heroes of the telegraph-第33部分

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。　　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…　covered　forge；　a　cabinet　organ；　a　rusty　stove　with　an　old　pivot　chair；　a　bench　well　stained　with　oils　and　acids；　completed　the　equipment　of　this　curious　den；　into　which　the　sunlight　filtered　through　the　chemical　jars　and　fell　in　coloured　patches　along　the　dusty　floor。

The　moving　spirit　of　this　haunt　by　day　and　night　is　well　described　as　an　overgrown　school…boy。　　He　is　a　man　of　a　slim；　but　wiry　figure；　about　five　feet　ten　inches　in　height。　　His　face　at　this　period　was　juvenile　and　beardless。　　The　nose　and　chin　were　shapely　and　prominent；　the　mouth　firm；　the　forehead　wide　and　full　above；　but　not　very　high。　　It　was　shaded　by　dark　chestnut　hair；　just　silvered　with　grey。　　His　most　remarkable　features　were　his　eyes；　which　are　blue…grey　and　deeply　set；　with　an　intense　and　piercing　expression。　　When　his　attention　was　not　aroused；　he　seemed　to　retire　into　himself；　as　though　his　mind　had　drifted　far　away；　and　came　back　slowly　to　the　present。　He　was　pale　with　nightwork；　and　his　thoughtful　eyes　had　an　old　look　in　serious　moments。　But　his　smile　was　boyish　and　pleasant；　and　his　manner　a　trifle　shy。

There　was　nothing　of　the　dandy　about　Edison；　He　boasted　no　jewelled　fingers　or　superfine　raiment。　　An　easy　coat　soiled　with　chemicals；　a　battered　wide…awake；　and　boots　guiltless　of　polish；　were　good　enough　for　this　inspired　workman。　　An　old　silver　watch；　sophisticated　with　magnetism；　and　keeping　an　eccentric　time　peculiar　to　it；　was　his　only　ornament。　　On　social　occasions；　of　course；　he　adopted　a　more　conventional　costume。　　Visitors　to　the　laboratory　often　found　him　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　with　dishevelled　hair　and　grimy　hands。

The　writer　of　'A　Night　with　Edison'　has　described　him　as　bending　like　a　wizard　over　the　smoky　fumes　of　some　lurid　lamps　arranged　on　a　brick　furnace；　as　if　he　were　summoning　the　powers　of　darkness。

'It　is　much　after　midnight　now；'　says　this　author。　'The　machinery　below　has　ceased　to　rumble；　and　the　tired　hands　have　gone　to　their　homes。　　A　hasty　lunch　has　been　sent　up。　　We　are　at　the　thermoscope。　Suddenly　a　telegraph　instrument　begins　to　click。　　The　inventor　strikes　a　grotesque　attitude；　a　herring　in　one　hand　and　a　biscuit　in　the　other；　and　with　a　voice　a　little　muffled　with　a　mouthful　of　both；　translates　aloud；　slowly；　the　sound　intelligible　to　him　alone：　　〃London。News　of　death　of　Lord　John　Russell　premature。〃　〃John　Blanchard；　whose　failure　was　announced　yesterday；　has　suicided　（no；　that　was　a　bad　one）　SUCCEEDED！　in　adjusting　his　affairs；　and　will　continue　in　business。〃'

His　tastes　are　simple　and　his　habits　are　plain。　　On　one　occasion；　when　invited　to　a　dinner　at　Delmonico's　restaurant；　he　contented　himself　with　a　slice　of　pie　and　a　cup　of　tea。　　Another　time　he　is　said　to　have　declined　a　public　dinner　with　the　remark　that　100；000　dollars　would　not　tempt　him　to　sit　through　two　hours　of　'personal　glorification。'　He　dislikes　notoriety；　thinking　that　a　man　is　to　be　'measured　by　what　he　does；　not　by　what　is　said　about　him。'　But　he　likes　to　talk　about　his　inventions　and　show　them　to　visitors　at　Menlo　Park。　　In　disposition　he　is　sociable；　affectionate；　and　generous；　giving　himself　no　airs；　and　treating　all　alike。　　His　humour　is　native；　and　peculiar　to　himself；　so　there　is　some　excuse　for　the　newspaper　reporters　who　take　his　jokes　about　the　capabilities　of　Nature　AU　SERIEUX；　and　publish　them　for　gospel。

His　assistants　are　selected　for　their　skill　and　physical　endurance。　　The　chief　at　Menlo　Park　was　Mr。　Charles　Batchelor；　a　Scotchman；　who　had　a　certain　interest　in　the　inventions；　but　the　others；　including　mathematicians；　chemists；　electricians；　secretary；　bookkeeper；　and　mechanics；　were　paid　a　salary。　They　were　devoted　to　Edison；　who；　though　he　worked　them　hard　at　times；　was　an　indulgent　master；　and　sometimes　joined　them　in　a　general　holiday。　　All　of　them　spoke　in　the　highest　terms　of　the　inventor　and　the　man。

The　Menlo　establishment　was　unique　in　the　world。　It　was　founded　for　the　sole　purpose　of　applying　the　properties　of　matter　to　the　production　of　new　inventions。　　For　love　of　science　or　the　hope　of　gain；　men　had　experimented　before；　and　worked　out　their　inventions　in　the　laboratories　of　colleges　and　　manufactories。　　But　Edison　seems　to　have　been　the　first　to　organise　a　staff　of　trained　assistants　to　hunt　up　useful　facts　in　books；　old　and　modern；　and　discover　fresh　ones　by　experiment；　in　order　to　develop　his　ideas　or　suggest　new　ones；　together　with　skilled　workmen　to　embody　them　in　the　fittest　manner；　and　all　with　the　avowed　object　of　taking　out　patents；　and　introducing　the　novel　apparatus　as　a　commercial　speculation。　He　did　not　manufacture　his　machines　for　sale；　he　simply　created　the　models；　and　left　their　multiplication　to　other　people。　There　are　different　ways　of　looking　at　Nature：

　　　　　　　'To　some　she　is　the　goddess　great；　　　　　　　　To　some　the　milch…cow　of　the　field；　　　　　　　　Their　business　is　to　calculate　　　　　　　　The　butter　she　will　yield。'

The　institution　has　proved　a　remarkable　success。　　From　it　has　emanated　a　series　of　marvellous　inventions　which　have　carried　the　name　of　Edison　throughout　the　whole　civilised　world。　　Expense　was　disregarded　in　making　the　laboratory　as　efficient　as　possible；　the　very　best　equipment　was　provided；　the　ablest　assistants　employed；　and　the　profit　has　been　immense。　　Edison　is　a　millionaire；　the　royalties　from　his　patents　alone　are　said　to　equal　the　salary　of　a　Prime　Minister。

Although　Edison　was　the　master　spirit　of　the　band；　it　must　not　be　forgotten　that　his　assistants　were　sometimes　co…inventors　with　himself。　No　doubt　he　often　supplied　the　germinal　ideas；　while　his　assistants　only　carried　them　out。　　But　occasionally　the　suggestion　was　nothing　more　than　this：　　'I　want　something　that　will　do　so…and…so。　　I　believe　it　will　be　a　good　thing；　and　can　be　done。'　The　assistant　was　on　his　mettle；　and　either　failed　or　triumphed。　　The　results　of　the　experiments　and　researches　were　all　chronicled　in　a　book；　for　the　new　facts；　if　not　then　required；　might　become　serviceable　at　a　future　time。　　If　a　rare　material　was　wanted；　it　was　procured　at　any　cost。

With　such　facilities；　an　invention　is