Great Falls Tribune from Great Falls, Montana • Page 17

Section Two GREAT FA Section Two EDITORIAL FASHIONS DRAMATICS GREAT FALLS, MONTANA. SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 12, 1928. SOCIETY RADIO AUTO MOVIES Great Falls Pays Honor to Genius of Thomas A. -Edison cal devices through which the artistry of man sitting far re moved from the organ pipes, could be carried to them and converted -into soulful music Edison Week Is Observed by Theaters Is Marked by Special Programs at Liberty and Displays by Dealers Just how much Edison has done for American industry no one has been able accurately to the high class film "Sorrell and Son," which has won a vast amount of favorable comment wherever it has been shown. Please Remove Your Hat Along with this old single reeler the Libery will throw upon the silver screen many of the old time slides, such as was in use in many theaters in the infancy of the motion picture.

These will be announcements, advertisements and suggestions to patrons, such as those calling attention estimate. It is believed, how ever, that present investments in the United States in busi nesses based upon his inventions run more than 15 billions "We Americans should be happy that Edison is ours that he is one of us; that God has spared him to see the success of his untiring efforts. Let us all join in the celebration this week to do him honor; let the success of this week ring out throughout the nation. "Thomas A. Edison, we salute you." Invents Motion Camera It was long after Edison had improved the primitive wire telegraph system; long after he had made the discovery of ether waves which late became the foundation of wireless telegraphy; long after he had studied and improved upon the idea of the phonograph and after he had invented the incandescent electric lamp now used in every modern home and institution throughout the world; long years after these and hundreds of other scientific of dollars, probably closer to 20 billions.

PROCLAMATION To the People of Great Falls: With the thought that today the citizens of this young and prosperous city paid due honor to the city's founder, the late and honorable Paris Gibson, by the unveiling of a monument to the man who conceived and erected the foundations of this great community near the falls of the Missouri, it might not be amiss to take into consideration at this time the accomplishments of the world's greatest mechanical and electrical genius, Thomas A. Edison, and to pay homage to him whose development of electricity undoubtedly was a factor in instilling into the mind of the "father of Great the idea that a city at the falls of the great river of the northwest would in time become great from its hydroelectric possibilities. As this great American genius, Thomas A. Edison, today celebrates the close of four-score and one years of existence, the most of which he has devoted to perfecting of hundreds of contrivances of labor saving or pleasure giving character, thereby contributing immeasurably to the well-being and happiness of all mankind, it is but fitting that we all join in our small capacities in contributing to the success of this laudable recognition of his work and accomplishments, the Thomas A. Edison week.

Done this 11th day of February, of the year of our Lord, Nineteen Hundred Twenty-eight. HARRY B. MITCHELL, Mayor. In Great Falls the theatrical observance of Thomas A. Edi son week wrill be centered in the Liberty theater, where special Edison programs will feature the week presenta tibns.

In keeping with the idea to be carried out in West Coast theaters a one-reel picture of discoveries and. inventions, that Edison in 1891 invented 1 ft 1 1 1 IN appreciation of the wonderful advancement in the world of science brought about through the efforts of that wizard of electricity, Thomas A. Edison, the man whose inventive genius has brought comfort and happiness to hundreds of millions of people the world over, the city of Great Falls joined yesterday in the obsrvation of Edison's 81st birthday. Probably no city in the world has more reason to pay homage to Mr. Edison for its birth and growth than has Great Falls, for it was primarily upon its ability to produce electrical power and to make use thereby of the creations of the brain of Edison that the late Paris Gibson founded his dream of a modern city here by the falls of the Missouri.

Conceived by Steege Again, it is due to the forethought and suggestion of a Great Falls man. Will Steege, manager of the Montana show houses of the West Coast Theaters, that the Thomas A. Edison week, Feb. 10 to Feb. 17, inclusive, is now being observed in each of the 500 theaters of two-score years ago will be projected upon the screen at each performance.

This will be one of the old type productions such as marked the style of the pioneering films and will serve to carry the theater patrons back to the days of the infancy of the motion picture game and will set up the great contrast between the old time film and the modern screen production. This contrast is sure to provoke much amusement and will be one of the iii'i'iihiiiiiii- Its THOMAS A. EDISON most humorous of novelties of the motion picture camera and its reproducing apparatus, upon the improvement of which he devoted much time and research in the following years and which gained for him the designation "father of the motion picture." So, it is most fitting that the motion picture industry should do Edison honor, for through him the silent drama has become the greatest entertainer of mankind. Millions upon millions in all parts of, the globe, in every nook and corner, find hours of 'happiness and joy in watching the silver sheet. The advancement of motion picture presentation has been gradual and, reaching unnoticed as it has the high perfection of today, little thought has been given to him who has made it all possible.

It was in recognition of Edison's great share in the development of the motion picture industry that actuated Mary Pickford, the sweetheart of the screen, to dictate into one of Edison's commercial inventions, the Ediphone, during the recent year, the following message "Miss Pickford speaking. Mr. Edison. I am delighted to add my congratulations on this the 50th anniversary of your invention of the phonograph. I send you my profound esteem and my affectionate greetings.

In all truth', Mr. Edison, I owe my career to you, for without you motion pictures would not exist." It was Thomas A. Edison's far-reaching vision in the early days when motion pictures were In an experimental stage, that saw the possibilities of this form of entertainment. It was he who labored incessantly to perfect the motion picture projector, elimination of that annoying flicker and those jumping and uneven lights. It was he who perfected the ventilating and cooling plants of today in the modern temples of amusement, safeguarding health and making the hours spent therein more enjoyable.

It was he who created electri pictures move that gave impetus to the thought something practical had been discovered. WThile others sat by and scoffed at the ideas, Edison set out to perfect them; his enthusiasm urged others on and today stands the results of his far reaching vision the motion picture industry the greatest entertainer of all civilization an international carrier of good will. age, the man who has done more to make our lives happier and the world a better place to live in than any other single person in the world today. Through his inventions countless thousands have been benefited. "The motion picture industry in particular has been Edison's pet.

It was his early interest in the haphazard mechanical contrivance produced to make the theater of today. Naturally, being projected from one of the most modern of machines, this film will lack the flicker and unevenness which marked its presentation of 20 years ago. In marked contrast with this old time film the management of the Liberty will show, on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Edison week, out the coast and northwestern states. A recent issue of "Now," publication of the West Coast Theaters, carries the following announcement: "Thomas A. Edison WILL STEEOE It was Will Steege, Montana manajrer for the West Coast Theaters, who originated the Idea of the Thomas A.

Edison week as a fitting testimonial of the regard of the producers and patrons for the father of motion pictures. to the woman with the large hat that it would be necessary for her to remove her head gear in order that the members of the audience seated behind her might be enabled to view the picture. In the lobby of the theater will be arranged a display of similar contrasts, this consisting of a collection of mechanical and electrical devices conceived by Mr. Edison. There will be a sample of the old type of phonograph alongside a modern machine of the same order; there will be cantiles and candle molds beside the latest type of electrical lamps of today, and there will be innumerable other devices of the past and present to indicate the great strides in science and Notable Events and Achievements in the 81 Years of Thomas Alva Edison weeK wm De ceieDratea in every West Ooast theater during the week of Feb.

10. Acting on a suggestion originally made by Will onrra n-f Honf 'folic rmechanical engineering brought about through the efforts of Edison. Especial attention to the phonograph division of the Edison company, one of its principal departments, is being given by H. C. Cory, manager of the Great Falls Phonograph company, 506 Central avenue, who has prepared an interesting show window display.

This exhibit consists mainly of a number of Edison phonographs, the Amberola, the old cylinder record contrivance of which the local concern possesses a great number. In contrast the display also includes the latest Edison model, the (By W. H. Meadowcroft Historian for The Edison Pioneers, copyrighted.) 1847 Born Feb. 11.

at Milan Ohio. 1854 Moved to Port Huron, Mich. 1857 Started chemical laboratory In cellar of hts home. 1859 Became newsboy and "candy butcher" on trains of Grand, Trunk railway, running between Port Huron and Detroit. (The whirligig of time brings about peculiar development.

The Edison storage battery, the Edlaon primary battery and the ediphone are now used by the Grand Truni Railway company, on whose trains Edison commenced life as a 1862 Printed and published a newspaper. "The Weekly Herald," on the train. The first newspaper ever printed on a moving train. 1862 Saved from death the young son of J. U.

Mackenzie, station agent at Mount Clemens, Mich. In gratitude, the father taught Edison telegraphy. 1862 Put up a telegraph line from Port Huron railway station to village and worked In local office. 1863 First position as regular telegraph operator on Grand Trunk railway at Stratford Junction, Canada. 1863 Spent nearly five arduous years as a telegraph operator In various cities to of the central western states, always studying and experimenting to lm-1868 prove the apparatus.

1868 Entered office of Western Union In Boston as operator. Later, resigned to experiment on duplex system of telegraphy and went Into private telegraph line business. 1868 Made his first patented Invention electrical vote recorder. Application for patent signed Oct. 11.

1868. 1869 LaqSed In New York city from Boston boat, poor and In debt. Shortly afterward, looking for work, was In operating room of Gold Stock Telegraph company when apparatus broke down. No one but Edlaon could fix it and he was given a Job as superintendent at $300 a month. 1869 Went Into partnership with Franklin L.

Pope as electrical engineer. Improved stock tickers and made new Inventions among which was the 'Universal" stock ticker also the Unison device. 1870 Received first money for inventions 40,000. Opened manufacturing shop In Newark, where he made tickers. 1871 Assisted Sholes, the inventor of the typewriter, to make the first successful model.

1872 Worked on and completed many inventions. Including motograph, auto-to matlc telegraph systems, duplex, quadmplex, sextuplex and multiplex 1876 telegraph systems; also paraffin paper (came Into use later for wrapping candles); also the electric pen which, with other Improvements made by him, became the present day mimeograph; carbon rheostat mlcrotaslmeter. Hts invention of the quadruplex system of telegraphy was a great development In the art and saved the Investment of many millions of dollars In wires. 1875 Discovered previously unknown and unique electric phenomena, which he called "etherlc force." Twelve years afterward these phenomena were recognized as due to electric waves In free space, and became the foundation of wireless telegraphy. 1876 Moved from Newark to laboratory at Menlo Park.

N. J. Invented the to carbon telephone transmitter, which made telephony a commercial art. 1877 This invention included the microphone, which makes radio possible. Invented the phonograph.

Patent was Issued by United States patent office within two months after application, without a single reference. 1878 First half of year Improving the phonograph. In summer went with astronomical party to Rawlins, to test his mlcrotaslmeter during a transit of Venus. On returning commenced investigation of electric light problem. 1878 In a prophetic article In the North American Review he foreshadowed 10 prominent uses for the phonograph all since accomplished including Its combination with the telephone, which became a reality in 1914 with the perfection of the telescrlbe.

1879 Invented Incandescent electric lamp. The Invention was perfected Oct. 21. 1879, on which day there was put into circuit the first lamp embodying the nrlnclDles of the modern incandescent lamp, and this lamp maintained Edisonic, called the Golden Jubilee model, put out in 1927, 50 years following the perfecting of the first Edison phonograph in 1877. 1883 First three-wire central station for electric lighting installed at Sun-bury.

Pa. 1883 Discovered a previously unknown phenomenon. He found that an independent wire or plate placed between the legs of the filament of an incandescent lamp acted as a valve to control the flow of current. This became known as the "Edison effect. Patent was Issued to him In 1883, No.

307301. This discovery covers the foundation principle on which every modern radio lamp (or tube) Is based. 1880 Strenuous years of Invention and endeavor In extending. Improving and to exploiting the electric light, heat and power systems. During these years 1887 he took out upwards of 300 patents, many of them of fundamental Importance such, for Instance, as that covering the feeder system and that covering the three-wire system.

1881 Invented system of wireless telegraphy, (by Induction) to and from trains to In motion, or between moving trains and railway stations. Installed on 1887 Lehigh Valley railroad In 1887, and used for several years. Also invented a wireless system of communication between ships at sea and between ships and the shore and between distant points on land. Patent No. 465971 was issued on this invention, the application having been filed May 23, 1885.

two years before the publication of the work of Hertz. This patent was sold by Edison to the Marconi Wireless Telegraph company. 1887 Moved to prese'nt laboratory at West Orange, N. J. 1887 Invented Improvements on present type of cylinder phonograph.

In these to four years took out 80 patents on these improvements, and also estab- 1890 llshed a very extensive commercial business In the manufacture and 6ale of phonographs and records, Including dictating machine, shaveable record and shaving machine. 1891 Made a number of inventions relating to electric railways. 1891 Invented the motion picture camera. By the invention of this mechanism, with the continuous tapelike film originated by Edison. It became possible to take and reproduce pictures as we have them at this day.

1891 These years were spent on the great iron ore concentrating enterprise, in to which Edison did some of his most brilliant engineering work. He made 1900 many important inventions during this period among which were the. giant rolls for breaking large masses of rock and the three-high rolls lor fine crushing. During this period he also invented the fluoroscope. Edison realized the necessity and value of a practical fluorescent screen for making examinations with the X-ray.

He made thousands of crystallizations of single and double chemical salts, and finally discovered that crystals of calcium tungstate made in a particular way were highly fluorescent to the X-ray, and Invented the first fluoroscope. He also made many improvements in X-ray tubes. 1900 to This period covers the work resulting in the invention of the Edison steel 1910 alkaline storage battery, and its commercial Introduction. 1900 During these years Edison established a Portland cement mill. He made to many important inventions relating to the method and processes Involved 1909 In the production of Portland cement.

Some of these, such as the long kiln are of great importance to the incfustry in general. 1902 Worked on improvements in the Edison primary battery. 1903 Made important inventions relating to phonograph cylinders. 1905 Introduced new dictating machine, which enabled the dictator to hear repetitions and make paper scale corrections. 1907 Introduced for first time the Universal electric motor for operating dictating machines on all lighting 1910 Worked on Improved disc phonograph.

This work resulted in the produc-to tlon of an instrument and records which reproduce vocal and lnstrumen- 1914 tal music with absolute fidelity and sweetness. Improvements in recording have been made, and all overtones are reproduced. The diamond point reproducer and the indestructible record are important inventions and. on the whole, Edison disc phonograph commenced a new era in phonographs. 1912 Introduced the klnetophone or talking motion picture, after spending much time In its development during a number of years past.

In 1887 he foreshadowed the production of this combined device. 1913 Introduced automatic correction device for dictating machine. 1914 Edison being the largest individual user in the United States of carbolic acid (for making phonograph records), found himself in danger of being compelled to close his factory by reason of the embargo placed on exportation by England and Germany, the sources of supply, carbolic acid being used in making explosives. Edison devised a plan for making carbolic acid synthetically, set gangs of men working 24 hours a day to build a plant, and on 18th day jras making acid. Within four weeks the plant could turn out' a ton a day.

1914 On the night Dec. 9, Edison's great plant at West Orange, N. was the scene of a great conflagration. Early next morning gangs of men were at work clearing up the wreck. Hundreds more were added during the day and "work was continued 24 hours a day.

Within 36 hours after the fire, Edison had given full orders for the complete rehabilitation of the plant. 1914 Invented the telescrlbe. combining the telephone and the dictating phonograph, thus permitting the recording of both sides of telephone messages. 1915 Very early In the year Edison found Jie was In danger of being unable to obtain a continuous supply of benzol from which he made his synthetic carbolic acid. The European war had created an enormous demand and supplies were uncertain.

He decided to erect his own benzol plants. He first looked up all the literature on erection and operation of benzol absorbing plants, and then made engineering plans for a type of plant that could be quickly installed. Experimented on and perfected It In his lab- oratory He arranged with two coke oven plants to put in his benzol plants. The first at the Cambria Steel company's plant at Johnstown, Installed and put into operation in 45 days. The second at the plant Of the Woodward Iron company, at Woodward, completed in 60 days.

Ordinarily, it requires about nine months to instal a benzol plant. Two other benzol plants were erected in Canada according to his plans, each being completed and put In operation within 60 days. All these plants came Into successful commercial operation, producing benzol, toluol, solvent naphtha, xylol and naphthaline for several years. 1915 About March, Edison conceived the Idea of helping out the textUe and rubber Industries of America by making myrbane, aniline oil and aniline salt, which are always in great demand and which had been previously Imported from Germany. He exhausted the literature on the subject, as usual, then laid out the plant.

By bringing great pressure to bear, and working day and night, he installed his plant In 45 working days, deliveries In June, and was soon turning out over 4,000 pounds a day. 1915 The fur dyeing industry and other arts were suffering from a great scarcity of paraphenylenedlamlne, formerly Imported from Germany. Edison also uses it in the manufacture of records for his diamond disc phonograph; being unable to produce It, he experimented In his laboratory untU he found a way to make It. Much pressure was brought to bear on him to supply some of it to fur dyers and others. He equipped a separate plant for this and ultimately manufactured over a ton a day, thus relieving a serious situation.

1915 The great scarcity of carbolic acid In America brought Innumerable requests to Edison to sell some of his product. His first plant worked well, producing about 7,000 pounds a day. This, however, was not nearly sufficient to supply the demand. He therefore projected and Installed another plant with a capacity of about 7,000 pounds additional a day. As he devised Improved processes for use In this larger plant there were a vast number of difficult problems to solve, but with oldtlme energy and dogged perseverance he overcame all after many weeks of strenuous work.

1916 Worked several months making Important Improvements In the manufacturing technique of disc phonograph records, and on studies of new methods and devices for recording. Worked on Improved methods and processes for his chemical products; also worked out processes for making paramldaphenoL base and hydrochloride; benzidine base and sulphate and constructed new plants for their manufacture. As president of the naval consulting board did a large amount of work during the year, connected with question of national defense. 1917 Worked these years on special experiments on war problems for the TJnlt-and ed States government. Space will not permit details.

Suffice it to say 1918 that he worked on the foUowlng major problems, submitting reports from time to time to the secretary of the navy: 1 Locating position of guns by sound-ranging. 2 Detecting submarines by sound from moving vessels. 3 Detecting on moving vessels the discharge of torpedos by submarines. 4 Quick turning of ships. 5 Strategic plans for saving cargo boats from submarines.

6 Collision mats. 7 Taking merchant ships out of mined harbors. 8 Oleum cloud shells. 9 Camouflaging ships and burning anthracite. 10 More power for torpedos.

11 Coast patrol by submarine buoys. 12 Destroying periscopes with machine guns. 13 Cartridge for taking soundings. 14 Sailing-lights for convoys. 15 Smudging skyline.

IS Obstructing torpedos with nets. 17 Under-water searchlight. 18 High-speed signalling with searchlights. 19 Water-penetrating projectile. 20 Airplane detection.

21 Observing periscopes in silhouette. 22 Steamship decoys. 23 Zigzagging. 24 Reducing roUlng of warship. 25 Obtaining nitrogen from the air.

26 Stability of submerged submarines. 27 Hydrogen detector for submarines. 28 Induction balance for submarine detection. 29 Turbine head for projectile. 30 Protecting observers from smoke-stack gas.

31 Mining Zeebrugge harbor. 32 Blinding submarine and periscopes. 33 Mirror-reflection system for warships. 34 Device for lookout men. 35 Extinguishing fires in coal bunkers.

36 Telephone system on ships. 37 Extension ladder for spotting-top. 38 Preserving submarine and other guns from rust. 39 Freeing range-finder from 6pray. 40 Smudging periscopes.

41 Night glass. 42 Re-acting shell. 1919 In his zeal to serve the government Edison had left his business In charge to of his officials for the two years he was so engaged. After the armistice date he returned to his plant at Orange, N. and resumed the direction of his plant, experimenting on new devices, processes and improvements, and perfecting many technical processes and mechanisms, including the electric control of executive model ediphone, and other important developments.

Since the beginning of 1919 he has filed 44 applications for patents and 40 have been issued to him In that period. Altogether, about 1,510 patents have been Issued to htm. During the last two or three years he has taken over the active management of bis commercial enterprises and carried them on with his accumstomed vigor. He still works from IS to 18 hours a day. ir According to Mr.

Cory there viitat j. alio, President Harold B. Franklin has decreed that the above week be set aside in which to pay homage to one of the greatest men of all times, who is solely responsible for many of the great inventions that make the motion picture theater what it is today. "Mr. Franklin has obtained the personal sanction of Mr.

Edison and plans are now under way for this to be a history-making week throughout the West Coast circuit." Acting upon this suggestion and its adoption by the executive of the great motion picture corporation, the organization which controls hundreds of theaters through the west made extensive plans for a most far-reaching and extensive dedicatory program to the founder of the motion picture industry. Jf Father of Motion Picture This great organization, which now owns or controls all of the theaters of Great Falls, as well as various others throughout Montana, credits Mr. Edison with being the father of the motion picture and in that connection it authorizes the following tribute: "It is most fitting at this time for us to look back a few years to the day when pictures were born and then trace their steady advance and improvement up through the years in almost unbelievable strides; than and only then can we realize what a lion's share of this has been contributed by Edison. "In years gone by genius has been left unrecognized until after death, but it shall not be in the case of Thomas A. Edison, who has made possible the success of motion picture entertainment.

In fact, credit is due him for nearly every time-saving pleasure and comfort-giving electrical and me-j-hanical appliance we have to-day. "Little have we Americans realized that among us stands the mechanical wizard of the are stui great numDers oi these cylinder machines in use throughout the country and, as a matter of honor, the Edi son company continues to pro duce cylinder records of the latest music an order to supply these obsolete machines. While the local dealer does not carry these records in stock he supplies all demands by orders upon the factory. Its incandescence for over 40 hours. I Special attention is being 1879 Invented radical Improvements of construction of dynamos, including the mica laminated armature and mica Insulated commutator, and constructed the first practical generators for system of dlstibution of current for light, heat and power.

Invented systems of generation, distribution, regulation and measurement of electric current. Invented sockets, switches, insulating tape. He also invented gummed paper tape now in common use instead of twine or string for securing packages. 1879 The first electric motor ever made for a commercial circuit of 110 to 120 volts was constructed by Edison at Menlo Park, N. In 1879.

This motor Is still in existence and operative, and is in the Edison historical collection. 1879 Dec. 31. Gave public demonstration of electric lighting system in streets and buildings at Menlo Park N. J.

using underground mains. 1880 Invented further Improvements In systems and details for electric light, heat and power and prepared to introduce same commercially. Established first incandescent lamp factory at Menlo Park, N. J. 1880 Invented magnetic ore separator.

1881 Opened business office at No 65 Fifth avenue. New York city. 1881 Established second and improved commercial Incandescent lamp factory at Harrison, N. J. Organized and established shops at 104 Goerck street, 108 Wooster street and 65 Washington street.

New York city, for the manufacture of dynamos, underground conductors, sockets, switches, fixtures, meters, etc. 1880 Invented and installed first life-sized electric railway for freight and pas- to sengers at Menlo Park, N. J. 1882 1882 Sept. 4.

Commenced operation of first commercial central station in New York city lor distribution of electric current lor light, power and heat. paid by the Montana Power company to the progress in illumination wrhich has kept step with Edison's career. In its retail department this company has prepared a couple of show windows with displays of lighting equipment, regard being paid to the contrasts between the old tallow candles of the early days in America, then the step forward to the kerosene lamp, and finally to the incandescent light bulb of the present day. Other dealers of the city, in the electrical, phonograph and office equipment lines, are also taking a hand in special Ed-isoa showings,.