heroes of the telegraph-第36节
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Mr。 Milliken was the first of Edison's masters； and perhaps his fellows； who appreciated him。 Mediocrity had only seen the gawky stripling； with his moonstruck air； and pestilent habit of trying some new crotchet。 Himself an inventor； Milliken recognised in his deep…set eye and musing brow the fire of a suppressed genius。 He was then just twenty…one。 The friendship of Mr。 Milliken； and the opportunity for experiment； rendered the Boston office a congenial one。
His by…hours were spent in a little workshop he had opened。 Among his inventions at this period were a dial telegraph； and a 'printer' for use on private lines； and an electro…chemical vote recorder； which the Legislature of Massachusetts declined to adopt。 With the assistance of Mr。 F。 L。 Pope； patent adviser to the Western Union Telegraph Company； his duplex system was tried； with encouraging results。
The ready ingenuity of Edison is shown by his device for killing the cockroaches which overran the Boston office。 He arranged some strips of tinfoil on the wall； and connected these to the poles of a battery in such a way that when the insects ran towards the bait which he had provided； they stepped from one foil to the other； and completed the circuit of the current； thus receiving a smart shock； which dislodged them into a pail of water； standing below。
In 1870； after two years in Boston； where he had spent all his earnings； chiefly on his books and workshop； he found himself in New York； tramping the streets on the outlook for a job； and all but destitute。 After repeated failures he chanced to enter the office of the Laws Gold Reporting Telegraph Company while the instrument which Mr。 Laws had invented to report the fluctuations of the money market had broken down。 No one could set it right； there was a fever in the market； and Mr。 Laws； we are told； was in despair。 Edison volunteered to set it right； and though his appearance was unpromising； he was allowed to try。
The insight of the born mechanic； the sleight of hand which marks the true experimenter； have in them something magical to the ignorant。 In Edison's hands the instrument seemed to rectify itself。 This was his golden opportunity。 He was engaged by the company； and henceforth his career as an inventor was secure。 The Gold Indicator Company afterwards gave him a responsible position。 He improved their indicator； and invented the Gold and Stock Quotation Printer； an apparatus for a similar purpose。 He entered into partnership with Mr。 Pope and Mr。 Ashley； and introduced the Pope and Edison Printer。 A private line which he established was taken over by the Gold and Stock Telegraph Company； and soon their system was worked almost exclusively with Edison's invention。
He was retained in their service； and that of the Western Union Telegraph Company； as a salaried inventor； they having the option of buying all his telegraphic inventions at a price to be agreed upon。
At their expense a large electrical factory was established under his direction at Newark； New Jersey； where he was free to work out his ideas and manufacture his apparatus。 Now that he was emancipated from drudgery； and fairly started on the walk which Nature had intended for him； he rejoiced in the prolific freedom of his mind； which literally teemed with projects。 His brain was no longer a prey to itself from the 'local action；' or waste energy of restrained ideas and revolving thoughts。 ＇The term 'local action' is applied by electricians to the waste which goes on in a voltaic battery； although its current is not flowing in the outer circuit and doing useful work。＇ If anything； he attempted too much。 Patents were taken out by the score； and at one time there were no less than forty…five distinct inventions in progress。 The Commissioner of Patents described him as 'the young man who kept the path to the Patent Office hot with his footsteps。'
His capacity for labouring without rest is very remarkable。 On one occasion； after improving his Gold and Stock Quotation Printer； an order for the new instruments； to the extent of 30；000 dollars； arrived at the factory。 The model had acted well； but the first instruments made after it proved a failure。 Edison thereupon retired to the upper floor of the factory with some of his best workmen； and intimated that they must all remain there until the defect was put right。 After sixty hours of continuous toil； the fault was remedied； and Edison went to bed； where he slept for thirty…six hours。
Mr。 Johnson； one of his assistants； informs us that for ten years he worked on an average eighteen hours a day； and that he has been known to continue an experiment for three months day and night； with the exception of a nap from six o'clock to nine of the morning。 In the throes of invention； and under the inspiration of his ideas； he is apt to make no distinction between day and night； until he arrives at a result which he considers to be satisfactory one way or the other。 His meals are brought to him in the laboratory； and hastily eaten； although his dwelling is quite near。 Long watchfulness and labour seem to heighten the activity of his mind； which under its 'second wind；' so to speak； becomes preternaturally keen and suggestive。 He likes best to work at night in the silence and solitude of his laboratory when the noise of the benches or the rumble of the engines is stilled； and all the world about him is asleep。
Fortunately； he can work without stimulants； and； when the strain is over； rest without narcotics； otherwise his exhausted constitution； sound as it is； would probably break down。 Still； he appears to be ageing before his time； and some of his assistants； not so well endowed with vitality； have； we believe； overtaxed their strength in trying to keep up with him。
At this period he devised his electric pen； an ingenious device for making copies of a document。 It consists essentially of a needle； rapidly jogged up and down by means of an electro…magnet actuated by an intermittent current of electricity。 The writing is traced with the needle； which perforates another sheet of paper underneath； thus forming a stencil…plate； which when placed on a clean paper； and evenly inked with a rolling brush； reproduces the original writing。
In 1873 Edison was married to Miss Mary Stillwell； of Newark； one of his employees。 His eldest child； Mary Estelle； was playfully surnamed 'Dot；' and his second； Thomas Alva； jun。； 'Dash；' after the signals of the Morse code。 Mrs。 Edison died several years ago。
While seeking to improve the method of duplex working introduced by Mr。 Steams； Edison invented the quadruplex； by which four messages are simultaneously sent through one wire； two from each end。 Brought out in association with Mr。 Prescott； it was adopted by the Western Union Telegraph Company； and； later； by the British Post Office。 The President of the Western Union reported that it had saved the Company 500；000 dollars a year in the construction of new lines。 Edison also improved the Bain chemical telegraph； until it attained an incredible speed。 Bain had left it capable of recording 200 words a minute； but Edison； by dint of searching a pile of books ordered from New York； Paris； and London； making copious notes； and trying innumerable experiments； while eating at his desk and sleeping in his chair； ultimately prepared a solution which enabled it to register over 1000 words a minute。 It was exhibited at the Philadelphia Centenial Exhibition in 1876； where it astonished Sir William Thomson。
In 1876； Edison sold his factory at Newark； and retired to Menlo Park； a sequestered spot near Metuchin； on the Pennsylvania Railroad； and about twenty…four miles from New York。 Here on some rising ground he built a wooden tenement； two stories high； and furnished it as a workshop and laboratory。 His own residence and the cottages of his servants completed the little colony。
The basement of the main building was occupied by his office； a choice library； a cabinet replete with instruments of precision； and a large airy workshop； provided with lathes and steam power； where his workmen shaped his ideas into wood and metal。
The books lying about； the designs and placards on the walls； the draught…board on the table； gave it the appearance of a mechanics' club… room。 The free and lightsome behaviour of the men； the humming at the benches； recalled some school of handicraft。 There were no rigid hours； no grinding toil under the jealous eye of the overseer。 The spirit of competition and commercial rivalry was absent。 It was not a question of wringing as much work as possible out of the men in the shortest time and at the lowest price。 Moreover； they were not mere mechanical drudgesthey were interested in their jobs； which demanded thought as well as skill。
Upstairs was the laboratory propera long room containing an array of chemicals； for Edison likes to have a sample of every kind； in case it might suddenly be requisite。 On the tables and in the cupboards were lying all manner of telegraphic apparatus； lenses； crucibles； and pieces of his own inventions。 A perfect tangle of telegraph wires coming from all parts of the Union were focussed at one end of the room。 An ash…
