A New York Times poll, in 1922, named Thomas Edison the greatest living American, and, to this day, his genius is unquestioned. But during some of the most productive and tumultuous years of his life, his business affairs began to cast a shadow over his formidable stature. Edison: His Life and Inventions helped restore a tarnishing portrait and did much to re-establish his everlasting legacy. Through Edison and his associates’ own words, this first authorized biography gave its audience a first-hand look into the mind of a great man, during the most innovative period in world history, and for that fact alone, it is worth reading today.
CHAPTER XV -- INTRODUCTION OF THE EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT...
Edison and his electric light were happily more fortunate than other men and inventions, in the relative cordiality of the reception given them. The merit was too obvious to remain unrecognized.
Nevertheless, it was through intense hostility and opposition that the young art made its way, pushed forward by Edison's own strong personality and by his unbounded, unwavering faith in the ultimate success of his system. It may seem strange that great effort was required to introduce a light so manifestly convenient, safe, agreeable, and advantageous, but the facts are matter of record; and to-day the recollection of some of the episodes brings a fierce glitter into the eye and keen indignation into the voice of the man who has come so victoriously through it all.
Synopsis
A New York Times poll, in 1922, named Thomas Edison the greatest living American, and, to this day, his genius is unquestioned. But during some of the most productive and tumultuous years of his life, his business affairs began to cast a shadow over his formidable stature. Edison: His Life and Inventions helped restore a tarnishing portrait and did much to re-establish his everlasting legacy. Through Edison and his associates’ own words, this first authorized biography gave its audience a first-hand look into the mind of a great man, during the most innovative period in world history, and for that fact alone, it is worth reading today.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 3
CHAPTER I -- THE AGE OF ELECTRICITY 5
CHAPTER II -- EDISON'S PEDIGREE 8
CHAPTER III -- BOYHOOD AT PORT HURON, MICHIGAN 13
CHAPTER IV -- THE YOUNG TELEGRAPH OPERATOR 23
CHAPTER V -- ARDUOUS YEARS IN THE CENTRAL WEST 30
CHAPTER VI -- WORK AND INVENTION IN BOSTON 42
CHAPTER VII -- THE STOCK TICKER 49
CHAPTER VIII -- AUTOMATIC, DUPLEX, AND QUADRUPLEX TELEGRAPHY 59
CHAPTER IX -- THE TELEPHONE, MOTOGRAPH, AND MICROPHONE 71
CHAPTER X -- THE PHONOGRAPH 85
CHAPTER XI -- THE INVENTION OF THE INCANDESCENT LAMP 98
CHAPTER XII -- MEMORIES OF MENLO PARK 111
CHAPTER XIII -- A WORLD-HUNT FOR FILAMENT MATERIAL 123
CHAPTER XIV -- INVENTING A COMPLETE SYSTEM OF LIGHTING 131
CHAPTER XV -- INTRODUCTION OF THE EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT 143
CHAPTER XVI -- THE FIRST EDISON CENTRAL STATION 157
CHAPTER XVII -- OTHER EARLY STATIONS--THE METER 169
CHAPTER XVIII -- THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY 182
CHAPTER XIX -- MAGNETIC ORE MILLING WORK 192
CHAPTER XX -- EDISON PORTLAND CEMENT 205
CHAPTER XXI -- MOTION PICTURES 214
CHAPTER XXII -- THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EDISON STORAGE BATTERY 223
CHAPTER XXIII -- MISCELLANEOUS INVENTIONS 232
CHAPTER XXIV -- EDISON'S METHOD IN INVENTING 242
CHAPTER XXV -- THE LABORATORY AT ORANGE AND THE STAFF 255
CHAPTER XXVI -- EDISON IN COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURE 268
CHAPTER XXVII -- THE VALUE OF EDISON'S INVENTIONS TO THE WORLD 278
CHAPTER XXVIII -- THE BLACK FLAG 288
CHAPTER XXIX -- THE SOCIAL SIDE OF EDISON 303
INTRODUCTION TO THE APPENDIX 320
APPENDIX 321
I -- THE STOCK PRINTER 321
II -- THE QUADRUPLEX AND PHONOPLEX 325
III -- AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPHY 332
IV -- WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY 337
V -- THE ELECTROMOTOGRAPH 345
VI -- THE TELEPHONE 348
VII -- EDISON'S TASIMETER 351
VIII -- THE EDISON PHONOGRAPH 353
IX -- THE INCANDESCENT LAMP 357
X -- EDISON'S DYNAMO WORK 361
XI -- THE EDISON FEEDER SYSTEM 369
XII -- THE THREE-WIRE SYSTEM 373
XIII -- EDISON'S ELECTRIC RAILWAY 376
XIV -- TRAIN TELEGRAPHY 380
XV -- KINETOGRAPH AND PROJECTING KINETOSCOPE 381
XVI -- EDISON'S ORE-MILLING INVENTIONS 384
XVII -- THE LONG CEMENT KILN 389
XVIII -- EDISON'S NEW STORAGE BATTERY 392
XIX -- EDISON'S POURED CEMENT HOUSE 395
LIST OF UNITED STATES PATENTS 398
FOREIGN PATENTS 425
About the Author
Frank Lewis Dyer was Edison’s General Counsel and chief patent attorney. He was not a published author, but he convinced Edison of the need for a biography and brought in a professional writer, Thomas Commerford Martin, to assist him. Martin had the credentials to handle the Edison memoirs, having published a biography of inventor and Edison rival, Nikola Tesla.
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Edison, His Life and Inventions
by Frank Lewis Dyer and Thomas Commerford Martin
