s, floors, and stairways, thus
eliminating fire hazard to the utmost extent, and insuring a high degree
of protection, cleanliness, and sanitation. As fully three-fourths of
the area of their exterior framework consists of windows, an abundance
of daylight is secured. These many advantages, combined with lofty
ceilings on every floor, provide ideal conditions for the thousands of
working people engaged in this immense plant.

In addition to these twelve concrete structures there are a few smaller
brick and wooden buildings on the grounds, in which some special
operations are conducted. These, however, are few in number, and at
some future time will be concentrated in one or more additional concrete
buildings. It will afford a clearer idea of the extent of the industries
clustered immediately around the laboratory when it is stated that the
combined floor space which is occupied by them in all these buildings is
equivalent in the aggregate to over fourteen acres.

It would be instructive, but scarcely within the scope of the narrative,
to conduct the reader through this extensive plant and see its many
interesting operations in detail. It must suffice, however, to note
its complete and ample equipment with modern machinery of every kind
applicable to the work; its numerous (and some of them wonderfully
ingenious) methods, processes, machines, and tools specially designed
or invented for the manufacture of special parts and supplemental
appliances for the phonograph or other Edison products; and also to
note the interesting variety of trades represented in the different
departments, in which are included chemists, electricians, electrical
mechanicians, machinists, mechanics, pattern-makers, carpenters,
cabinet-makers, varnishers, japanners, tool-makers, lapidaries,
wax experts, photographic developers and printers, opticians,
electroplaters, furnacemen, and others, together with factory
experimenters and a host of general employees, who by careful training
have become specialists and experts in numerous branches of these
industries.

Edison's plans for this manufacturing plant were sufficiently well
outlined to provide ample capacity for the natural growth of the
business; and although that capacity (so far as phonographs is
concerned) has actually reached an output of over 6000 complete
phonographs PER WEEK, and upward of 130,000 molded records PER DAY--with
a pay-roll embracing over 3500 employees, including office f