BOOK8-Unit3Inventorsandinventions“十市联赛”一等奖

ThomasEdison

ThomasAlvaEdison

"Geniusisonepercentinspiration,ninety-ninepercentperspiration."-ThomasAlvaEdison,Harper'sMonthly(September1931)

Born

February111847

Milan,Ohio

Died

October181931(aged

84)

WestOrange,NewJersey

Occupation

Inventor,entrepreneur

Religious

stance

Deist

Spouse

MaryEdison,MinaEdison

ThomasAlvaEdison(February111847–October181931)wasanAmericaninventorandbusinessmanwhodevelopedmanydevicesthatgreatlyinfluencedlifearoundtheworld,includingthephonographandalonglastinglightbulb.Dubbed"TheWizardofMenloPark"byanewspaperreporter,hewasoneofthefirstinventorstoapplytheprinciplesofmassproductiontotheprocessofinvention,andthereforeisoftencreditedwiththecreationofthefirstindustrialresearchlaboratory.

Edisonisconsideredoneofthemostprolificinventorsinhistory,holding1,093U.S.patentsinhisname,aswellasmanypatentsintheUnitedKingdom,FranceandGermany.

Earlylife

Edison'sbirthplace

ThomasEdisonwasborninMilan,OhioandwasraisedinPortHuron,Michigan.HewastheseventhandlastchildofSamuelOgdenEdison,Jr.(1804–1896)(borninMarshalltown,NovaScotia,Canada)andNancyMatthewsEdisonneeElliott(1810–1871).HisfamilywasofDutchorigin.

ThomasEdisonasaboy.

Inschool,theyoungEdison'smindoftenwandered,andhisteachertheReverendEnglewasoverheardcallinghim"addled."ThisendedEdison'sthreemonthsofofficialschooling.Herecalledlater,"Mymotherwasthemakingofme.Shewassotrue,sosureofme;andIfeltIhadsomethingtolivefor,someoneImustnotdisappoint."Hismotherthenhomeschooledhim.Muchofhiseducationcamefromreading.Parker'sSchoolofNaturalPhilosophy.

ThecauseofEdison'sdeafnesshasbeenattributedtoaboutofscarletfeverduringchildhoodandrecurringuntreatedmiddleearinfections.Edisonaroundthemiddleofhiscareerattributedthehearinglosstobeingstruckontheearsbyatrainconductorwhenhischemicallabinaboxcarcaughtfire.Inhislateryearshemodifiedthestorytosaytheinjuryoccurredwhentheconductor,inhelpinghimontoamovingtrain,liftedhimbytheears.

Edison'sfamilywasforcedtomovetoPortHuron,MichiganwhentherailroadbypassedMilanin1854,buthislifetherewasbittersweet.ThisbeganEdison'slongstreakofentrepreneurialventuresashediscoveredhistalentsasabusinessman.ThesetalentswouldeventuallyleadhimtofoundGeneralElectric,whichisstillapubliclytradedcompany,and13othercompanies.HesoldcandyandnewspapersontrainsrunningfromPortHurontoDetroit,aswellasvegetablesthathesoldtosupplementhisincome.

Edisonbecameatelegraphoperatorafterhesavedthree-year-oldJimmieMacKenziefrombeingstruckbyarunawaytrain.Jimmie'sfather,stationagent.MacKenzieofMountClemens,Michigan,wassogratefulthathetrainedEdisonasatelegraphoperator.Edison'sfirsttelegraphyjobawayfromPortHuronwasatStratfordJunction,OntarioontheGrandTrunkRailway.In1866,attheageof19,ThomasEdisonmovedtoLouisville,KentuckyasanemployeeofWesternUnionworkingtheAssociatedPressBureaunewswire.Edisonrequestedthenightshiftatworkwhichallowedhimplentyoftimetospendathistwofavoritepastimes--readingandexperimenting.However,itwasthelatterthateventuallycosthimhisjob.Onenightin1867,hewasworkingwithabatterywhenhespilledsulphuricacidontothefloor.Itranbetweenthefloorboardsandontohisboss'deskbelow.Thenextmorninghewasfired.

OneofhismentorsduringthoseearlyyearswasafellowtelegrapherandinventornamedFranklinLeonardPope,whoallowedtheimpoverishedyouthtoliveandworkinthebasementofhisElizabeth,NewJersey,home.

Someofhisearliestinventionswererelatedtotelegraphy,includingastockticker.Edison'sfirstpatentwasfortheelectricvoterecorder,(U.S.Patent90,646),whichwasgrantedonJune11869.

Marriagesandchildren

OnDecember251871,Edisonmarried16-year-oldMaryStilwell,whomhehadmettwomonthsearlier.Theyhadthreechildren:

MarionEstelleEdison(1873–1965)whowasnicknamed"Dot"

ThomasAlvaEdison,Jr.(1876–1935)whowasnicknamed"Dash"

WilliamLeslieEdison(1878–1937)

MaryEdisondiedonAugust91884.

OnFebruary241886,attheageofthirty-nine,Edisonmarried19-year-oldMinaMillerinAkron,Ohio.Theyalsohadthreechildren:

MadeleineEdison(1888–1979)whomarriedJohnEyreSloane

CharlesEdison(1890–1969),whotookoverthecompanyuponhisfather'sdeathandwholaterwaselectedGovernorofNewJerseyHeisburiedinRosedaleCemeteryinOrange,NewJersey.

TheodoreMillerEdison(1898–1992).

MinaoutlivedThomasEdison,dyingonAugust24,1947.

Beginninghiscareer

Edisonandearlyphonograph,1877

ThomasEdisonbeganhiscareerasaninventorinNewark,NewJersey,withtheautomaticrepeaterandhisotherimprovedtelegraphicdevices,buttheinventionwhichfirstgainedhimfamewasthephonographin1877.Thisaccomplishmentwassounexpectedbythepublicatlargeastoappearalmostmagical.Edisonbecameknownas"TheWizardofMenloPark,"NewJersey,wherehelived.Hisfirstphonographrecordedontinfoilaroundagroovedcylinderandhadpoorsoundquality.Thetinfoilrecordingscouldonlybereplayedafewtimes.Inthe1880s,aredesignedmodelusingwax-coatedcardboardcylinderswasproducedbyAlexanderGrahamBell,ChichesterBell,andCharlesTainter.ThiswasonereasonthatThomasEdisoncontinuedworkonhisown"PerfectedPhonograph."

MenloPark

Edison'sMenloParkLaboratory,removedtoGreenfieldVillageinDearborn,Michigan.(Notetheorganagainstthebackwall)

ThomasEdison'sfirstlightbulbusedtodemonstratehisinventionatMenloPark.

U.S.Patent#223898ElectricLamp

Edison'smajorinnovationwasthefirstindustrialresearchlab,whichwasbuiltinMenloPark,NewJersey.Itwasthefirstinstitutionsetupwiththespecificpurposeofproducingconstanttechnologicalinnovationandimprovement.Edisonwaslegallyattributedwithmostoftheinventionsproducedthere,thoughmanyemployeescarriedoutresearchanddevelopmentworkunderhisdirection.

WilliamJosephHammer,aconsultingelectricalengineer,beganhisdutiesasalaboratoryassistanttoEdisoninDecember1879.Heassistedinexperimentsonthetelephone,phonograph,electricrailway,ironoreseparator,electriclighting,andotherdevelopinginventions.However,Hammerworkedprimarilyontheincandescentelectriclampandwasputinchargeoftestsandrecordsonthatdevice.In1880,hewasappointedchiefengineeroftheEdisonLampWorks.Inhisfirstyear,theplantunderGeneralManagerFrancisRobbinsUptonturnedout50,000lamps.AccordingtoEdison,Hammerwas"apioneerofincandescentelectriclighting."

NearlyallofEdison'spatentswereutilitypatents,whichwereprotectedfora17yearperiodandincludedinventionsorprocessesthatareelectrical,mechanical,orchemicalinnature.Aboutadozenweredesignpatents,whichprotectanornamentaldesignforuptoa14yearperiod.Likemostpatents,theinventionshedescribedwereimprovementsoverpriorart.Thephonographpatent,ontheotherhand,wasunprecedentedasthefirstdevicetorecordandreproducesounds.Edisondidnotinventthefirstelectriclightbulb,butinsteadinventedthefirstcommerciallypracticalincandescentlight.SeveraldesignshadalreadybeendevelopedbyearlierinventorsincludingthepatenthepurchasedfromHenryWoodwardandMathewEvans,MosesG.Farmer,JosephSwan,JamesBowmanLindsay,WilliamSawyer,SirHumphryDavy,andHeinrichGöbel.Someoftheseearlybulbshadsuchflawsasextremelyshortlife,highexpensetoproduce,andhighcurrentdraw,makingthemdifficulttoapplyonalargescalecommercially.In1878,Edisonappliedthetermfilamenttotheelementofglowingwirecarryingthecurrent,althoughEnglishinventorJosephSwanhadusedthetermpriortothis.Edisontookthefeaturesoftheseearlierdesignsandsethisworkerstothetaskofcreatinglonger-lastingbulbs.By1879,hehadproducedanewconcept:ahighresistancelampinaveryhighvacuum,whichwouldburnforhundredsofhours.WhiletheearlierinventorshadproducedelectriclightinginlaboratoryconditionsdatingbacktoademonstrationofaglowingwirebyAlessandroVoltain1800,Edisonconcentratedoncommercialapplicationandwasabletoselltheconcepttohomesandbusinessesbymass-producingrelativelylong-lastinglightbulbsandcreatingacompletesystemforthegenerationanddistributionofelectricity.

TheMenloParkresearchlabwasmadepossiblebythesaleofthequadruplextelegraphthatEdisoninventedin1874,whichcouldsendfoursimultaneoustelegraphsignalsoverthesamewire.WhenEdisonaskedWesternUniontomakeanoffer,hewasshockedattheunexpectedlylargeamountthatWesternUnionoffered;thepatentrightsweresoldfor$10,000.ThequadruplextelegraphwasEdison'sfirstbigfinancialsuccess.

InjustoveradecadeEdison'sMenloParklaboratoryhadexpandedtoconsumetwocityblocks.Edisonsaidhewantedthelabtohave"astockofalmosteveryconceivablematerial."Anewspaperarticleprintedin1887revealstheseriousnessofhisclaim,statingthelabcontained"eightthousandkindsofchemicals,everykindofscrewmade,everysizeofneedle,everykindofcordorwire,hairofhumans,horses,hogs,cows,rabbits,goats,minx,camels...silkineverytexture,cocoons,variouskindsofhoofs,shark'steeth,deerhorns,tortoiseshell...cork,resin,varnishandoil,ostrichfeathers,apeacock'stail,jet,amber,rubber,allores..."andthelistgoeson.

WithMenloPark,Edisonhadcreatedthefirstindustriallaboratoryconcernedwithcreatingknowledgeandthencontrollingitsapplication.

Carbontelephonetransmitter

In1877-1878,EdisoninventedanddevelopedthecarbonmicrophoneusedinalltelephonesalongwiththeBellreceiveruntilthe1980s.Afterprotractedpatentlitigation,afederalcourtruledin1892thatEdisonandnotEmileBerlinerwastheinventorofthecarbonmicrophone.(Josephson,p146).Thecarbonmicrophonewasalsousedinradiobroadcastingandpublicaddressworkthroughthe1920s.

Electriclight

Aftermanyexperimentswithplatinumandothermetalfilaments,Edisonreturnedtoacarbonfilament.ThefirstsuccessfultestwasonOctober221879;andlastedhours.EdisoncontinuedtoimprovethisdesignandbyNovember4,1879,filedfor.patent223,898(grantedonJanuary27,1880)foranelectriclampusing"acarbonfilamentorstripcoiledandconnected...toplatinacontactwires."Althoughthepatentdescribedseveralwaysofcreatingthecarbonfilamentincluding"cottonandlinenthread,woodsplints,paperscoiledinvariousways,"itwasnotuntilseveralmonthsafterthepatentwasgrantedthatEdisonandhisteamdiscoveredacarbonizedbamboofilamentcouldlastover1200hours.

Edisonin1878

In1878,EdisonformedtheEdisonElectricLightCompanyinNewYorkCitywithseveralfinanciers,includingJ.P.MorganandthemembersoftheVanderbiltfamily.EdisonmadethefirstpublicdemonstrationofhisincandescentlightbulbonDecember31,1879,inMenloPark.Itwasduringthistimethathesaid,"Wewillmakeelectricitysocheapthatonlytherichwillburncandles."

OnOctober81883,theU.S.patentofficeruledthatEdison'spatentwasbasedontheworkofWilliamSawyerandwasthereforeinvalid.Litigationcontinuedfornearlysixyears,untilOctober6,1889,whenajudgeruledthatEdison'selectriclightimprovementclaimfor"afilamentofcarbonofhighresistance"wasvalid.ToavoidapossiblecourtbattlewithJosephSwan,whoseBritishpatenthadbeenawardedayearbeforeEdison's,heandSwanformedajointcompanycalledEdiswantomarkettheinventioninBritain.

TheMahenTheatreinBrno,inwhatisnowtheCzechRepublic,wasthefirstpublicbuildingintheworldtouseEdison'selectriclamps,withtheinstallationsupervisedbyEdison'sassistantintheinventionofthelamp,FrancisJehl.

Electricpowerdistribution

Edisonpatentedanelectricdistributionsystemin1880,whichwasessentialtocapitalizeontheinventionoftheelectriclamp.OnDecember17,1880,EdisonfoundedtheEdisonElectricIlluminatingCompany.Thecompanyestablishedthefirstinvestor-ownedelectricutilityin1882onPearlStreetStation,NewYorkCity.ItwasonSeptember4,1882,thatEdisonswitchedonhisPearlStreetgeneratingstation'selectricalpowerdistributionsystem,whichprovided110voltsdirectcurrent(DC)to59customersinlowerManhattan.

Earlierintheyear,inJanuary1882hehadswitchedonthefirststeamgeneratingpowerstationatHolbornViaductinLondon.TheDCsupplysystemprovidedelectricitysuppliestostreetlampsandseveralprivatedwellingswithinashortdistanceofthestation.OnJanuary191883,thefirststandardizedincandescentelectriclightingsystememployingoverheadwiresbeganserviceinRoselle,NewJersey.

Warofcurrents

Extravagantdisplaysofelectriclightsquicklybecameafeatureofpublicevents,asthispicturefromthe1897TennesseeCentennialExpositionshows.

GeorgeWestinghouseandEdisonbecameadversariesbecauseofEdison'spromotionofdirectcurrentforelectricpowerdistributioninsteadofthemoreeasilytransmittedalternatingcurrent(AC)systeminventedbyNikolaTeslaandpromotedbyWestinghouse.UnlikeDC,ACcouldbesteppeduptoveryhighvoltageswithtransformers,sentoverthinnerandlessexpensivewires,andsteppeddownagainatthedestinationfordistributiontousers.

DespiteEdison'scontemptforcapitalpunishment,thewaragainstACledEdisontobecomeinvolvedinthedevelopmentandpromotionoftheelectricchairasademonstrationofAC'sgreaterlethalpotentialversusthe"safer"DC.EdisonwentontocarryoutabriefbutintensecampaigntobantheuseofACortolimittheallowablevoltageforsafetypurposes.Aspartofthiscampaign,Edison'semployeespubliclyelectrocuteddogs,cats,andinonecase,anelephanttodemonstratethedangersofAC.ACreplacedDCinmostinstancesofgenerationandpowerdistribution,enormouslyextendingtherangeandimprovingtheefficiencyofpowerdistribution.

ThoughwidespreaduseofDCultimatelylostfavorfordistribution,itexiststodayprimarilyinlong-distancehigh-voltagedirectcurrent(HVDC)transmissionsystems.LowvoltageDCdistributioncontinuedtobeusedinhighdensitydowntownareasformanyyearsandwasreplacedbyAClowvoltagenetworkdistributioninmanycentralbusinessdistricts.DChadtheadvantagethatlargebatterybankscouldmaintaincontinuouspowerthroughbriefinterruptionsoftheelectricsupplyfromgeneratorsandthetransmissionsystem.UtilitiessuchasCommonwealthEdisoninChicagohadrotaryconverters,alsoknownasmotor-generatorsets,whichcouldchangeDCtoACandACtovariousfrequenciesintheearlytomid20thcentury.UtilitiessuppliedrectifierstoconvertthelowvoltageACtoDCforsuchDCloadsaselevators,fansandpumps.Therewerestill1,600DCcustomersindowntownNewYorkCitywhentheservicewasdiscontinuedin2005.TheNewYorkCitySubwaysystemisstillrunbyDCpowertothisday.

Fluoroscopy

Edisoniscreditedwithdesigningandproducingthefirstcommerciallyavailablefluoroscope,themachinethattakesradiographs(colloquiallyknownas"X-rays").UntilEdisoncamealonganddiscoveredthatcalciumtungstatefluoroscopyscreensproducedbrighterimagesthanthebariumplatinocyanidescreensoriginallyusedbyWilhelmRöntgen,thetechnologywasonlycapableofproducingveryfaintimages.ThefundamentaldesignofEdison'sfluoroscopeisstillinusetoday,despitethefactthatEdisonhimselfabandonedtheprojectafternearlylosinghisowneyesightandseriouslymaiminghisassistant,ClarenceDally.Dallyhadmadehimselfanenthusiastichumanguineapigforthefluoroscopyprojectandintheprocessbeenexposedtoapoisonousdoseofradiation.Helaterdiedofinjuriesrelatedtotheexposure.In1903,ashakenEdisonsaid"Don'ttalktomeaboutX-rays,Iamafraidofthem."

Workrelations

FrankJ.Sprague,acompetentmathematicianandformernavalofficer,wasrecruitedbyEdwardH.JohnsonandjoinedtheEdisonorganizationin1883.OneofSprague'ssignificantcontributionstotheEdisonLaboratoryatMenloParkwastoexpandEdison'smathematicalmethods.(DespitethecommonbeliefthatEdisondidnotusemathematics,analysisofhisnotebooksrevealthathewasanastuteuserofmathematicalanalysis,forexample,determiningthecriticalparametersofhiselectriclightingsystemincludinglampresistancebyasophisticatedanalysisofOhm'sLaw,Joule'sLawandeconomics.)AkeytoEdison'ssuccesswasaholisticratherthanreductionistapproachtoinvention,makingextensiveuseoftrialanderrorwhennosuitabletheoryexisted.SinceSpraguejoinedEdisonin1883andEdison'soutputofpatentspeakedin1880,itcouldbeinterpretedthattheshifttowardsareductionistanalyticalapproachmaynothavebeenapositivemoveforEdison.Sprague'simportantanalyticalcontributions,includingcorrectingEdison'ssystemofmainsandfeedersforcentralstationdistribution,formacounterargumenttothis.In1884,Spraguedecidedhisinterestsintheexploitationofelectricitylayelsewhere,andheleftEdisontofoundtheSpragueElectricRailway&MotorCompany.However,Sprague,wholaterdevelopedmanyelectricalinnovations,alwayscreditedEdisonfortheirworktogether.

AnotherofEdison'sassistantswasNikolaTesla,whoclaimedthatEdisonpromisedhim$50,000ifhesucceededinmakingimprovementstohisDCgenerationplants.Teslaclaimedthatseveralmonthslater,whenhehadfinishedtheworkandaskedtobepaid,Edisonsaid,"Whenyoubecomeafull-fledgedAmericanyouwillappreciateanAmericanjoke."Teslaimmediatelyresigned.Thisanecdoteissomewhatdoubtful,sinceatTesla'ssalaryof$18perweekthebonuswouldhaveamountedtoover53yearspay,andtheamountwasequaltotheinitialcapitalofthecompany.Teslaresignedwhenhewasrefusedaraiseto$25perweek.AlthoughTeslaacceptedanEdisonMedallaterinlifeandprofessedahighopinionofEdisonasaninventorandengineer,heremainedbitter.ThedayafterEdisondied,theNewYorkTimescontainedextensivecoverageofEdison'slife,withtheonlynegativeopinioncomingfromTeslawhowasquotedassaying,"Hehadnohobby,caredfornosortofamusementofanykindandlivedinutterdisregardofthemostelementaryrulesofhygiene"andthat,"Hismethodwasinefficientintheextreme,foranimmensegroundhadtobecoveredtogetanythingatallunlessblindchanceintervenedand,atfirst,Iwasalmostasorrywitnessofhisdoings,knowingthatjustalittletheoryandcalculationwouldhavesavedhim90percentofthelabor.Buthehadaveritablecontemptforbooklearningandmathematicalknowledge,trustinghimselfentirelytohisinventor'sinstinctandpracticalAmericansense."WhenEdisonwasaveryoldmanandclosetodeath,hesaid,inlookingback,thatthebiggestmistakehehadmadewasthatheneverrespectedTeslaorhiswork.

Therewere28menrecognizedasEdisonPioneers.

Mediainventions

ThekeytoEdison'sfortuneswastelegraphy.Withknowledgegainedfromyearsofworkingasatelegraphoperator,helearnedthebasicsofelectricity.Thisallowedhimtomakehisearlyfortunewiththestockticker,thefirstelectricity-basedbroadcastsystem.Edisonpatentedthesoundrecordingandreproducingphonograph(orgramophoneinBritishEnglish)in1878.Edisonwasalsograntedapatentforthemotionpicturecameraor"Kinetograph".Hedidtheelectromechanicaldesign,whilehisemployeeDickson,aphotographer,workedonthephotographicandopticaldevelopment.MuchofthecreditfortheinventionbelongstoDickson.In1891,ThomasEdisonbuiltaKinetoscope,orpeep-holeviewer.Thisdevicewasinstalledinpennyarcades,wherepeoplecouldwatchshort,simplefilms.ThekinetographandkinetoscopewerebothfirstpubliclyexhibitedMay20,1891.

OnAugust91892,Edisonreceivedapatentforatwo-waytelegraph.InApril1896,ThomasArmat'sVitascope,manufacturedbytheEdisonfactoryandmarketedinEdison'sname,wasusedtoprojectmotionpicturesinpublicscreeningsinNewYorkCity.Laterheexhibitedmotionpictureswithvoicesoundtrackoncylinderrecordings,mechanicallysynchronizedwiththefilm.

OfficiallythekinetoscopeenteredinEuropewhentherichAmericanBusinessmanIrvingT.Bush(1869-1948)boughtfromtheContinentalCommerceCompanyofFranckZ.MaguireandJosephD.Bachusadozenmachines.BushplacedfromOctober171894onthefirstkinetoscopesinLondon.AtthesametimetheFrenchcompanyKinétoscopeEdisonMicheletAlexisWernerboughtthesemachinesforthemarketinFrance.Inthelastthreemonthsof1894TheContinentalCommerceCompanysoldhundredsofkinetoscopesinEurope.theNetherlandsandItaly).InGermanyandinAustria-HungarythekinetoscopewasintroducedbytheDeutsche-österreichische-Edison-KinetoscopGesellschaft,foundedbytheLudwigStollwerckoftheSchokoladen-SüsswarenfabrikStollwerck&CoofCologne.ThefirstkinetoscopesarrivedinBelgiumattheFairsinearly1895.TheEdison'sKinétoscopeFrançais,aBelgiancompany,wasfoundedinBrusselsonJanuary151895withtherightstosellthekinetoscopesinMonaco,FranceandtheFrenchcolonies.ThemaininvestorsinthiscompanywereBelgianindustrialists.OnMay141895theEdison'sKinétoscopeBelgewasfoundedinBrussels.ThebusinessmanLadislas-VictorLewitzki,livinginLondonbutactiveinBelgiumandFrance,tooktheinitiativeinstartingthisbusiness.HehadcontactswithLeonGaumontandtheAmericanMutoscopeandBiographCo.In1898healsobecameshareholderoftheBiographandMutoscopeCompanyforFrance.

In1908,EdisonstartedtheMotionPicturePatentsCompany,whichwasaconglomerateofninemajorfilmstudios(commonlyknownastheEdisonTrust).ThomasEdisonwasthefirsthonoraryfellowoftheAcousticalSocietyofAmerica,whichwasfoundedin1929.

Lateryears

Edisoncelebrateshis82ndbirthdaywithPresident-electHerbertHoover,HenryFord,andHarveyFirestone.Ft.Myers,Florida,February11,1929.

Inthe1880s,ThomasEdisonboughtpropertyinFortMyers,Florida,andbuiltSeminoleLodgeasawinterretreat.HenryFord,theautomobilemagnate,laterlivedafewhundredfeetawayfromEdisonathiswinterretreat,TheMangoes.Edisonevencontributedtechnologytotheautomobile.TheywerefriendsuntilEdison'sdeath.

Edisonpurchasedahomeknownas"Glenmont"in1886asaweddinggiftforMinainLlewellynParkinWestOrange,NewJersey.

In1901,hevisitedtheSudburyareaasaminingprospector,andiscreditedwiththeoriginaldiscoveryoftheFalconbridgeorebody.Hisattemptstoactuallyminetheorebodywerenotsuccessful,however,andheabandonedhisminingclaimin1903.AstreetinFalconbridge,aswellastheEdisonBuilding,whichservedastheheadofficeofFalconbridgeMines,arenamedforhim.

EdisonbecametheownerofhisMilan,Ohio,birthplacein1906.Onhislastvisit,in1923,hewasshockedtofindhisoldhomestilllitbylampsandcandles.

Influencedbyafaddietthatwaspopularintheday,inhislastfewyears"theonlyliquidheconsumedwasapintofmilkeverythreehours."Hebelievedthisdietwouldrestorehishealth.

Edisonwasactiveinbusinessrightuptotheend.Justmonthsbeforehisdeathin1931,theLackawannaRailroadimplementedelectrictrainsinsuburbanservicefromHobokentoGladstone,MontclairandDoverinNe