range works in two of the large concrete
buildings above referred to. A visit to this part of the plant reveals
an amazing fertility of resourcefulness and ingenuity in the devising
of the special machines and appliances employed in constructing the
mechanical parts of these cells, for it is practically impossible to
fashion them by means of machinery and tools to be found in the open
market, notwithstanding the immense variety that may be there obtained.

Since Edison completed his final series of investigations on his
storage battery and brought it to its present state of perfection, the
commercial values have increased by leaps and bounds. The battery, as
it was originally put out some years ago, made for itself an enviable
reputation; but with its improved form there has come a vast increase
of business. Although the largest of the concrete buildings where
its manufacture is carried on is over four hundred feet long and four
stories in height, it has already become necessary to plan extensions
and enlargements of the plant in order to provide for the production of
batteries to fill the present demands. It was not until the summer
of 1909 that Edison was willing to pronounce the final verdict of
satisfaction with regard to this improved form of storage battery; but
subsequent commercial results have justified his judgment, and it is
not too much to predict that in all probability the business will assume
gigantic proportions within a very few years. At the present time (1910)
the Edison storage-battery enterprise is in its early stages of growth,
and its status may be compared with that of the electric-light system
about the year 1881.

There is one more industry, though of comparatively small extent,
that is included in the activities of the Orange works, namely,
the manufacture and sale of the Bates numbering machine. This is a
well-known article of commerce, used in mercantile establishments for
the stamping of consecutive, duplicate, and manifold numbers on
checks and other documents. It is not an invention of Edison, but the
organization owning it, together with the patent rights, were acquired
by him some years ago, and he has since continued and enlarged the
business both in scope and volume, besides, of course, improving and
perfecting the apparatus itself. These machines are known everywhere
throughout the country, and while the annual sales are of comparatively
moderate amount in comparison with the totals