Note 27 — Front matter (continued 7)

The comments made by one of Mr. Edison's assistants on this point are interesting and instructive. 'Mr. Batchelor, the Professor's assistant, who here joined in the conversation,' proceeds the report of the Herald, 'said, "Many a time Mr. Edison sat down almost on the point of giving up the telephone as a lost job; but at the last moment, he would see light." "Of all things that we have discovered, this is about the simplest," continued Mr. Edison, "and the public will say so when it is explained. We have got it pretty well advanced now, but there are some few improvements I have in my mind. You see, it has got to be so fixed that it cannot get out of order. Suppose when one light only is employed it got out of order once a year, where two were used it would get out of order twice a year, and where a thousand were used you can see there would be much trouble in looking after them. Therefore, when the light leaves the laboratory, I want it to be in such a shape that it cannot get out of order at all, except of course by some accident."'