on
explained that it would be necessary for him to have an understanding
of European matters. Edison started out by drawing from his desk a
check-book and stating how much money he had in the bank; and he wanted
to know what European telephone securities were most salable, as
he wished to raise the necessary funds to put on their feet the
incandescent lamp factory, the Electric Tube works, and the necessary
shops to build dynamos. All through the interview I was tremendously
impressed with Edison's wonderful resourcefulness and grasp, and his
immediate appreciation of any suggestion of consequence bearing on the
subject under discussion.

"He spoke with very great enthusiasm of the work before him--namely, the
development of his electric-lighting system; and his one idea seemed to
be to raise all the money he could with the object of pouring it
into the manufacturing side of the lighting business. I remember how
extraordinarily I was impressed with him on this account, as I had
just come from a circle of people in London who not only questioned the
possibility of the success of Edison's invention, but often expressed
doubt as to whether the work he had done could be called an invention at
all. After discussing affairs with Johnson--who was receiving his final
instructions from Edison--far into the night, and going down to the
steamer to see Johnson aboard, I finished my first night's business
with Edison somewhere between four and five in the morning, feeling
thoroughly imbued with the idea that I had met one of the great master
minds of the world. You must allow for my youthful enthusiasm, but you
must also bear in mind Edison's peculiar gift of magnetism, which has
enabled him during his career to attach so many men to him. I fell a
victim to the spell at the first interview."

Events moved rapidly in those days. The next morning, Tuesday, Edison
took his new fidus Achates with him to a conference with John Roach, the
famous old ship-builder, and at it agreed to take the AEtna Iron works,
where Roach had laid the foundations of his fame and fortune. These
works were not in use at the time. They were situated on Goerck Street,
New York, north of Grand Street, on the east side of the city,
and there, very soon after, was established the first Edison
dynamo-manufacturing establishment, known for many years as the Edison
Machine Works. The same night Insull made his first visit to Menlo Park.
Up to that time he had seen