New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-22
'FETE FOR EDISON
5000 MILES LONG
inventor HonOred at Fair
Attends Orange Surprise
Party by Phone.
FOR FIRST TIME HE
HEARS OVER WIKI
Friends at Laboratory Use Ills
Devices in Words and Music
Sent to Frisco.

Devices III NOltS anu 'i"''N
Sent to Frisco.
West Orange, y. J., oct. 2l.-As a
climax 70 edison day" at the Panama
Exposition. Thomas a. Edison, at San
Francisco. was given, from his laoora-
cory in West Orange, last night a
demonstration Of his inventions, such
as his new diamond disk photograph
the tclescribe and the carbon teie-
phonic diaphragm. cor ,
At the laboratory were 100 wen
krorn persons who took part IN the
surprise that was revealed TO the IN
ycutor. Al.
strange as II may seem, 1t was the
first telephoned conversation the IN
yentor o. so many Of the appliances
of the telephone has ever carried on;
a special sound ampiiher connected
with the line made this possible.
With Mr. Edison were Governor
Hiram A. Johnson of California, Henry
Ford and others Among those IN has
laboratory at West Orange were Or
Peter Cooper Hewitt, Spencer Miller
and Dr.. Elmer a. Sperry, of the Naval
Consulting Board. Members OF ms
family we're at both ends OF the line.
As the visitors were ushered into the
library, Of the laboratory they found
the place lighted with numerous IN
candescent lamps, while Mr. Edisons
picture was surrounded By thom.
American colors draped the hall and
the platform erected over Mr.. Edison S
own desk, on which the instruments
that were 20 amplify the sound and
carry on the event were placed.
One Of the interesting exhibits was
one of the first generators devised by
Mr.. Edison There was also a section
of the Atlantic submarine cable over
which the first message was sent.
The conversation 10 Mr.. Edison
from the laboratory was BY means OF
a photograph record. II was, in part,
as follows:
an commemoration Of the thirty
sixth anniversary Of your great in
vention, the iucandescent lamp, many
Of your friends, including members OF
your family. associates Of the early
days OF MenlO FarE, heads OF depart
ments of your great orga nization and
all the members OF your engineering
staff. are gathered in the library Of
your laboratory. We are all distinctly
Edison. This address, for instance, is
being made 70 you by your greatest
favorite. the Edison diamond disk
monograph"
When asked TO reply Mr.. Edison in
sisted on having his joke and said,
Let me get my glasses" He then said:
1T may seem strange 70 those who
know my work on the telephone carbon
transmitter that this is the first time
! have ever carried on a conversation
over the telephone. Trying to talk
thirty-four hundred miles on my first
attempt at a telephone conversation
seems 20 be a pretty big undertaking,
but the engineers of the Bell system
have made it easier to talk thirty-fOur
hundred miles than it used to be 10
talk thirty-four miles. In my research
work ] have spent great many years
listening 10 the monograph, but IL
gives me singular sensation 20 sit
here in California and hear the new
diamond disc photograph over the tele-
phone all the way from Orange, y. J.
! heard the record Of Hutch's talk very
plainly. | should now like TO hear a
musical record. If you have one handy
! wish you would play that Anna Case
record from Louise" The selection
from Louise" could not be found, but
Anna Cases Charmant Oiseau from
: "The Pearl Of Brazil" was played IN
stead Mr. Edison expressed great
pleasure at the end.
That's fine" he said.
He was asked TO play the record back
from San Francisco, and machine al
that end was started and the West
Orange audience heard the record re-
peated.
Mrs. Edison was placed on the wire
and spoke to her sons. Charles and
/ Theodore.
While the music records were being
played the telescribe was in operation
and later each person present received
a cylinder on which the words sent
back by Mr. Edison and sent TO him
were recorded.
In the first rows were members OF
Mr.. Edison's family, among them the
following: Charles and Theodore Ed.
son, Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas A. Edison
jr., Mr.. and Mrs William Edison, the
last two being children by the inven-
tors first wife, John B. Miller, brother
of Mrs. Edison; Charles Edison Poyer
a nephew of the inventor; Mr.. and Mrs
Henry Nicholl, Of New York. Mrs
NlchOll being sister or MIS-. Edlson
Among the guests were Benjamin :
Whitehead, Of Newark; Captain George
+. Burd. L. $. y; Charles Writ. OF
Philadelphia; NJ F. Moore, Of Roselle;
T. Commerford Martin and Edward II
Johnson, Of New York; Mr.. and Mrs
Frank A. Potter, Of East Orange; Dr.
G. f. Kunz, New York; Nm and Mrs
George Merck, of Llewellyn Park; DR.
and Mrs John II. Bradshaw, Of Orange
and Mrs. William G.. Bee.
Among the old associates Of Mr.. Edi-
son we're George F. Morrison, Of Har-
rison. general manager OF the Edison
Lamp Works; DR.. Frank J. Sprague
Of New York; Sidney 3. Payne, OF Sche.
nectady; J. c. Walker, William J. Ham
mer. Charles /. Clarke and John OFT
of West Orange.
Az the San Francisco end were Mr.
and Mrs. Edison, William q. Bee, VINO