Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

While waiting for the. full and final
demonstration Of the practical develop
ment of the electric
Electric Light light by Thomas A.
cLan4;o;sr, Edison so years ago
0AePt1O4sn' there was much dis
cussion regarding the good faith Of the
inventor, whose, name had been used
and actions The Star of January IL,
1880, says: oaAs
THE first announcements of the
complete success of EdiSoGlS electric
light were received without any doubt
of their truth by the public generally,
and there were loud acclaimS and many
congratulations as to the great revolu-
ton soon to be accomplished. But
there were a few here and there who
insisted upon more substantial proof
Of the success than Mr.. Edison'S as
sertion, and when the grand public
Illumination at Menlo Park promised
for New Year eve did not take place
it began to be whispered that the cleo
trio light boom was nothing mora or
less than q movement to bull electric
light stocks. Even those who doubted
the success Of the electric light were
slow to believe that Edison, who had
lend himself to any such scheme.
THE public will no doubt, be inclined
to continue to hold Mr.. Edison guiltless
of participating in the safeguarding
scheme. but late foreign papers contain
some curious dispatches which indicate
that somebody has been taking liberties
with the inventors name as well as
his operations in connection with the
electric light. The Paris Figaro Of the
Srd instant contained cable mes
sage from Jersey City stating that dur
ing the WnNk five holISaa had hAAFa
lighted with the new electric lamp of
Edison, that the success was perfect
and there was q great fall in gas
shares also that the shares Of the
Edison Electric Light Co., issued at 500
francs, were quoted at nearly 10000
francs The London Times Of jan
uary published a special telegram
nouncing that Edison's horseshoe lamps
continued to burn successfully and that
scientific criticism Of the invention had
almost ceased. as the public regarded
1t as successful. The Figaro telegraphed
to Edison himself, inquiring about the
truth Of this statement, and on the
oth published the following as the reply
received by cable:
",'Menlo Park, January 4, 1880.
Times telegram correct. Practicability
and economy greater than claimed. All
houses here lighted ten days. Edison
"A special correspondent Of the Edin-
burgh Scotsman telegraphed to his
paper from Paris all the information
contained in the dispatches referred to
and added a great deal more in the
way OF information he had collected, all
going to establish the complete success
OF the electric light. All these dis
patches contained announcements of
the tumbling OF gas stocks, though the
IacC is that they had very little In
huence in that direction. Even in
Paris, where the most exaggerated
statements Of Edison's success were pub
lished, gas stocks held their own and
the Figaro Of the 7th said the holders
OF gas stocks are ironclad; they have
been so often scared by electricity that
they don't believe in IL any more The
same may almost be said now of the
American people. They will have to
De convinced by the most substantial
and demonstrable proofs OF the prac-
tlcability OF electric light hereafter be-
fore they put any faith In It. Whether
or not Mr.. Edison knew anything of
the movement to initiate electric iiRht
stocks, u Is quite plainsthat one existed"