speaking close to the inventors right
ear, for the man who produced the pho
nograph and perfected the telephone
and who has solved wonderful prob
lens in sound delicacy has been hard
Of hearing since boyhood when a
Grand Trunk conductor boxed his ears
for uncorking a bottle of phosphorus.
"Oh, l don't work hard any MORE"
he said. with a chuckle. II start in
about $50 a. m. and keep at it un-
til H."
Twelve. noon"
mo; II midnight. You see, Mrs.
Edison objected to my grinding, so she
cut down my work hours. But I've
got her pretty we'll trained now. Got
her so she needs only five or six hours
of sleep a day and nine to ten ounces
Of food. l get up about 6 usually and
find something to play with until IL
or l o'clock. A young fellow like me
with a lot of ideas in his head only
needs five hours Of Sleep"
Can't Hold on to Cash.
rs it a fair question. Mr.. Edison"
continued the reporter. Ito ask what
your income is from monographs. the
movies. storage batteries, incandescent
liz hts. telephones and the many other
inventions patented and commercial
ized?"
"Why. Id tell you in a minute If l
knew exactly myself, but I don't. The
only way for me to get rich is to die.
l make a whole lot of money, but l
save only what would be a salary for
a railroad president"
"A good railroad PRESIDENT"
well. yes. a pretty good one. Money
always had a habit of getting away
from me. because I'm always expert.
menting. and that costs a heap. In
my laboratory, where I sort of play
with science and keep the toys / love
best. l spend 100000 a year. That's
what my experimenting costs me. I've
always been that way. When l sold
to the Western Union the inventions l
had got up for them-that was years
ago-they gave me 100000. But l
knew ] was a goner If l took all that
money at once. so l made the agree
ment read that l was to get it in sew
enteen installments. They lasted over
seventeen years. and I kept feeding
'em into the MILL"
Have YOU any special word to say
to the United States?" Mr.. Edison was
asked.
II should like to say" he replied.
that l hope the government will be
slow about going into Mexico. We are
big enough to stand a little humilia.
ton. maybe, for humanity's sake. Let
them fight it out down there, l say.
That will be the best thing in the end.
Il truly believe the world is leaning
more toward peace"