Edison Portland Cement - 6

Edison Portland Cement - 6

 A noteworthy instance of Edison's memory occurred in connection with this cement

plant. Some years ago, as its installation was nearing completion, he went up to look it

over and satisfy himself as to what needed to be done. On the arrival of the train at 10.40

in the morning, he went to the mill, and, with Mr. Mason, the general superintendent,

started at the crusher at one end, and examined every detail all the way through to the

packing-house at the other end. He made neither notes nor memoranda, but the

examination required all the day, which happened to be a Saturday. He took a train for

home at 5.30 in the afternoon, and on arriving at his residence at Orange, got out some

note-books and began to write entirely from memory each item consecutively. He

continued at this task all through Saturday night, and worked steadily on until Sunday

afternoon, when he completed a list of nearly six hundred items. The nature of this feat is

more appreciable from the fact that a large number of changes included all the figures of

new dimensions he had decided upon for some of the machinery throughout the plant.

As the reader may have a natural curiosity to learn whether or not the list so made was

practical, it may be stated that it was copied and sent up to the general superintendent

with instructions to make the modifications suggested, and report by numbers as they

were attended to. This was faithfully done, all the changes being made before the plant

was put into operation. Subsequent experience has amply proven the value of Edison's

prescience at this time.

Although Edison's achievements in the way of improved processes and machinery have

already made a deep impression in the cement industry, it is probable that this impression

will become still more profoundly stamped upon it in the near future with the exploitation

of his "Poured Cement House." The broad problem which he set himself was to provide

handsome and practically indestructible detached houses, which could be taken by wageearners

at very moderate monthly rentals. He turned this question over in his mind for

several years, and arrived at the conclusion that a house cast in one piece would be the

answer. To produce such a house involved the overcoming of many engineering and

other technical difficulties. These he attacked vigorously and disposed of patiently one by

one.

In this connection a short anecdote may be quoted from Edison as indicative of one of the

influences turning his thoughts in this direction. In the story of the ore-milling work, it

has been noted that the plant was shut down owing to the competition of the cheap ore

from the Mesaba Range. Edison says: "When I shut down, the insurance companies

cancelled my insurance. I asked the reason why. `Oh,' they said, `this thing is a failure.

The moral risk is too great.' `All right; I am glad to hear it. I will now construct buildings

that won't have any moral risk.' I determined to go into the Portland cement business. I

organized a company and started cement-works which have now been running

successfully for several years. I had so perfected the machinery in trying to get my ore

costs down that the making of cheap cement was an easy matter to me. I built these works

entirely of concrete and steel, so that there is not a wagon-load of lumber in them; and so

that the insurance companies would not have any possibility of having any `moral risk.'

Since that time I have put up numerous factory buildings all of steel and concrete,

without any combustible whatever about them--to avoid this `moral risk.' I am carrying

further the application of this idea in building private houses for poor people, in which

there will be no `moral risk' at all--nothing whatever to burn, not even by lightning."