Edison brought the core his workforce with him West
Orange. They were highly skilled
machinists who could interpret the "old man's" rough sketches
and produce working models inventions very short time. These were called the "Boys. The Otts were more than craftsmen;
they experimented freely and frequently participated the
formative stages invention. All had
been with the "old man" (as Edison was affectionately called)
since his early days Newark and all were close personal
terms with him. Batchelor duplicated the multi-talented Edison,
an accomplished experimenter and inventor with little formal
education but wealth management experience workshops
and factories.Ill- 3
hoped begin their inventive careers with apprenticeship
at this famous laboratory. the
second floor the laboratory, Fred Ott and his precision
." Batchelor, John Ott, and
Fred Ott were members Edison's old guard from Menlo Park who
played major role setting the new facility.
Fred Ott's craftsmanship and his rapport with Edison made
him close associate the latter. Nicknamed "Santcho
Pantcho," Ott was Edison's chief sidekick and confidant.
A hurried sketch piece scrap paper with the legend
"John Ott— make this" was the starting point many of
Edison's great inventions. Their forte was make
mechanical things work, and then make them work bit better. The Ott brothers represented the kind workmen
with whom Edison had surrounded himself from his early days as
an inventor and factory manager
