The situation the doors
indicate that the room was designed provide secrecy.
482 For example, Shop Order 1493 (ca.
No.. Edison wanted secret experimental room
to work in: made this clear Batchelor when they were planning the
laboratory when said that wanted special secret part Machine shop
for special things want sub rosa. This 1898 photograph shows rows shelves covered with chemical
bottles along the east wall, although other evidence (cited the occupancy section
of this report), suggests that Edison carried out more than just chemical
experiments his room. Hutchison told
Edison 1913 that had set experiment with his assistant Norton: "It’s
done secret small room, top floor, east end" (on the third floor Building
51. 649-50.
461 MRH TAE, August 24, 1913 (in 1913, WOL).
A floor plan 1916 shows that there was small partitioned room within room
12.hand will found one two the laboratory note-books, with frequent entries or
comments the handwriting which once seen never forgotten. Alterations made after 1916 removed the small office
from room 12, Edison’s room..463
136
.1903), Notebook N-99-06-24. Figure 114 shows Edison inside this room, but the
image provides little information about the room’s furnishings.
460 TAE Charles Batchelor, April 1887 (in 1887, WOL-General, D-87-04)."
463 Floor Plan, November 26, 1916. Figure 113 shows Edison standing near what may the wall this
small room..461 was also regular practice partition rooms within rooms. had two doors-one opening into Edison's room and the other opening in
room 11.462 The
fact that there little documentation this room tends support the argument
that was secret room."459
450 Dyer, Martin, and Meadowcroft, Edison: His Life and Inventions, pp.”460
It was commonplace the laboratory set secret rooms.
The function this small room remains unknown.1, states "partition off room Room
13. Dyer and Martin tell us
that the door room was always kept open and thus Edison would not have
had private place which work. times chemical, physical, mechanical room-occasionally a
combination all, while sometimes might called consultation-room clinic
—for often Edison may seen there animated conference with group his
assistants; but its chief distinction lies its being one his favorite haunts, and
in the fact that within its walls have been settled many the perplexing problems
and momentous questions that have brought about great changes electrical and
engineering arts
