The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1922-06-28
EDISON TELLS OF
EARLY DAYS or RADIO.

The radio telephone IL one Of tho
most spectacular Of modern inventions
Nothing about the radio phone, how
ever, is more marvellous tina nthe story
of its beginning and its development.
The chain OF events that produced
the radio-phone began with the dis
covery by Thomas A. Edison Of q
thin white streak on an electric light
globe. That was back in 1888. Allan
L. Benson tells the story in the July
number of Hearst's International
Magazine
While Thomas A. Edison's name is
non popularity associated with radio
developments. Mr.. Benson rather sus-
pected that the wizard Of Menlo Park
probably had something to do with the
wireless marvel at some period in its
history. He, therefore, proceeded to
get the facts.
1T was in 1885," said Edison, while
We were talking in his laboratory at
Orange, n. j. that observed what
scientists afterwards designated as the
Edison effect upon which the radio
phone is based. An effect is a term
applied by physicists to new phe-
nomenon that cannot be explained by
existing theories. While working on
my carbon incandescent lamp, l OBJ
served that each bulb, after it had
burned for some time, was blackened
inside except for a thread-like streak
opposite one leg of the filament
"The streak of clear glass interest
ed because could not understand 1t. |
So far as knew, there was no reason
why it should be there. AS l studied |
it, I observed that the stretk was al |
ways nearest to the leg of the fila
ment that was connected with the pos
tive side of the circuit. 1t was as If
this leg were casting shadow.
finally deduced that the negative leg
IF the faliment was throwing off par
.icles of carbon that blackened all of
he interior Of the blub except the thin
Inc on the opposite side which was
shielded by the other leg of the fila
nent."
Edison took out patent for a wire
ess telegraph in 1881. A number of
ears before that he had taken out a
,atent on an electric valve without
which no wireless instrument that is
low in use would work. In his patent Z
pplication, filed more than thirty
ears ago, Edison declared: II
II have discovered that if sufficient e
deviation be abtainable to overcome Ii
he curvature Of the earth's surface
nd to reduce to the minimum the t
arth's absorption, electric telegraph
ng or signalling between distant
oints can be carried on by induction t
Without the use of wires connecting II
UGH distant points. This discovery is /
specially applicable to telegraphing
cross bodies Of water, thus avoidig s
he use of submarine cables, or for l
communicating between vessels at
ca, or between vessels at sea and c
oints on land; but it is also applica- i
lie to electric communication between I
istant points on land. -" l
Being busy with the development of s
1candescent lighting, Mr.. Edison sold
is wireless patent to Marconi II
1t would be as difficult to say who s
,vented the radiophone now in pop
lar use as 1t would be to say who in Il
ented the automobile.
ut was built up" said Edison. p
Lee DeForest probably had more to 7
o than did any other one mon with II
ne development of wireless telephony b
[e introduce dinto the lamp between p
le plate and the filament a little II
EVE by means OF which the rate of NJ
assage Of the electrons may be con- 6;
oiled.
Edison pointed on a diagram to the W
tile sieve and said: ut is a beauti- DE-