Death of America's Greatest Inventor

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 15, 23 October 1931, Page 3

Death of America's Greatest Inventor

Edison’s | Life Story

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A. R.

HARRIS

HE three characteristics of Mr. Edison that impressed -me most were his indefatigable energy, his wonderful intuition, and his undaunted spirit in the face of innumerable obstacles. His will was indomitable. Edison had said that genius was one per cent. inspiration and 99: per cent. perspiration. I was never able to decide on the ‘ratio of the two as far as Edisou Was concerned. There was certainly more than one per cent. inspiration in him, but he was such a tireless worker that I do not see how his formulas for a genius could be reduced on the perspiration side! It was small wonder that such a methodical and prenomenal worker as Mr. Edison should have accomplished so much in his long life. There is no more striking instance in the realm of peace of a man beginning life with no prospects so far as money was concerned. and vet

achieving world fame. From the time he was eleven years old he had worked-that was for 73 years-longer than the allotted span of life for the average man. The eight-hour Gay did not enter his theories or his practice. In my time Mr. Edison was to be found in the laboratory at

any hour of the day and up to midnight, and frequently later. I remember an instance that happened one time when he was ill and his wife was concerned about him. She had arranged with him to be sure to leave the laboratory at midnight. At that time he was busy developing the new Edison Disc Record, and, as was characteristic of him, he concentrated on the job. When Mr. Edison happened to look up at the clock the hands were at 12.20. Up he jumped and made hurried preparation to redeem his overlooked promise to his wife. But a member of the staff, happening to look at his watch, remarked that the clock was an hour fast. Then it came to light that someone had put the clock on. Edison, instead of being annoyed by the incident, showed extreme pleasure at having more time. He settled down.to work.

again, and immediately forgot ail about the clock. Mr. Edison personally made a practice of hearing at least 24 per cent. of all the records produced in his factory, and he did this after working hours-no mean task. It was characteristic of Edison-that, having to meet difficulties of any sort, he stuck to the job until they were solved. The staff engaged on those occasions was designated "the insomnia squad." UCH an_ occasion arose when he first produced his battery. Through the expansion and contraction of one of the conducting substances used, trouble was caused after he had placed the battery on the market. Although those people who had received the batteries were perfectly satisfied, he was not. He at once closed down his factory. and with his staff busied him-

self in the laboratory, working night and day. At the end of four months they were all worn out except Edison, who was the hardest worker. He slept on the premises, often for an hour or so, on a desk. The intuition of Mr. Edison was uncanny. At one time we were busy making tests, using various percentages of lithium, in combina~ tion with another chemical, for the purpose of improving the durability of one of his inventions. Mr. Edison had proposed the use of lithium, so lithium was tried, but without any result. However, he still per-

sisted, and after many further tests and much work, sure enough the required results were obtained. We tried to get out of him how it was that he had suggested lithium, and why he had carried on when the results were not encouraging. He replied that he could not explain, except that he knew lithium was the thing. On another occasion, when he first announced certain results in connection with one of his products, he was severely criticised by one authority, who said that the results were impossible. Edison (Concluded on page 8.)

Edison’s Life Story

(Continued from page 3.) claimed that he could get certain results from the oxidation of iron in an alkaline solution. The critic said that such results were impossible, as the electro motive force set up by the oxidation of iron in an alkaline solution would decompose the water, and the other results claimed to be obtained were not obtainable. Mr, Hdison, however, had made his own practical tests and satisfied. himself, and was not deterred by the theory of anyone. It was subse-

quently found that he was right. Had the critic tested his theory to four places of decimals, instead of to only two places, he would have seen that Hdison was correct. It was a very small difference, but it was vital. Research From all Angles. N his researches Edison did not believe in following the beaten track. When working on an invention, it was as though he was setting out to climb to the summit of a mountain which had not been roaded. Instead of following the usual route, which would reach only a known distance, he would approach it from different angles, and go as far as possible in each instance. The results would then be compared. when it would be found that one line of investigation would reach further than the other, and so his researches would proceed until the desired end was obtained. Practical Tests. O illustrate how practical the great inventor. was in all his work, Mr, Harris related how one of the research engineers in the Phonograph Department, after spending months introducing what he thought was a yverfect disc record, proudly produced it to My. Edison. who deliberately dropped it on the floor, where it broke to pieces. The feelings of the engineer

can be imagined, but as a result of that drastic, but common-sense test, the disc records which were finally approved by Mr. Hdison were practically unbreakable. In another instance, for the purpose of testing a piece of apparatus, before putting it on the market, he had it mounted on a trolley, and employed a husky big Italian for a fortnight to bump it against a brick wall. There was also an element of caustic humour in the tests which he devised for some newly invented concrete furniture. He was assured that it had ‘been given every possible test. "Ship it to San Francisco and back again," said Mr. Bdison, who evidently appreciated the handling it would receive going across the whole of the continent and returning. In qll his researches he always had an ingenious but vital method of practical testing. ) The Last Meeting. ‘ASKED if, on his last visit to America in connection with broadcasting, he had seen the great inventor, Mr. Harris said he had made a point of doing so. "I made a special journey to his home, and was delighted to renew acquaintance with him. He was older, certainly, than when I worked in his laboratory, and he had grown deafer, so that it was difficult to carry on conversation with him-in fact, one could only communicate by writing. But there was no doubt that his intellect was as keen as ever. Mr. Edison did not take his deafness as an afflic-tion-instead, he considered that the advantages of being deaf outweighed the disadvantages, but it seemed sad that the man who had given the world the phonograph should have been deprived of the pleasure afforded by it in its present perfected state."